The 2010 Franschhoek Literary Festival Programme
The Franschhoek Literary Festival 2010 programme – released today on www.flf.co.za and below – has a vibrant array of topics on the menu for a three day literary feast, to be enjoyed with new associates Porcupine Ridge Wines and the Sunday Times.
The themes on the table are as diverse as the authors who will be exploring them: from introspective self-reflection to the state of the ANC, from turning books into movies to the influence of cultural heritage on novel writing, from soccer to cooking, and much more.
Writing is a deeply personal experience, and top authors will be reflecting on this often cathartic journey from different perspectives in various events.
In My Life on Paper, Antjie Krog, Aher Arop Bol and Chris van Wyk talk about how writing their own stories have changed their lives. In Reflections, Michiel Heyns, Zukiswa Wanner and Deon Meyer discuss how their life experiences reflect in their writing. In I’m a Novelist – Get Me Out of Here, Niq Mhlongo, John van de Ruit, Kgebetli Moele and Imraan Coovadia talk about the unexpected aspects of being a novelist.
Well-known writers in conversation about new books include Ivan Vladislavic with Damon Galgut, Deon Meyer with Michiel Heyns, Mark Behr with Victor Dlamini, and bestselling French novelist Muriel Barbery with bestselling South African Marita van der Vyver. Christopher Hope and Jacob Dlamini will take on Rian Malan. Harry Garuba, who heads the Centre for African Studies at UCT, will discuss Writing Africa with Mandla Langa, Véronique Tadjo and Egyptian author Radwa Ashour.
A new novelist to look out for is Adam Schwartzman whose Eddie Signwriter is hot off the press in America and headed for world rights.
Events about books that become movies will star John Carlin (whose Playing the Enemy became Invictus), John van de Ruit (currently busy with the Spud movie), Mark Behr (Kings of the Water), Deon Meyer and film producer/novelist Jann Turner.
Of special interest to writers, editors and publishers are events covering short stories, editing, e-books, agents, small publishers, book shops and what can be done to improve reviewing in South Africa. Continental Drift will look at the problems a writer faces on leaving a home country.
Critically important debates about the current state of the nation will engage passionate educationists Jonathan Jansen, Mandla Langa and Graeme Bloch in a discussion on the state of the South African education system, chaired by Victor Dlamini. Jonathan Jansen appears again in Who’s Afraid of the ANC? exchanging views with Rhoda Kadalie, controversial cartoonist Zapiro and Allan Boesak about what’s really going on behind the scenes of SA’s ruling party.
In Amakwerekwere Aher Arop Bol, who has been on the move most of his life, Andrew Brown, who writes about Nigerian immigrants, and Time journalist Alex Perry talk to Paris Review editor Philip Gourevitch, who has written extensively about Rwanda, about the worldwide challenges of refugees and xenophobia.
Sport – <strong in particular soccer – will be tackled with gusto. Is Sport the New Politics? has a lineup of John Carlin, Tim Noakes, satirist Ndumiso Ngcobo and Jeremy Boraine, publisher at Jonathan Ball, who will put the boot into 2010, refereed by Chris Thurman whose new Sport Versus Art will be published in April. In The Beautiful Game informed insiders Tom Watt and John Carlin will exchange World Cup lore with Chris Thurman.
Crime writers Deon Meyer, Margie Orford, Wessel Ebersohn (back after twenty years), Angela Makholwa and Sue Rabie will have their magnifying glasses out discussing X-ratings and crime taboos. Food writers Marlene van der Westhuizen and Myrna Robins and restaurateur Mark Dendy-Young will present their new books. Authors Marida Fitzpatrick and Paige Nick will talk chick-lit with Angela Makholwa.
Laughing at Ourselves with Zapiro, Chris van Wyk and Ndumiso Ngcobo will be one of the events that wrap up the FLF on Sunday.
The experienced chairpeople who have helped to oil the wheels of FLF discussions over the past three years will all be here, along with many others from the wider book world: Victor Dlamini, Jenny Crwys-Williams, John Maytham, Karabo Kgoleng, Michele Magwood, Ann Donald, Toby Mundy, Mervyn Sloman, Corina van der Spoel, Rachelle Greeff, Louise Grantham, Basil van Rooyen, Marianne Thamm, Suzette Kotzé-Myburgh, Rebecca Servadio, Isobel Dixon, Colleen Higgs, Arthur Attwell, Nicky Stubbs, Ben Williams, Duncan Brown, Hugh Hodge and Donald Paul.
FLF favourites like the Off the Wall open-mic poetry evening, Maid in Franschhoek 2, by the much-acclaimed theatre production group Youth Affair, and the grand finale of the Franschhoek Schools Spelling Bee will also be back this year.
- Bookings for the 2010 FLF open on 12 March, and are available from www.webtickets.co.za. Unless otherwise indicated, ticket prices for the FLF are R60 per session (R20 for students), with a large part of the proceeds going to the FLF Literary Fund.
For further information and the detailed programme schedule, please refer to the FLF website, www.flf.co.za, or email the helpline info@flf.co.za. For accommodation and general enquiries contact the Franschhoek Tourism office (021) 876 3603 or go to www.franschhoek.org.za.
Read and download the 2010 FLF programme