The international festival and book fair “vRIsak” features more than 50 events this year
It’s a great season for lovers of good literature: apart from the ongoing Zagreb Book Festival and the upcoming Festival of European Short Stories, we’re heading towards another fantastic manifestation. The 10th edition of the International Literature Festival “vRisak” will take place in Rijeka from 31 May to 10 June, starting with an introductory event on 24 May, Novi list reports.
More than a hundred writers, translators, publishers and literature critics are participating in about 50 individual events. Festival director Zoran Simić announced multiple themed programmes, such as “Literature Between Asylum and Exile”, “Europe in 30 Books” and “Croatian Premieres”. The festival is featuring an astonishing number of well-known authors, including Claudio Magris, Aleksandar Hemon, Francine Prose, Slavenka Drakulić, Clare Azzopardi, Damir Karakaš, Bekim Sejranović, Ivica Prtenjača, and many others.
“The programme ‘Literature Between Asylum and Exile’ is dedicated to the recently departed master of the written word and a wordly renowned intellectual Predrag Matvejević. I’d also like to point to the programme dedicated to the last 35 years of the local literature scene called ‘Rijeka Writes, Listens, Loves – from Jurković and Ogurlić (and the Youth in the 80s) to Ri Lit (and the New Voices of the 21st Century)’.” said Simić.
The prelude to the festival will introduce the audience to the Bosnian-born writer Aleksandar Hemon, who made a career in the US with his two fantastic novels Nowhere Man and The Lazarus Project. On Wednesday, 31 May, Slavenka Drakulić will be the guest of the evening in the Ex Libris book shop, while the opening ceremony is planned for 7.30 PM on Botel Marina. As if one good festival wasn’t enough, the event is followed by the opening of the Festival of European Short Stories at 9 PM.
A book fair will be taking place from 22 May to 15 June in the VBZ library and multiple special stands located on Jadranski square and the Bazarig passage, offering a wide selection of publications at a discounted price. Festival events will be happening all over the place, in multiple venues such as Botel Marina, the Book Café Dnevni boravak, Art Cinema Croatia, Samovar bar, Rijeka City Library, the Tunnel club… No matter where you turn, you’re sure to find something to your liking – there’s no excuse to miss this opportunity to enjoy some quality literature!
