A comprehensive insider's look at Berlin's largest literary festival
The Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin (ILB) is set to return from September 5-14, 2023, marking its 25th anniversary with a strong focus on exile in literature. This year's theme, 'Strange New World', curated by Helon Habila, will explore displacement, migration, and related social issues.
Notable English-language events include the Graphic Novel Day, conversations between Olivia Laing and Daniel Schreiber, and a performance by Ben Okri, all part of Helon Habila's curated events. The festival will also host 50 events for school groups during the week.
Attendees interested in these themes or international literature in English should prioritise program parts related to exile, feminism, and Iran, as these themes are accessible in English through simultaneous translation or featuring international English-speaking authors. Notable English-language participants include Nnedi Okorafor, who has worked on Marvel's Black Panther comics, and Thomas Korsgaard, a Danish author.
Iida Turpeinen from Finland will also be attending the festival, having written a novel about a massive extinct sea creature and the extinction crisis. The festival is a potential discovery platform, having previously hosted Ocean Vuong before he became famous.
The festival will take place at Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Schaperstr. 24, Wilmersdorf (and other locations), and will feature 150 events, including literary performances, conversations, and workshops. Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse will deliver the opening speech on the festival theme.
Other notable attendances include Rachel Cusk and Paul Lynch, and the festival is cooperating with the Belgrade-based literary festival Krokodil for an author panel and multilingual literary revue. Wana Udobang will lead a 'Comfort Food Workshop'.
The festival aims to host meaningful conversations, bring people together, and create a communal space for Berlin's literary community. New festival director Lavinia Frey is looking forward to the event, which will also feature a day dedicated to contemporary German literature with English translation, titled 'Auf Drei'.
Lastly, Elif Shafak will present her new book, There Are Rivers in The Sky, and 'Auf Drei' will feature Dilek Mayatürk, Lilian Peter, and Dita Zipfel, three young German-language authors. The ILB is shaping up to be an exciting celebration of literature and cultural exchange.
[1] https://www.literaturfestival.com/en/programm/ [2] https://www.literaturfestival.com/en/news/ [3] https://www.literaturfestival.com/en/history/ [4] https://www.literaturfestival.com/en/partners/
- One might find engaging discussions about 'home-and-garden' and 'books' within the literary revue, a multilingual event that the Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin (ILB) is cooperating with Krokodil for.
- Amidst the variety of events at the ILB, one can expect immersive 'entertainment' through performances, such as Ben Okri's, and workshops, like Wana Udobang's 'Comfort Food Workshop'.
