Parcours: 29 March

Undoubtedly a literary highlight.

Nawal El Saadawi, Harry Mulisch, Carlos Fuentes, Péter Nádas, Alessandro Baricco, Geert Mak, Zoé Valdés, Jeroen Brouwers, Catherine Millet, Erwin Mortier, Alan Hollinghurst, Bart Moeyaert, Olivier Rolin, Kristien Hemmerechts, Elif Shafak, Ramsey Nasr, Gerrit Komrij and many other authors from Belgium and abroad will be attending.

Practical details:

Badges cost €7 / €5 for under-26s, over-65s, jobseekers / free for under-12s  

The badges can be bought in advance at the Passa Porta Bookshop and Bozar and on the day itself at all festival venues. They admit you to all the activities on the Circuit, some of which it is advisable to book (those with a 'reserv' icon).

PLANNING PARCOURS (pdf)

10:00 - 11:00 / 11:00 - 12:00 / 12:00 - 13:00 / 13:00 - 14:00 / 14:00 - 15:00 / 15:00 - 16:00 / 16:00 - 17:00 / 17:00 - 18:00 / 18:00 - 19:00

10:00 - 11:00

• Su 29.03 | 10:00 - 10:30 TKunstenhuis

  Otto in the city

  Tom Schamp for children

  Tom Schamp's successful children's books Otto drives there and back and Otto in the city are surprising fantasy worlds full of witty allusions to Brussels. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 10:00 - 11:00 Bibliothèque des Riches Claires

  The Great European Novel & Le roi du Congo

  Koen Peeters & Alain Berenboom

  Flemish author Koen Peeters' Europe is unified as far as is possible. And how does his French-speaking colleague Alain Berenboom see Africa? Hosted by Jacques De Decker. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 10:00 - 18:00 Hungarian Culture Brussels

  An author's photographs

  Péter Nádas, photographer

  Péter Nádas, the guest of honour at the 2009 Passa Porta Festival, is not only a writer but also a renowned photographer. In the 1960s he even worked as a press photographer. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 10:30 - 11:00 Museum voor Schone Kunsten / Musée des Beaux-Arts

  Writers at the museum

  Patrick Roegiers & Jean-Pierre Ferrini

  Writers gave a tour of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 10:30 - 11:15 De Markten

  Breakfast discussion with Johan Soenen

  Women and feminism in the modern Turkish novel

  Current Turkish women writers unabashedly rival their male counterparts. Elif Shafak is clear proof of this. But women were already playing an important part in Turkish literature 100 years ago. Has much changed? Read more

• Su 29.03 | 10:30 - 11:30 Hotel Metropole

  Literary breakfast

  Björn Larsson

  A unique meeting with Björn Larsson or Jean-Luc Coatalem, both festival guests. Converse over breakfast with one of these writers. A literary start to the day! Read more

• Su 29.03 | 10:30 - 11:30 Hotel Metropole

  Literary breakfast

  Jean-Luc Coatalem

  A unique meeting with Björn Larsson or Jean-Luc Coatalem, both festival guests. Converse over breakfast with one of these writers. A literary start to the day! Read more

11:00 - 12:00

• Su 29.03 | 11:00

  Literair parcours voor doven en slechthorenden

  Read more

• Su 29.03 | 11:00

  Literair parcours voor blinden en slechtzienden

  Read more

• Su 29.03 | 11:00 - 11:30 Museum voor Schone Kunsten / Musée des Beaux-Arts

  Writer at the museum

  Bart Moeyaert

  The Flemish author Bart Moeyaert presented you with text and interpretation alongside his favourite work from the Brussels Fine Arts Museum's collection. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 11:00 - 11:30 TKunstenhuis

  Otto in the city

  Tom Schamp for children

  Tom Schamp, one of Flanders' most original and artistic illustrators, is Otto's spiritual father. His successful children's books Otto drives there and back and Otto in the city are surprising fantasy worlds full of witty allusions to Brussels. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 11:00 - 11:45 HOB Literair Salon

  Netherland

  Joseph O’Neill in conversation with Annelies Beck

  Joseph O'Neill was born in Ireland, grew up in Holland and later became a lawyer in London. For the last few years he has lived in New York. His third novel Netherland was launched to unanimous acclaim. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 11:00 - 11:45 Cercle des Voyageurs

  LIterary brunch

  Karen Guillorel

  A year after visiting Passa Porta, Karen Guillorel is still pursuing her ambitious programme of book exchanges and readings throughout Europe. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 11:00 - 12:00 Hotel Metropole

  Live on Klara

  Ramsey Nasr in conversation with Jean-Pierre Rondas

  Ramsey Nasr is a poet, prose-writer, actor and director and was also recently appointed the Dutch National Poet. A radio conversation with a live audience, with Jean-Pierre Rondas (Klara), on writing and responsibility in city, state and world. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 11:00 - 12:00 Vaudeville

  Democracy versus Culture?

  Robert Legros, Bernard Foccroulle & Zoé Valdés

  Encounter-debate. Philosopher Robert Legros and musician Bernard Foccroulle examined the link between democracy and culture. Writer Zoé Valdés spoke her mind. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 11:00 - 13:00 De Munt / La Monnaie

  A Stage with a View: Le Grand Macabre

  Douwe Draaisma & David Le Breton

  In the atmospheric grand lobby of La Monnaie/De Munt, philosopher and psychologist Douwe Draaisma (NL) and anthropologist and sociologist David Le Breton (FR) talked about representations of decline and death in contemporary society. These themes were central to György Ligeti's opera Le Grand Macabre. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 11:15 - 12:00 De Markten

  Literature from Turkey

  Elif Shafak in conversation with Margot Dijkgraaf

  Elif Shafak is a doctor in political science but above all the most important Turkish writer after Orhan Pamuk. Her novels, written in either Turkish or English, are multiple award-winning literary bestsellers. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 11:15 - 12:15 Cinéma Arenberg

  Thomas at the movies

  Thomas Gunzig

  Silences, travels, the dead, the living, stories. To prove the similarities between film and literature, Thomas presented texts and a selection of film clips. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 11:30 - 12:00 Museum voor Schone Kunsten / Musée des Beaux-Arts

  Writer at the museum

  David Van Reybrouck

  The Flemish author David Van Reybrouck presented the public with text and interpretation alongside his favourite work from the Brussels Fine Arts Museum's collection. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 11:30 - 12:30 Bozar

  Conversations

  Enrique Vila-Matas & Patrick Deville

  Discussion between Enrique Vila-Matas (Journal Volubile, 2009) and Patrick Deville, (Equatoria, 2009), director of the MEET literary centre in Saint Nazaire. Read more

14-15u

• Su 29.03 | 12:00 - 13:00 Pathé Palace

  The new world order through the eyes of writer-journalists

  Walter Zinzen, Jef Lambrecht & Stefan Blommaert in conversation with Phara de Aguirre

  What are the likely balances of power in the future? What are the challenges that face mankind at the beginning of the 21st century? What are the possible scenarios? Phara de Aguirre put these and other questions to journalists who have worked as foreign correspondents for many years. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 12:00 - 13:00 Protestantse kerk Nieuwe Graanmarkt / Église Protestante Place du Nouveau Marché-aux-Grains

  The indescribable

  Patrick Lateur on religiously inspired poetry

  In a world where everything has a label, Patrick Lateur dares you to go in search of indescribable things. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 12:00 - 18:00 Pathé Palace

  Digital stories

  My opinion

  In a series of short films, the young people of Brussels were given the opportunity to speak their minds on freedom of speech. The initial results from the workshops were shown here: several dozen films lasting 1 to 2 minutes.  Read more

• Su 29.03 | 12:30

  parcours littéraire pour aveugles et malvoyants

  Read more

• Su 29.03 | 12:30 - 13:00 Hotel Metropole

  We’re all entitled to our own opinion?

  Kamran Mir Hazar, Faraj Bayrakdar and Dejan Anastasijevic in conversation with Rik Pinxten

  Throughout the world almost 1000 writers and journalists are being threatened or imprisoned because of their opinions. As a member of the International Cities of Refuge Network, Passa Porta is committed to offering refuge to persecuted writers. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 12:30 - 13:15 HOB Literair Salon

  Writer Simone Lenaerts in dialogue with Rik Torfs

  Antwerp's Left Bank at the time of the Cold War. In this new part of town, where optimism over the future is apparent in broad avenues and modern apartment blocks, Rosa is the daughter of a catholic mother and a communist father. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 12:30 - 13:30 De Markten

  Please enter the text

  Paul Bogaert, Dirk Van Hulle & Jan Lauwereyns

  When is a page of prose or poetry really finished? Never, for all we know. This reading-performance shed some light on the subject. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 12:30 - 13:30 Passa Porta

  Brussels in Verse. Poetry in the City

  A walk with Richard Venlet & Fabio Scotto

  Discover the Dansaert quarter on foot in the company of the artist Richard Venlet and Italian poet Fabio Scotto, who has used the area as inspiration for a new series of poems. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 12:30 - 13:30 De Markten

  On fiction and human rights

  Naema Tahir and Rachida Lamrabet in conversation with Eva Brems

  Naema Tahir, the Dutch writer of British-Pakistani origin, and the Flemish-Moroccan Rachida Lamrabet have roots in different cultures. They are also both lawyers specialising in human rights. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 12:30 - 13:30 Falstaff

  And the Winner is…

  Prix Indications / Passa Porta

  Prize for foreign literature. The Indications/Passa Porta jury is made up of 15 young academics. Five bookshops decided which books to enter: Aden, Passa Porta and Les Mots Gourmands (Brussels), Livres au Trésor (Liege) and Point Virgule (Namur). Read more

• Su 29.03 | 12:30 - 13:30 Vaudeville

  Dominique Pinon reads Péter Nádas

  The Hungarian Péter Nádas, author of A Book of Memories, was the festival's guest of honour. Nádas analyses and explores the human mind. The actor Dominique Pinon read from a collection of Nádas' stories entitled Minotaure. Read more

13:00 - 14:00

• Su 29.03 | 13:00

  parcours littéraire pour sourds et malentendants

  Read more

• Su 29.03 | 13:00 Bonnefooi

  Poëzie van deur tot deur

  More info

• Su 29.03 | 13:00 - 13:45 Cercle des Voyageurs

  homesick for palm trees and Christmas trees

  Encounter with Tahar Bekri

  Tahar Bekri (1951, Gabès, Tunisia) has lived in Paris since 1976 and written some twenty books about exile and roaming through time and space. Bekri is a major voice in contemporary North-Africa. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 13:00 - 13:45 Bozar

  Hans Ulrich Obrist & Raoul Vaneigem

  Hans Ulrich Obrist & Raoul Vaneigem

  Hans Ulrich Obrist, director of international projects at London's Serpentine Gallery, presented the unique artistic and literary correspondence he exchanged for the festival with Raoul Vaneigem, writer of works including the famous Traité de savoir vivre à l'usage des jeunes générations (Gallimard). For this, he used the same model as in his Conversations (Manuella éd., 2007). Historian and art historian Cécilia Bezzan told us more about HUO's work, focusing on his talks. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 13:00 - 14:00 Bozar

  Contemporary poetry from Spain

  Antonio Gamoneda, Ada Salas & Miguel Casado

  Three voices from the world of contemporary Spanish poetry presented recent work. Hosted by translator Bart Vonck. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 13:00 - 18:30 Goudblommeke in Papier en Dolle Mol / La Fleur en Papier Doré et Dolle Mol

  Hives of literature, hives of resistance

  Tussen Goudblommeke en Dolle Mol

  You could make the acquaintance of Karl Marx, Multatuli, Cobra, Verlaine or Dotremont. No problem for these two legendary places: the Goudblommeke van Papier and the Dolle Mol. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 13:00 -13:45 Hotel Metropole

  PEN authors talk about fellow writers

  Writers behind bars

  PEN is a worldwide authors' association that stands up for free speech and opposes any form of censorship. In this programme, Flemish PEN authors read from work by fellow writers from abroad. And Faraj Bayrakdar (Syria) and Chenjerai Hove read from their own work. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 13:30 - 14:15 Espace Wallonie

  20 years after Christiane F.

  Tristan Jordis

  Kai Hermann, author of Moi, Christiane F., 13 ans, droguée, prostituée... met Tristan Jordis, the writer of Crack, a story about drug addicts in Paris. Read more

14:00 - 15:00

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 14:30 Beursschouwburg café

  Writers and politics

  Anyway, in my opinion NATO should be abolished

  Erik Vlaminck, Elvis Peeters, Peter Theunynck, Peter Holvoet-Hanssen, Mieke de Loof, Kurt De Boodt, Patrick Bernauw and Didi De Paris made it clear, short and sharp, why they bear NATO such a grudge. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 14:30 Bonnefooi, Falstaff, AB Café, Dylan's

  Poets in Steenstraat: 4 duos in 4 cafés

  Anyone who thinks that poetry should offer surprises would have been happy with this. The spotlight was turned on a Flemish poet and a poet from abroad. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 14:45 Cercle des Voyageurs

  In the garden of storms

  Yvon Le Men & Jean-Luc Coatalem

  A journey around the world in 80 words with two captains to guide us on the grand voyage, Yvon Le Men (poet) and Jean-Luc Coatalem (novelist and journalist with Géo). Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 15:00 Falstaff

  Alberto Garlini, Jean Pierre Ferrini

  Alberto Garlini & Jean-Pierre Ferrini

  In Alberto Garlini's Sacrifice italien (2008), the poet, intellectual and film-maker Pier Paolo Pasolini meets the young, talented footballer Francesco Ferrari. For the Festival the writer spoke to Jean-Pierre Ferrini. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 15:00 Vaudeville

  Oeuvre-builder

  Jeroen Brouwers in conversation with Piet Piryns

  Jeroen Brouwers is the author of a wide oeuvre with autobiographical undertones. Or, in his words: 'I write about love, literature and death. I describe my life'. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 15:00 La Bellone

  Passa Porta Monoloog

  Eugène Bervoets reads W.G. Sebald

  The German author W.G. Sebald died in 2001, leaving behind an impressive oeuvre. Actor Eugène Bervoets read a selection of his stories on the border of fact and fiction, memory and forgetting, vitality and melancholy. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 15:00 Hotel Metropole

  Halma - Literature on the European forum

  How do writers and translators move in the European marketplace? How important is it for them to meet colleagues from other language areas? HALMA creates new possibilities. Read more

   

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 15:00 AB Club

  Literary concert

  Peter (Holvoet-Hanssen) & WOLF

  Poet Peter Holvoet-Hannsen has a richly-filled hoard of poetical material. For the Passa Porta festival he created a literary-musical piece that transports you to a wealth of different worlds. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 15:00 Bozar

  Catherine Millet & Kristien Hemmerechts

  Catherine Millet is editor of Art Press and author of several modern art books. The Sexual Life of Catherine M. (2001) attracted controversy. In Day of Suffering (2008) she analyses her own jealousy. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 15:00 De Markten

  Annelies Beck’s book harvest

  Bart Moeyaert & Jeroen Olyslaegers

  Annelies Beck presented a fine selection of new books during the festival edition of ‘This season's harvest'. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 15:00 Cinéma Arenberg

  Pouvoir-Point

  Yves Pagès

  A real fake conference that went behind the scenes of the publishing world, where a pseudo-manager takes an in-depth look into the management's favourite topics. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 15:00 Passa Porta

  Brussels in Verse. Poetry in the City

  A walk with Richard Venlet & Fabio Scotto

  Discover the Dansaert quarter on foot in the company of the artist Richard Venlet and Italian poet Fabio Scotto, who has used the area as inspiration for a new series of poems. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 15:15 De Markten

  In the beginning

  Travel around the world with Michael de Cock, Layla Nabulsi and 50 musicians

  Michael de Cock and Layla Nabulsi re-write stories about the origin of humankind and the world that came blowing in from all four corners of the globe: Sudan, Brazil, Japan and Alaska. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 17:00 Pathé Palace

  Slam with Sylvain Farhi

  Wild, celebratory writers' workshop with Sylvain Farhi on the theme of ‘the most fantastic moments of your life'. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:00 - 18:00 Passa Porta

  Brussels in Verse. Poetry in the City

  Poetry taxis

  Actors from Les Liseuses fabuleuses invited us all to a multi-coloured, multi-voiced ode to the big city, on board 2 charming classic cars. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:30 - 15:15 Pathé Palace

  The new world order according to Guy Verhofstadt

  According to ex-prime minister Guy Verhofstadt, 2008 was a pivotal year in history. The world is faced with a number of unprecedented challenges, issues that concern the whole of mankind. He talked to journalist Jef Lambrecht about his recent essay Een New Age of Empires. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:30 - 15:30 Bozar

  20 years after the Iron Curtain

  Ingo Schulze & Péter Nádas

  After 1989, Europe's communist regimes fell one by one. With the ‘Wenderoman' New Lives Ingo Schulze established himself as the chronicler of recent German history. Memory and the past are also key to Hungarian Péter Nádas. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:30 - 15:30 Protestantse kerk / Église protestante

  God vs. Architect

  Jean Paul Van Bendegem, Rik Torfs & Koen Peeters

  The world is a building site, but who is the architect? God? Man himself? Is there such a thing as a chief architect of the universe? A metaphysical discussion between bright sparks Jean Paul Van Bendegem and Rik Torfs. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 14:30 - 15:30 HOB Literair Salon

  Vers bloed

  Flemish literature is full of life. The new generation knows what it's all about: Annelies de Ville, Thomas Ernst, Sarah de Mul, Gregory de Vleeschouwer, Roos van Vlaenderen and Fleur Ordoukhani. Read more

15:00 - 16:00

• Su 29.03 | 15:00 - 15:30 Beursschouwburg café

  Writers and politics

  Anyway, in my opinion NATO should be abolished

  Erik Vlaminck, Elvis Peeters, Peter Theunynck, Peter Holvoet-Hanssen, Mieke de Loof, Kurt De Boodt, Patrick Bernauw and Didi De Paris made it clear, short and sharp, why they bear NATO such a grudge. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 15:00 - 15:30 Bonnefooi, Falstaff, AB Café, Dylan's

  Poets in Steenstraat: 4 duos in 4 cafés

  The spotlight was turned on a Flemish poet and a poet from abroad. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 15:00 - 15:45 Cercle des Voyageurs

  From north to south, across all latitudes...

  Tahar Bekri & Björn Larsson

  The meeting between Tunisian poet Tahar Bekri and Swedish novelist Björn Larsson revolved around the open sea. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 15:00 - 15:45 Espace Wallonie

  On world literature

  Michel Le Bris & Camille de Toledo

  Michel Le Bris, after his thought provoking Pour une littérature-monde en français met Camille de Toledo. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 15:00 - 15:45 Theater Toone

  Brussels, a construction site

  Jef Aerts, Thomas Gunzig & Joost Vandecasteele

  In their latest work, three young authors painted Brussels as a city under construction, with rough, unfinished edges. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 15:00 - 16:00 MIM

  Musical commitment from Turkey

  Gültekinler

  Brought out his first record at 16. Left Turkey and studied journalism in East Germany. Worked for many years in the Belgian mines. Lutfu Gultekin is what you'd call a socially committed singer songwriter. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 15:00 - 16:00 Station Brussel Congres / Gare Bruxelles Congrès

  Stéphane Lambert

  At a place that encourages a new view of the city, the Belgian writer Stéphane Lambert read four new pieces on great artists (Goya, Van Gogh, Klee & Giacometti). Read more

• Su 29.03 | 15:00 - 16:00 Espace Magh

  Interview by Sarah Bracke and Stéphanie Loriaux

  Nawal El Saadawi

  Born and raised in Egypt, circumcised at the age of 6, worked briefly as a country doctor, director of the Ministry of Health for a time, politically active, in the opposition against female circumcision and Islamic fundamentalism, author of such controversial books as Women and Sex, a feminist in her own style... Read more

• Su 29.03 | 15:30 - 16:30 De Markten

  Novels under scaffolding

  Yves Petry, Saskia De Coster & Jeroen Theunissen

  Specially for the festival, Flemish novelist Yves Petry wrote a text about the satisfactions and frustrations of a novel under construction. Petry spelled out his vision to contemporaries Saskia De Coster and Jeroen Theunissen. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 15:30 - 16:30 AB Club

  A story of South-Africa

  Phillipa Yaa de Villiers & David Van Reybrouck

  Phillipa Yaa de Villiers stayed in Flanders for a month's residency and has written a radio-book for deBuren. In her successful play Original Skin she puts her troubled youth and mixed roots behind her. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 15:30 - 16:30 Vaudeville

  Zoé Valdés & Eric Sarner

  Zoé Valdès, born in Havana but banned from Cuba since 1995, writes novels and screenplays and lives in Paris. L'éternité de l'instant is her second book published by Gallimard. She talked to director and poet Eric Sarner. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 15:30 - 16:30 De Markten

  On remembering and forgetting

  Douwe Draaisma talks to Betty Mellaerts

  In his books De heimweefabriek ('The homesickness Factory') and Why life speeds up as you get older, the Dutch psychologist and philosopher Douwe Draaisma talks about memory and forgetfulness. An interview with Betty Melaerts. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 15:30 - 16:30 Bozar

  Literature from Italy

  Alessandro Baricco

  The Italian Alessandro Baricco is a musicologist, saxophonist, actor, director and above all writer of stories that are both musical and cinematic. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 15:45 - 16:45 Pathé Palace

  De Standaard Leesclub Live XL

  Geert Mak meets his readers

  For a whole year Dutch writer Geert Mak travelled through Europe, following the 20th century, via London, Volgograd and Madrid, via the bunkers of Berlin, the perfumed wardrobes of Helena Ceausescu in Bucharest and an abandoned crèche in Chernobyl. Read more

16:00 - 17:00

• Su 29.03 | 16:00 - 16:30 Beursschouwburg café

  Writers and politics

  Anyway, in my opinion NATO should be abolished

  Erik Vlaminck, Elvis Peeters, Peter Theunynck, Peter Holvoet-Hanssen, Mieke de Loof, Kurt De Boodt, Patrick Bernauw and Didi De Paris made it clear, short and sharp, why they bear NATO such a grudge. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 16:00 - 16:30 Bonnefooi, Falstaff, AB Café, Dylan's

  Poets in Steenstraat: 4 duos in 4 cafés

  The spotlight was turned on a Flemish poet and a poet from abroad. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 16:00 - 16:45 Espace Wallonie

  The future of literature

  William Marx

  Orléans University Literature Professor William Marx, author of Adieu à la littérature presented Vie de lettrés about those who read, hand down and in turn produce new texts for future generations. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 16:00 - 16:45 Hotel Metropole

  Poets from Central Europe

  Petr Borkovec & Franzobel

  The Czech poet Petr Borkovec was the Writer in Residence at Passa Porta's writers' flat in Brussels for the month of March 2009. His country had the EU presidency and Borkovec was both intrigued by the political side of Brussels and searched for its poetical side. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 16:00 - 16:45 Bozar

  Interview by Carmen Draghici

  Mircea Dinescu

  In Romania, Mircea Dinescu is a well-known, even notorious figure. He is a publisher, journalist, media personality and dissident.  And he is also a gifted poet. He sees writing poetry as a revolutionary act. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 16:00 - 17:00 Protestantse kerk / Église protestante

  Oeuvre-builder

  Erwin Mortier in conversation with Jos Borré

  Less than ten years separate Erwin Mortier's successful 1999 debut Marcel and his recent, celebrated novel Godenslaap ('The Sleep of the Gods'). From the start, Mortier planned an oeuvre that encompasses novels, essays and poetry. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 16:00 - 17:00 La Bellone

  Literary concert

  Dominique A. & Mathias Enard

  Encounter with musician Dominique A., already well known in Brussels, and Mathias Enard, who caused a literary storm with his book Zone. A unique mix of words and sounds from two great modern artists. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 16:00 - 17:00 Bozar

  Architecture and literature

  Michal Govrin & Antoine Grumbach

  Architect Ilana Tzuriel is the narrator in Sur le vif, the first novel by writer, poet and stage director Michal Govrin (Jerusalem) published in French. Architect Antoine Grumbach wrote ‘L'ombre, le seuil, la limite - réflexions sur l'espace juif'. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 16:00 - 17:00 HOB Literair Salon

  Re-thinking democracy

  Monika Van Paemel, Jos Geysels, Rik Pinxten & Walter Van Dongen

  Author Monika Van Paemel, Jos Geysels (Minister of State, President Boek.be), Rik Pinxten (Prof. Anthropology & Religious Studies UGent, President HVV) and Walter Van Dongen (Flemish Government Study Service) talked about democracy. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 16:00 - 17:15 De Markten

  Travel around the world with Michael de Cock, Layla Nabulsi and 50 musicians

  In the beginning

  Michael de Cock and Layla Nabulsi re-write stories about the origin of humankind and the world that came blowing in from all four corners of the globe: Sudan, Brazil, Japan and Alaska. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 16:15 - 17:15 Cercle des Voyageurs

  Between Brussels and Saint-Malo

  Michel Le Bris, Yvon Le Men, Björn Larsson & Jean-Luc Coatalem

  In May 2009 Saint-Malo's ‘Etonnants Voyageurs' travel literature festival existed for 20 years. To mark the occasion, faithful festival-goers met founder Michel Le Bris, whose La beauté du monde was at the time recently published. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 16:30 - 17:30 MIM

  Alan Hollinghurst in conversation with Lieven Vandenhaute

  At the end of the eighties Lieven Vandenhaute met the British writer Alan Hollinghurst for the first time in London. Twenty years and three stunning novels later, it was high time for a new conversation. Read more

17:00 - 18:00

• Su 29.03 | 17:00 - 17:30 Beursschouwburg café

  Writers and politics

  Anyway, in my opinion NATO should be abolished

  Erik Vlaminck, Elvis Peeters, Peter Theunynck, Peter Holvoet-Hanssen, Mieke de Loof, Kurt De Boodt, Patrick Bernauw and Didi De Paris made it clear, short and sharp, why they bear NATO such a grudge. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 17:00 - 18:00 Bozar

  Oeuvre-builder

  Harry Mulisch in conversation with Piet Piryns

  One of the masters of Dutch literature looked back on his writing career. What are the foundations of his oeuvre? What building blocks did he use to shape his impressive books? Read more

• Su 29.03 | 17:00 - 18:00 De Markten

  Kurt Van Eeghem’s book harvest

  Eva Cox, Kristien Hemmerechts & Bart Koubaa

  Kurt Van Eeghem presented new work from three authors during the festival edition of ‘This season's harvest'. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 17:00 - 18:00 Espace Wallonie

  Editions Le Promeneur, Gallimard

  Patrick Mauriès, Cécile Guilbert, Elisabeth Barillé

  The Passa Porta Festival celebrated the 20th Anniversary and 300^th publication of Gallimard's prestigious collection Le Promeneur. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 17:00 - 18:00 Vaudeville

  Oeuvre builder

  Gerrit Komrij in conversation with Mark Schaevers

  On the eve of his 65th birthday, Gerrit Komrij looked back at a life of writing, with Mark Schaevers (Humo). Read more

• Su 29.03 | 17:00 - 18:00 Espace Magh

  Khalid Izri

  Culture, roots and identity, these are key concepts for the Moroccan singer Khalid Izri. He sings passionately on such themes as immigration, the status of women and his own Amazigh Berber culture. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 17:00 - 18:00 AB Club

  Mira

  On her CD ‘Te Gek 3!', Mira dedicates one song, Crystal Ball, to a depressive uncle who committed suicide. Sylvia Plath provided the inspiration for the song. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 17:15 - 18:00 Hotel Metropole

  A new Latin American voice

  Juan Gabriel Vásquez

  The novel The Informants marked Juan Gabriel Vásquez's international breakthrough. He puts the struggle of Columbian life into an historical perspective, focussing on the dark fate of WW2 refugees in Bogotá. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 17:15 - 18:15 PP Café

  Musical libraries

  Jacques Darras & Eric Sarner

  An unusual meeting between poetry and music. Poets Jacques Darras and Eric Sarner introduced us to their musical world, accompanied by a pianist. A unique journey not to be missed! Read more

• Su 29.03 | 17:15 - 18:15 Pathé Palace

  REMIX, ONLiT

  Saint-Exupéry: Terre des hommes

  Performance. ONLiT invited the audience to take an ultimate journey on the airmail planes. DJ code314 mixed the text of Terre des Hommes (Saint-Exupéry) live with modern music, with Edgar Kosma on drums and Orchid Bite VJs providing visuals. Read more

• Su 29.03 | 17:30 - 18:30 Bozar

  Literary rendezvous

  Olivier Rolin in conversation with Marianne Alphant

  Olivier Rolin (Un Chasseur de Lions, 2008) writes novels, dialogues and travelogues about history, geography, women and revolution. Marianne Alphant (Petite nuit, 2009) interviewed him. Read more

18:00 - 19:00

• Su 29.03 | 18:30 - 19:30 Bozar

  Finale

  Carlos Fuentes

  Carlos Fuentes (Panama, 1928) had turned 80. The Mexican president Felipe Calderón promptly announced a National Fuentes Reading Day: "The best way to celebrate Fuentes is to read his work". Read more