The Pont-Saint-Esprit book festival celebrates its 12th edition from November 16 to 22 on the theme “Wild”. On the program: meetings, shows, readings, workshops, exhibitions… and much more!
The festival will start over a weekend with a busy and diverse program: something to please literature lovers. The twelfth edition of the Pont-Saint-Esprit Book Festival revolves around the theme of “Wild”. Thanks to the selection of invited authors, the activities offered, as well as the conferences and exhibitions, the festival offers to explore this theme from various angles.
A theme “approached in different ways”notes Pascale Dondey, treasurer of the Pont-Saint-Esprit Book Festival association. This theme evokes the image of animals and nature as much as the idea of an existence free from social norms. For Lisa Arnaud, president of the festival, this subject offers “multiple entry points, whether animal or human savagery”.
This multidimensional approach invites us to meet the guests of this literary event. Among them: Stéphane Durand, Book Festival.
The selection of authors present • Photo: Amélia Arfi
An event that opens its doors to everyone
The festival offers a program that spans several locations, in order to reach a wider and more diverse audience. A habit that we find during this event: the opening of the festival to accommodation establishments for dependent elderly people (EHPAD). “The idea is to open up to the outside world”, underlines Lisa Arnaud, president of the Pont-Saint-Esprit Book Festival association. Thus, on Monday November 18 at 2:30 p.m. “Themed readings” will be held at the Hospital EHPAD, open to the public.
“The idea is to offer a festival accessible to everyone” specifies Lisa Arnaud. The literature event was designed for everyone: young and old! For example, children from 5 years old are invited to participate in Kamishibaïs sessions (image theater shows) organized in the book hut. These small reading aloud sessions take place on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17, at 2:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. This moment allows children to discover stories while developing their imagination.
Beyond the activities aimed at young people, the entire festival offers a varied program, accessible to all, largely thanks to numerous free activities.
Literature, essays, documents, books for only 1 euro
The first day of the festival offers a great opportunity for literature lovers. On Saturday, November 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., the libraries of Pont-Saint-Esprit, Vénéjan, Saint-Paulet-de-Caisson, Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Michel d'Euzet are organizing a major weeding event in the Pont village hall -Holy Spirit. Literature, essays, documents, books for young people: an excellent opportunity to find little treasures for the price of just one euro.
Like every year, the festival offers its news competition. During the last edition, the jury received 83 news. This year, no less than 159 short stories were sent for the competition. The results will be announced at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday November 16 in the village hall. At this initiative, the jury will have the honor of reading extracts from a few selected short stories.
The Festival will close on Friday November 22 with a meeting with Lucas Belvaux, actor, director and screenwriter at the Salle des Fêtes la Cazerne. A meeting accessible to all around his novel “Les tormentés”.
Find the complete program on the Book Festival website.
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