Press release
Sintra hosts the first International Literary Festival, from 13 to 22 November
Hélia Correia, Ana Paula Tavares, Julia May Jonas, Dulce Maria Cardoso, Valter Hugo Mãe, Gonçalo M. Tavares, José Eduardo Agualusa and Karina Sainz Borgo are among the names of a programme in which poetry never leaves the stage.
From 13 to 22 November, Sintra becomes a stage for literature with the FLIS — Sintra International Literary Festival. Literature steps out of the books to inhabit the town: the MU.SA museum is the headquarters, but the festival spreads through the streets, schools and public transport of the municipality. Entry is free.
Curated by Pedro Mexia and Raquel Marinho, the programme brings together 25 conversations with authors, plus the closing lecture by philosopher José Gil. An initiative of the Câmara Municipal de Sintra and Fundação Cultursintra.
A heavyweight line-up
- Hélia Correia and Ana Paula Tavares, both Camões Prize laureates, and Julia May Jonas, the American author of the novel that inspired the Netflix series Vladimir, on 22 November.
- Dulce Maria Cardoso on 13 November; Valter Hugo Mãe, José Eduardo Agualusa and Gonçalo M. Tavares, among the most translated and awarded Portuguese-language authors.
- Paulo Portas and Ricardo Costa in conversation on 14 November, one of the most eagerly awaited sessions.
- Karina Sainz Borgo on 15 November.
- Among many others: Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida, Afonso Cruz, Patrícia Portela, Joana Bértholo, Rui Tavares and José Pacheco Pereira.
Poetry and music
Poetry is present every day: in the sound exhibition and in the verses written by pupils of the municipality since the opening, and in conversations with Amalia Bautista, the Spanish poet so beloved in Portugal, Maria do Rosário Pedreira, Jorge Sousa Braga, Daniel Jonas, Luís Quintais, Raquel Nobre Guerra and Andreia C. Faria, among many others. There are also concerts by Mário Laginha and the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra (Centro Cultural Olga Cadaval), and musical conversations with Mafalda Veiga, Tiago Bettencourt, Luísa Sobral and António Zambujo.
The festival beyond the conversations with authors
- Exhibition of verses written by pupils of the municipality of Sintra
- Sound installation of poetry
- Poetry readings on public transport
- Verses and phrases by the festival's authors, poets and fiction writers, printed on the streets of the municipality
- Snob bookshop, with books by the participating authors and others
- Promoters
- Câmara Municipal de Sintra and Fundação Cultursintra FP
- Organisation
- OPEAC – O Poema Ensina a Cair
- Curation
- Pedro Mexia and Raquel Marinho
- Venue
- MU.SA – Museu das Artes de Sintra