The 13th edition of the festival, under the theme “History is a Crossroads,” dedicates its evenings to the presentation of recent works. The opening day features the novel “Autobiografia Não Escrita de Marta Freud” by Teolinda Gersão, with the author and writer-editor Manuel Alberto Valente in attendance.
On the following day, Francisco Mota Saraiva presents “Morramos ao Menos no Porto,” the latest recipient of the José Saramago Prize, alongside Fernando Pinto do Amaral with his new book, “Contos Suicidas.”
On the 15th, the festival hosts Pedro Boucherie Mendes with his book “A Década Prodigiosa — Crescer em Portugal nos Anos 80,” and Carlos Ramos, an editor based in Peniche, presenting the anthology “Trago-te Estes Lilases da Noite,” a collection of poetry from various geographical backgrounds for which he is responsible for translations.
One day later, Amélia Muge introduces “Um Gato é um Gato,” associating the feline theme with a broad range of writers. The duo Rogério Charraz and José Fialho Gouveia presents “Anónimos de Abril,” a work capturing the stories of ordinary citizens who confronted and suffered under the Salazar dictatorship.
The festival’s nights are filled with thematic conversations featuring different guests, starting on the 14th with Pedro Prostes da Fonseca, Fernando Alvim, and Manuel Frias Martins. On the 15th, Clara Ferreira Alves, Afonso Cruz, and Filipa Fonseca Silva participate, followed by Bruno Vieira Amaral, Patrícia Portela, and Mário Rufino on the 16th.
The festival’s first-night prioritizes the presentation of the independent project Purga, dedicated to the poetry of Portuguese rapper and poet Nerve (Tiago Gonçalves), who invites José Anjos, a poet and poetry session facilitator, to the event.
The closing night features the “Estilhaços” performance, a blend of poetry and music, mentored by Adolfo Luxúria Canibal.
During the festival, attendees can explore the exhibitions “São cravos, senhor, são cravos” by Miguel Januário and “(RE) Constituição,” presenting pages from a book that revises the Constitution of 1933, the document in effect during the dictatorship.
The program also includes workshops for teachers and educators, school sessions such as one marking the 200th birth anniversary of Camilo Castelo Branco on the 14th, presentations of children’s books, music and theater performances, and a book fair.
