Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival 2017

The XIIth edition of the Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival organized by Inizjamed will be held on Thursday 24th, Friday 25th and Saturday 26th August, at Fort St Elmo, in Valletta, at 8.00pm. Twelve writers from eight countries are reading in the festival, which also features Maltese and foreign poetry films, Maltese jazz bands, a book stall, a book binding stand, drinks and food. Entrance to all events is free. The pre-Festival events start on Sunday 20 August 2017.

The authors participating in this XIIth edition are Asja Bakić (Bosnia Herzegovina), Mourid Barghouti (Palestine), Lilia Ben Romdhane (Tunisia), Jean Portante (Luxembourg), Zoë Skoulding (Wales), Ma Thida (Myanmar), Arvis Viguls (Latvia), Gjoko Zdraveski (Republic of Macedonia), and John Aquilina, Mark Camilleri, Immanuel Mifsud, and Alfred Sant from Malta.

Readings will be mostly in Maltese and English, but some works will also be read in their original language.

The Festival Programme (Provisional)

The XIIth edition of the Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival organized by Inizjamed will be held on Thursday 24th, Friday 25th and Saturday 26th August, at Fort St Elmo, in Valletta, at 8.00pm. Twelve writers from eight countries are reading in the festival, which also features Maltese and foreign poetry films, Maltese jazz bands, a book stall, a book binding stand, drinks, and a selection of food provided by Migrant Women Association Malta. Entrance to all events is free. The pre-Festival events start on Sunday 20 August 2017.

The writers reading on Thursday 24th August are the Maltese poet based in London, John Aquilina, whose debut book of poetry won the National Book Prize; Tunisian poet and performer Lilia Ben Romdhane who writes in the Tunisian dialect; poet Gjoko Zdraveski from the Republic of Macedonia; and Maltese novelist Alfred Sant, who will be interviewed by writer and translator Mark Vella.

This first evening features the premiere of one of two Maltese poetry films commissioned by Valletta 2018 Foundation and Inizjamed and presented by film director and lecturer Kenneth Scicluna. Emerging film makers Nicky Aquilina and Lyanne Mifsud are working on a poetry film which presents Maria Grech Ganado’s work “Relazzjoni”, while artist and academic Trevor Borg is producing a poetry film of Victor Fenech’s work “Fuq Għoljiet Dingli”. Live music will be provided by the internationally renowned jazz guitarist and artistic director of the Malta Jazz Festival, Sandro Zerafa, accompanied on the bass by Oliver Degabriele.

On Friday 25th August, the writers invited to read are Maltese crime novelist Mark Camilleri; the French-language poet and novelist from Luxembourg Jean Portante; the Bosnian poet and short story writer Asja Bakić; and the celebrated Palestinian writer Mourid Barghouti, author of poetry and prose, including the memoir I Saw Ramallah, who will be interviewed by Norbert Bugeja.

This second night features the premiere of the second of two Maltese poetry films commissioned for this year’s festival by Valletta 2018 Foundation and Inizjamed and presented by Kenneth Scicluna. Live music on Friday will be provided by the duo made up of John Bartolo on drums and Jimmy Bartolo, who plays on Brikkuni’s latest album, on guitar.

The writers reading on Saturday 27th August are Welsh poet Zoë Skoulding; renowned Maltese poet and novelist Immanuel Mifsud; Latvian poet Arvis Viguls; and Burmese prose writer and political activist Ma Thida, who will be interviewed by writer Clare Azzopardi. Her most recent book, the English translation of her prison memoir Sanchaung, Insein, Harvard was published worldwide with the title of Prisoner of Conscience: My Steps through Insein in 2016 (Silkworm, Thailand). This third and final evening also features a foreign poetry film and live music by John Bartolo on drums and Jimmy Bartolo on guitar.

Some of the literature read during the festival might require an adult audience.

The 2017 edition of the Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival and the Malta LAF translation workshop are being held with the support of Arts Council Malta, Heritage Malta, Valletta 2018 Foundation, Għaqda tal-Malti – Università, and The Fortress Builders – Fortifications Interpretation Centre. The MMLF is the recipient of the EFFE Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe label.