a prize and an exhibition on art in detention before Regards Noirs, crime fiction festival

The Niort crime fiction festival is writing the first chapters of its next edition, from February 13 to 15, 2025. After the literary meeting on November 21, with Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse, Regards Noirs will offer, from November 27, 2024, an exhibition entitled Escape, art in detention.

“The theme of escape is the black thread of this edition, explains culture assistant Christelle Chassagne. Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse recounts in her book how she was exfiltrated from Rwanda. This exhibition shows the ability to escape into creative activity, with the hope of seeing the doors reopen. »

Works produced between the 19^e century and the end of the penal colony

Graffiti, poems, paintings, tattoos, coconuts or engraved shark proboscis: the exhibition which will be unveiled at the Pilori brings together pieces from public and private collections, produced between the 19^e century and the end of the penal colony, in the 1950s. Some come from Guyana and New Caledonia, others from the Saint-Martin-de-Ré prison.

“We are at the same time in the history of justice, that of colonization but also the history of art”indicates Florence Laumond, head of the City's culture department and director of the festival. The exhibition was organized with the Criminocorpus lab, under the aegis of Pierre Piazza (lecturer in political science) and Marc Renneville (historian).

Both will present the exhibition during the opening on November 27 (6:30 p.m., free access). It will then be visible from Tuesday to Saturday at the Pillory (free entry).

Five comics in the running for the Clouzot prize

Another milestone of the next edition, the Clouzot prize rewards the best adaptation of a dark or detective novel into a comic strip.

Five albums are in the running this year: Grossir le ciel (Franck Bouysse and Borris, Delcourt), Carton blême (Jean-Hugues Oppel and Boris Beuzelin, after Pierre Siniac, Komics initiative), Snow was dirty (Jean-Luc Fromental and Bernard Yslaire, after Simenon, Dargaud) The Screaming Miller (Nicolas Dumontheuil after Paasilinna, Futuropolis) and The Bites of the Shadow (Xavier Delaporte and Miceal Beausang-O'Griafa, after Karine Giébel, Phileas).

The name of the winner will be revealed on December 9, with that of the Young Raven prize, which rewards a dark novel tackling societal and/or psychological aspects. Both awards will be presented during the festival in February.

Regards Noirs is also available in six retirement homes in the city, where comic book author Laureline Mattiussi will host writing workshops in the coming weeks. These texts will be read during the festival and put into live images by the designer.