[Série 1/3] Translating a book into Falc, how does it work? – Face

Small country by Gaël Faye is on 26^e book published by Kiléma Éditions. Created three years ago, this publishing house publishes works in Easy to read and understand (Falc) so that people with intellectual development disorders can access works of literature. In an approach of inclusion, she translates already existing texts, classic or contemporary. A long and demanding process that meets specific criteria.

A great success of contemporary literature truly accessible to as many people as possible! Published in 2016, Small country is Gaël Faye’s first novel. It tells the story of Gabriel, a young boy whose childhood in Burundi will be turned upside down by the civil war and the genocide of the Tutsis in Rwanda. Crowned, among others, by the Goncourt prize for high school students, he received a very warm welcome.

Hence the idea of ​​Kiléma Éditions to integrate it into its catalog where classic works rub shoulders with other more contemporary ones. “To share a common culture, to create links, we have been keen, from the start of the project, to translate existing works”explains Cécile Arnoult, the founder.

Published in the Adult collection, Small Country is the 26th^e work from this young publishing house, created in December 2021, which also includes Youth, Teen, Theater and Living and Discovering collections. Launched in 2024, the latter published a History of impressionismfirst art history book in Falc, in partnership with the Musée d’Orsay.

Reread by a person with intellectual development disorders

The production of a book in Falc takes place in several stages. It follows a precise editorial and graphic charter. After obtaining the agreement of the publisher of the original text, the translation must begin. Several translators trained at the Literary Falc work for Kiléma. Because the adaptation of texts obeys well-defined rules: make simplifications, use the present tense of narration, explain the implications, add illustrations for certain passages… To facilitate understanding, the works include a summary of the story, a presentation of the main characters and the context of the plot, as well as a glossary offering a definition of the complex words used. Other elements can be added (map, timeline, etc.) likely to facilitate the reader’s understanding. Specificities explaining the price which may seem high for Falc books, the production of which takes between six and eight months.

The challenge is to keep the spirit and tone of the book. “The objective is to stay as close as possible to the plot; the changes mainly concern the presentation text”, we explain at Kiléma. Another important step is the proofreading and validation of the text by a person with intellectual development disorders. Laura Hayoun, who has Down syndrome, is part of this reading committee which is preparing to recruit a second person following the departure of a proofreader.

Small country already adapted into a film and comic book

After an adaptation to cinema and comic strips, here is a new stage for Gaël Faye’s novel. A way to reach an audience far removed from literature and who should not remain indifferent to the story of this young boy who has touched more than a million readers.

Here is how Kiléma presents it on the back cover. “This is Gabriel’s story. Gabriel lives in France, in Paris. He has everything he wants. He has a job and the love of girls. But Gabriel is not happy. He often thinks of his small country, Burundi. Burundi is the country of his childhood and his family. This is the country where he was happy with his friends and his games. So why did Gabriel leave Burundi for France? »

Small country of Gael Faye. Translation by Sophie Bréat-Durieu, Kiléma Éditions, 436 p., €29.