After a record-breaking anniversary edition (100,000 festival-goers, 135 authors, 350,000 euros in turnover for booksellers), Which du polar already maintains the suspense for the next and 21e edition.
The international festival of detective literature will return to Lyon of April 4 to 6, 2025 on the theme of “Borders”. In a press release, the organizers of the event explain: “A genre deeply anchored in social reality, the thriller is closely interested in current events and the fractures in our society. By exploring these divisions, he invites us to think about these many symbolic boundaries. Through their stories, the authors will enlighten us on these tensions which separate us and current events will not fail to fuel their debates.”
Among the more than 120 authors announcedbig names in the genre will meet Lyon readers. Among the French authors, we will find for example Olivier Norek, Sandrine Collette, Maylis de Kerangal, Franck Thilliez, Sophie Hénaff and Bernard Minier.
Across the Atlantic, James Ellroy, Lisa Gardner, Douglas Preston, Liz Moore and Attica Locke will also come to defend their works in the lair of Les Gones. Scandinavian authors will also be represented with Arnaldur Indridason and Satu Rämö. The Finnish author is announced in the “Pépites des quais” selection among 20 other names.
Lyon: in 2025, the Quais du Polar festival partners with SOS Méditerranée
For this new edition, Quais du Polar has established a partnership with SOS Méditerranée : migration issues will be addressed through conferences, film screenings and meetings with the authors. This association will also result in a short story competitionsponsored by the essential Michel Bussi.
Among the other new features for 2025, Court Polarand writing competition for high school studentswas created in partnership with the Police nationale. Three short stories will be rewarded: the “plot” prize, the “thrills” prize and the “writing” prize. The young award-winning writers will receive a grant of thrillers, but above all they will be authorized to immerse themselves within the services of the Raid and the forensic science.
Since there is no thriller without a mystery, the organizers are bringing the Great Investigation back to the city. The starting signal will be given at Next Generation Theater (TNG) in the Vaise district. Currently under construction, it should reopen its doors on March 21, 2025.
