The 10th Izmir International Literature Festival Concluded with the Theme "Literature Heals"
Bringing together authors from Turkey and abroad, the festival featured talks, documentaries, and theater screenings over four days.
Organized by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, the 10th Izmir International Literature Festival met with art enthusiasts from September 24-27 under the theme "Literature Heals".
Opening and Theme of the Festival
Organized this year by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality with the theme "Literature Heals" between September 24-27, the 10th Izmir International Literature Festival brought literature together with different art disciplines for four days. Directed by poet Haydar Ergülen, the festival's guests of honor were Alberto Manguel and Zülfü Livaneli.
Starting on September 24 at the Ahmed Adnan Saygun Art Center, the festival continued with events at the Izmir Arts and Culture Center, the Bergama Cultural Center, and various points across the city. During the opening program, awards for the poetry, short story, and essay competition aimed at high school students were also presented to their recipients.
Talks and Sessions
Throughout the festival, the theme "Literature Heals" was explored through different stories, thoughts, and experiences via talks, documentaries, theater performances, and various gatherings. The events drew intense interest from audiences and literature lovers.
The session titled "Does Literature Heal?" by Alberto Manguel and Zülfü Livaneli, alongside Manguel's talk on "Ancient Libraries," stood out among the festival's prominent programs. Additionally, Prof. Dr. Ahmet İnam, Tarık Tufan, İlhan Sami Çomak, and other figures participated in the event with their speeches.
Documentary and Theater Screenings
One of the standout events of the festival was the screening of the documentary directed by Nebil Özgentürk, which chronicles the life of Zülfü Livaneli. This screening reached wide audiences via an outdoor screen.
Tolga Oskar's documentary "Nilgün," focusing on Nilgün Marmara, and Murat Çidamlı's play "Piraye" were also among the well-received works in the festival program.
International Participants
The festival brought together numerous artists, poets, writers, directors, and academics in Izmir from Turkey as well as various other countries. Guests participated in events across different centers of the city.
International guests included writers and artists from countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Czechia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Australia, and France.