Until October 9, 2011, the 24th edition of the Mouans-Sartoux Book Festival will take place with the theme “Where Are We Rushing?”. Nice Premium provides a report on the first day and gives you the weekend program.
The world of books returns to the city of Mouans-Sartoux for three days, under a veiled sun, the first visitors arrive, many schoolchildren are present on this Friday.
This festival, both prestigious (around 350 authors and 200 exhibitors) and close to visitors (around 50,000 over 3 days), allows one to approach, share, and delve into this world of writing.
The streets are lined with booksellers, the crowd gathers on the cinema forecourt, and queues of readers stretch in front of the signing stands. As you stroll around, you’re bound to run into an acquaintance. You wander, loudspeakers broadcast Muriel Diallo’s interview with middle school students throughout the city.
There you meet well-known publishers. You discover pleasant surprises such as Griffe d’Encre and Hydromel Editions, whose books are as interesting as their covers are well crafted. Bright colors, detailed drawings, it’s the first contact the reader has with the story, and these two publishers have the merit of having collections that catch the eye.
It’s about 4 PM, the mild weather allows for leisurely outdoor browsing while thinking about the next book the reader will indulge in. There is a lighthearted yet entirely serious atmosphere.
In this festival, cinema and literature blend without any rivalry; all forms of writing have their place. Throughout the event, films and documentaries related to the general theme are presented, followed by engaged and civic debates. Amos Gitaï, an emblematic filmmaker of Israeli cinema and a regular at the festival (he attended the 2005, 2007, 2009 editions) will present Roses à crédit (Saturday, October 8 at 7 PM, Strada 3). On the cinema side, you can revisit Régis Wargnier’s adaptation of Pars vite et reviens tard, the famous novel by Fred Vargas (Sunday, October 9 at 8 PM, Strada 2).
The festival and its current, engaged debates (Arab revolutions, ecology, poverty, economy, etc.), its available, accessible authors, allow for an immersion in literature. In the importance of words, in this age of virtual technologies, the book remains a reliable value—a source of entertainment, pleasure, and denunciation.
Everyone finds their happiness in the aisles of this vibrant, intense, globally open festival, while not forgetting the regional cultural heritage. A festival where the keywords would be sharing, equality, and humanity; where the book, its authors, and readers are honored. A festival where you want to linger, browse thousands of works, and certainly come back.
Not to be missed: Metropolis by Fritz Lang, tonight at the Strada (7:30 PM). The big debate of the day with Stéphane Hessel and Lila Ben Mhenni on a very current theme, “Engagement, from Resistance Networks to Social Networks” (Strada 1 – 8:45 PM).
October 8: at 11:30 AM, a crucial debate for the region “From Atom to Shale Gas, the Energy of Despair” (Strada 1). At 2 PM, a conversation with Fred Vargas, president of the festival (Strada 1). Live printing of Reyboz’s book, Writers’ Temperaments at the CIAIS stand, Space A, at 4 PM.
From 7 PM onward, a very rich program awaits you: Red Carpet evening with the film Plus jamais peur by Mourad Ben Cheikh followed by a conversation with the director (Strada 1), the live JT from France 3 Côte d’Azur (Space A), the inauguration of the 24th Book Festival in the presence of guests and announcement of the Festival Readers’ Prize winner (Space A). 8:45 PM, concert-reading by Lola Lafon in the Parc du Château, and at 9 PM, a new Red Carpet screening with La Source des Femmes, a new film by Radu Mihaileanu, director of the beautiful Va, vis et deviens, and in the presence of screenwriter Alain-Michel Blanc (Strada 1).
October 9: at 10 AM, for children (but not only) The New Adventures of the Little Prince (Strada 3). Then at 11 AM, Occitan Literature encounter: Niça Rebèla, homage to Mauris, Occitan singer (Salle Léo-Lagrange). 11:30 AM, conversation with Serge Moati, Latest News from Tunis (Strada 2). At 3 PM, debate “The Spring of Women, When Is It?” Or at 5 PM, conversation with Yuri Bandajevski, Chernobyl, 25 Years Later (Salle Léo-Lagrange).
