Last year, against the odds, a small literary festival conceived in London by a group of Italians sold out all seats and gathered some 1,500 people. FILL brought prominent Italian, British, and international authors together in a treasured Victorian theatre. This year, the Festival of Italian Literature in London (FILL) is back on 27-28 October with an even stronger, timely programme.
Two days, 15 events, 40+ speakers and performers, an impressive line-up of award-winning voices and new exciting authors discussing literature and politics, migration, translation, contemporary culture.
The programme of FILL 2018 includes Strega Prize winner Walter Siti in conversation with authors Ali Smith and Olivia Laing, Strega Prize winner Nicola Lagioia, Prix Goncourt winner Mathias Énard, Italian Somali author Igiaba Scego, Lorenzo Pezzani from cutting-edge research agency Forensic Oceanography, a panel discussion on “The politics of translation”, “London as a second language”, the rise of nationalism in Italy and Europe, and how literature can relate to our troubled times. Plus a poetry performance with foreign-born authors who live in the UK (featuring TS Eliot Prize winner George Szirtes), Haydn Gwynne reading from Elena Ferrante, and more.
FILL is a festival based on a strong community of volunteers and an incredible network of partners, consultants and supporters. Most importantly, it can count on a spectacular multilingual audience. FILL is a cross-cultural event that speaks to the entire community of Londoners, and the festival events are in English or in Italian with English translation provided.
