Kikinda Short 06

Od 28. juna do 03. jula 2011, u Kikindi i Beogradu, održan je šesti međunarodni Festival kratke priče KIKINDA SHORT u organizaciji Udruženja ”Kikinda Short”. Na ovogodišnjem Festivalu nastupila su 23 autora iz 18 zemalja što je najveći broj učesnika, zemalja, ali i različitih jezika do sada. Organizatori su u Srbiju doveli veliki broj pisaca iz zemalja koje do sada nisu participirale na Festivalu (Češka, Italija, Norveška i Portugal), ali i određeni broj autora čija su dela već prevođena na srpski jezik (Norminton, Rudiš, MekLaverti).

Festival je otvorio ministar kulture, informisanja i informacionog društva u Vladi Republike Srbije Predrag Marković u prepunoj bašti Narodne biblioteke „Jovan Popović”. U Kikindi, 29. juna, kikindskoj publici se predstavilo trinaestoro autora. Čitanje je otvorila Šan Melangel Dafid iz Velsa, zemlje specijalnog gosta ove godine, a nakon nje su svoje priče čitali Mića Vujičić (Srbija – domaćin Festivala), Ulrike Almut Zandih (Nemačka), Tomaž Kosmač (Slovenija), Kiralj Kinga Julija (Rumunija), Tejs de Bur (Holandija), Kalja Papadaki (Grčka), Žarko Kujundžiski (Makedonija), Ivi Vajld (Engleska), Bjarte Brejtejg (Norveška), Erik Gotje (Kanada), Gregori Norminton (Škotska) i Jelena Lengold (Srbija) – gost iznenađenja po izboru ovogodišnjeg kritičara-pisca Jasmine Vrbavac. Neformalno druženje sa autorima nastavilo se na koncertu kikindskog benda Drvo truo do 2 časa po ponoći.

Reč ministra

”Kikinda Short” za dugovečnost kulture

Kikinda, 29.6.2011.

Ministar Predrag Marković je večeras u Kikindi otvorio 6. Međunarodni festival kratke priče ”Kikinda Short”.

– Mnogo je razloga zbog kojih Ministarstvo kulture podržava ovaj festival. Prvi razlog ste vi, drugi razlog su čitaoci, a treći, najvažniji, jeste što ”Kikinda Short” u nekoliko elemenata ispunjava ono što je u opisu obaveza, ne jednog ministarstva, već čitavog niza organizacija, vlada i država. Ministri zemalja Jugoistočne Evrope – od Italije do Moldavije, od Slovenije do Turske – potpisujući Beogradsku deklaraciju obavezali su se na čuvanje ne samo materijalnog i nematerijalnog nasleđa, već i na podsticanje mladih, kreativnosti i umrežavanja.

To je, u stvari, kratak opis ovog festivala. Za samo šest godina, vi ste uspeli da okupite toliko mladih ljudi, uspevate da omogućite da se dobro čuje ne samo forma, već i jezik, nastojite da ovaj festival ne završi samo u tih nekoliko dana, već da traje cele godine, da se iskustva razmenjuju i da iz toga proizilaze širi projekti – istakao je ministar Marković otvarajući kikindski festival kratke priče.

Uprkos kiši koja je celog popodneva 30. juna padala u Kikindi, pisci i organizatori su odlučili da se i drugo veče Festivala održi u bašti Biblioteke i nisu pogrešili. Kiša je prestala, a hladno veče nije sprečilo publiku da sasluša i drugu grupu učesnika. Čitanje je započeo Neven Ušumović (Hrvatska), a za njim su čitali Veronika D. Nikulesku (Rumunija), Jaroslav Rudiš (Češka), Adam Marek (Engleska), Đorđo Fontana (Italija), Petar Denčev (Bugarska), David Mašado (Portugal), Jasmina Vrbavac (Srbija) kritičar-pisac, zvezda Festivala – Bernard MekLaverti (Škotska), a zatvorila ga je Holi Hauit (Vels). Uz muziku rok-sastava The Sons of Radica autori i publika su se družili do kasno u noć.

U odsustvu koordinatora Festivala Srdjana Papića, prvo veče su vodili Mirjana Đurđević i Vladimir Arsenić, a naredno je uz Mirjanu Đurđević bio Marko Pogačar.

Organizatori su se potrudili da i ove godine pokažu svojim gostima grad u kojem su ih ugostili. Obišli su Narodni muzej i, pored ostalog, videli ostatke mamuta Kike. Nakon obilaska Kikinde vožnjom fijakerima, posetili su stari pogon ciglane u kome se održava simpozijum Terra.

Pored autora, na Festivalu su bili gosti i književnica Mirjana Đurđević (Srbija), prevodilac Nataša Miljković (Srbija), književni kritičar Vladimir Arsenić (Srbija), književnik Edi Matić (Hrvatska), urednik Marko Pogačar (Hrvatska, selektor Roland Orčik (Mađarska), literarni agent Džejmi Kolman (Engleska) i urednik Džim Hinks (Engleska).

Tekstove za ovogodišnji Festival prevodilo je na srpski jezik dvadesetoro prevodilaca: Ala Tatarenko, Aleksandra Petrović Korda, Biljana Isailović, Bojana Gajski, Branislava Tomić, Elizabet Vasiljević, Ema Mimica, Erna Zedi, Irina Đuran, Ivana Šćepanović, Jovan Tatić, Mirna Stevanović, Nataša Miljković, Niki Radulović, Paola Petrić, Sonja Bogosav, Tanja Brkljač, Velimir Kostov, Vladimir Arsenić i Zorana Rackov.

Beogradski partner Festivala, Ustanova kulture „Parobrod”, pokazao je mnogo veći oprez i prvo veče čitanja u Beogradu, 1. jula, odvijalo se u zatvorenom prostoru u Kapetan Mišinoj 6a. Publika je i u Beogradu pokazala veliko interesovanje i „Parobrod” je bio prepun. Već sledeće večeri čitalo se na Kalemegdanu, u Muzičkom paviljonu i, po prvi put za šest godina koliko se održava Festival, pronađen je odgovarajući prostor u Beogradu. Program je i u Beogradu, na smenu, vodila trojka – Mirjana Đurđević, Marko Pogačar i Vladimir Arsenić koja godinama prati Festival.

U „Parobrodu” se 2. jula sa početkom u 12h, održala tribina sa temom Uloga literarnog agenta na savremenom tržištu knjiga. Na na tribini su govorili Aleksandra Rašić, operativna urednica „Stubova kulture”, Džejmi Kolman i Jaroslav Rudiš. Moderatori su bili Srđan Srdić i Vladimir Arsenić.

Utisci

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Samo želim da kažem – mnogo hvala – što ste me pozvali u Kikindu. Divno sam proveo vreme i na kraju sam bio tužan što odlazim . Napisao sam danas članak o Festivalu Kikinda Short za Sunday Times Online – oni, takođe, žele i neke fotografije. Imam neke, a ima dobrih Kalijinih i Edijevih – javite mi ako ćete postaviti neke nove. Javiću kada će članak biti postavljen.

Sve najbolje,

Adam

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Pozdrav svima!

Samo želim da kažem nekoliko stvari. Bilo je sjajno upoznati vas. Provela sam neverovatno vreme. Najzad sija Sunce, imaćemo nekoliko dana pravog leta. I da, Atina se vraća u normalu i prilično je tiha :)))) Dakle, sada se opustite – ništa se neće desiti i uživajte u ostatku leta.

Veliki topli zagrljaj.

Kalia

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Pozdrav!

Potpuno se slažem! Pariz je sparan. Umrtvljena sam od iscrpljenosti i imam jedan dan za mejlove da se vratim svom životu, sa 6. sprata. Privilegija je bila provesti nedelju dana sa svima vama. Javljajte u vezi sa stvarima koje vam se dešavju, novim knjigama, ili ako prolazite kroz Pariz ili Vels.

Cariad,

S ljubavlju,

Šan

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Dragi moji,

Srbija je pusta bez vas. Čak ni voda u Kikindi nije više žuta. Ostajemo u kontaktu,

Voli vas Mira

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Potpuno se slažem s Mirom. Nedostajete mi.

Voli vas Čiča

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Odjek sam svih ostalih: nedostaje mi Srbija! Hvala svima koji su doprineli tako zabavnoj i nezaboravnoj nedelji.

Holi

[hollyhowitt.wordpress.com]

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Budim se ujutru i nema cimera. Odlazim u kupatilo, a u njemu potpuno nova kada. Sedim u kafiću i čujem samo makedonski, a nekoliko koraka dalje jedem burek sam. Odlazim u kuhinju i nema mesa za ručak. Nešto stvarno nije u redu.

Hvala na mnogo lepog vremena u Kikindi i Beogradu.

Pozdravi iz Skoplja,

Žarko K.

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Vaša osećanja su moja osećanja,

Tomaž

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Nedostaju mi Kikinda, Beograd i Kalemegdan, a najviše mi nedostajete svi vi. Hvala na divnoj, divnoj, divnoj nedelji. I deljenju fotografija. Nadam se da ćemo se sresti opet. Nekada, negde.

Veliki zagrljaj iz Sibiua.

Veronika

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Već mi se čini da je bilo davno. Hvala vam na fantastičnoj nedelji.

Ivi Vajld

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Uistinu, zvuči ludo vratiti se svojoj normalnoj rutini. Hvala vam na ovom neverovatnom iskustvu.

Đorđo

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Dragi moji,

Potpuno se slažem sa svima. Bilo je divno. Uzgred, Đorđo, šta je normalno? 🙂

Zagrljaj svima,

Kinga Julija (i prase Tobi)

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Dragi moji,

Sofija se čini kao veoma dosadan grad. Vrativši se, i ja osećam dosadu. Nedostaje mi vreme sa vama. Sa svima se slažem. Hvala na divnom vremenu. 🙂 I nadam se da ćemo se uskoro videti.

Pozdrav,

Petar Denčev

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Najbolje vreme koje sam ikada imao uz miris jaja. Mnogo ljubavi za sve vas sa mesom i krompirom.

Džejmi.

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Dragi moji,

pored zagrljaja koje vam šaljem, moram vam reći da mi iskreno nedostaje prase Tobi. Mirjana i ja smo ga, posle svega, umalo usvojili.

Sve najbolje iz vrelog Zagreba

Marko

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Dakle, moj predlog je: 1) svako od nas organizuje festival kratke priče u svojoj zemlji; 2) svako od nas poziva ostale na svoj festival; 3) svako od nas ide na ostale festivale; 4) (nisam siguran šta bi 4) trebalo da bude); 5) svako od nas se vraća u svoju zemlju da otkrije kako mu nedostaje zabava, razgovori, i čitanja, i loša hrana, i dobra hrana, i pivo i prijatelji; 6) sve počinjemo iz početka

Hvala na zaista nezaboravnim danima

Voli vas (iz Portugala)

David

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Pozdrav svima!

Žao mi je što kasnim. Ali, hvala vam svima na divnom vremenu. Bila je to istinska avantura. Trudićemo se da Janeke čita sledeće godine tako da se možemo vratiti. I svima ću reći: Prošle godine je bilo mnogo bolje.

I verovatno ću prihvatiti poziv za svaki festival koji organizujete u svojim zemljama.

Vidimo se. Sve najbolje iz Amsterdama.

Tejs

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Hvala, Tejs. Zakasnelo zdravo svima iz tmurnog i veoma vlažnog Edinburga. Zadovoljstvo je bilo čitati mejlove koji su potvrđivali kako je svima bilo lepo u Srbiji. Moja nostalgija za razgovorima i pivom se sleže, ono što ostaje je vedro sećanje na izvanredno druženje. Hvala Srdjanu, Veri, Vladimiru, Džimu i svima ostalima koji su učinili da se osećamo dobrodošli. Bilo mi je zadovoljstvo.

Do sledećeg viđenja,

Gregori

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Pozdrav svima,

Kikinda je nezaboravna iz više razloga. Biti u gomili tako talentovanih mladih pisaca je bilo divno iskustvo. Nazdravimo sebi starom škotskom zdravicom „Da budemo srećni i da naši neprijatelji znaju to”.

Sve najbolje,

Bernard i Madlen

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Vau, nikada nisam čula tu zdravicu i od sada ću početi da je koristim. Hvala. Radost iz Pariza. Nadam se da ste svi dobro.

Šan

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Zdravo svima,

Jesam li stvarno poslednja koja razvija svoju zastavu? Nazovimo to samo “nemačkim odlaganjem”. Želim samo da kažem hvala Srđanu i njegovom osoblju koji su nam priredili nezaboravne dane i ne samo zbog Stiven King hotela. 🙂 Hvala vam na toplini i gostoprimstvu i vidimo se u nekoj od naših zemalja. Vidimo se uskoro, momci. Laku noc.

Ulrike

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… a ovo je “češko praško odlaganje”. Mi smo uvek poslednji i najsporiji, možda zbog jačine piva. U svakom slučaju, kikindski burek je bio najbolji.

Jaroslav

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Ne, mislim da sam ja stvarno poslednji koji svima vama divnim ljudima nazdravlja. Nije mi bio cij da ponovo nestanem. Trenutno sam u Poljskoj u kojoj, još uvek, mogu da naručim “pivo”.

Hvala vam svima na stvarno nezaboravnoj nedelji.

Najlepši pozdravi iz Krakova,

Bjarte.

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Jedna kratka!

Kratko s Mićom Vujičićem

Šta festival KIKINDA SHORT predstavlja u lokalnom, a šta u regionalnom smislu?

U regionalnom smislu, KIKINDA SHORT je jedan od najvažnijih književnih festivala. Pogotovo zbog toga što ima tako dobar temelj kakav jeste kratka priča. Ali, šta predstavlja u lokalnom smislu? Smem li da citiram… U tekstu „Nad Njegoševom prepiskom“ Ivo Andrić prenosi pesnikove reči kad veli: „Tjesno mnje otvsjude“. Zbunjuje me pomalo ovo pitanje koje se tiče prostora – zar kratka priča nema problem s vremenom?

Evo onda „lakšeg pitanja“. Da li je kratka priča sabijanje prostora ili vremena?

U jednom od svojih najčuvenijih eseja „Soba i po“ Josif Brodski opisuje kako su posle rata, u skladu s politikom „sabijanja“ buržoazije, anfaladu podelili na manje celine. Svaka porodica je dobila jednu sobu, a između su podignuti zidovi od šperploče. Na kraju, Brodski kaže: „Ako se u prostoru krije ideja beskonačnosti ona nije u širenju, već u njegovom sabijanju. Makar zato što je sabijanje prostora mnogo jasnije. Bolje je organizovano i ima više naziva: ćelija, sobica, grob.“

Na koji se način „slušanje“ razlikuje od čitanja?

Kako reče naš zajednički urednik: „Čitanje je privatna stvar!” Ne znam zašto, ali poput novinarke Milke, glavne junakinje jedne Tešinove priče, mogu da kažem da mi ponekad zasmeta glas pisca. Sećaš se te pripovetke? Milka čita nekakvu knjigu i nervira se, jer ne može da izbaci iz glave iritirajući glas pisca koga inače poznaje. Ako govorim o sebi kao čitaocu, o čitanju ili slušanju – tu sam negde, na tom tragu… Tvoje pitanje o „glasu”, podsetilo me je na jednu kratku priču koju nikada nisam uspeo da napišem. U mini seriji o istoriji jugoslovenskog fudbala, sportski komentator Marko Marković detaljno je opisao kako je komentarisao čuveni meč Hajduk – Zvezda iz 1980. godine. Pre nego što je predsednik opštine Split Ante Skataretiko ušao na teren i saopštio vest da je umro Josip Broz Tito, Marku Markoviću su sa Radio Beograda tajno javili: „Prenosi nižim tonalitetom!”

Šta publiku u Kikindi privlači na ovakav književni događaj?

Ekskluzivni gosti, dobre kratke priče, druženje. Leto, čitanje u jednom dahu, potreba za glasom pisca koji će možda čuti kasnije kad ostanu sami sa knjigom; želja za sabijanjem prostora ili vremena – otkud znam.

Kratko s Tomažom Kosmačem

Šta NE očekuješ od učešća na festivalu?

Od učešća na festivalu NE očekujem odrešenja.

Video si listu učesnika ovogodišnjeg festivala. Da li ti se čini dovoljno interesantnom?

Listu učesnika video nisam, a i svejedno mi je. Nadam se barem, da pišu kao Komandant Mark ili Veliki Blek. Ne volim „umetnike” koji hvataju oblake i sunce, a žive u magli

Kakav je odnos slovenačke publike i kritike, ali i izdavača prema autorima kratkih priča?

E, baš si me usrećio sa trećim pitanjem! U Sloveniji (ubij me, ako se varam!) kratka priča živi kao zlato. Problem je u tome što nagrađuju priče, koje niko ne razumije. Čast iznimkama. Obični čitalac kaže: Ako je ovaj najbolji, koji ću kurac čitati ostale?! Kritičari i izdavači su dobri, ali žiri je jedno, publika drugo.

Šta bi, po tvom mišljenju, bila elementarna razlika između slušanja na festivalima i književnim večerima i starog, dobrog čitanja?

Literarno veče zamišljam ovako: čitanje 15 minuta, glazbeni spot, čitanje 10-15 minuta, glazbeni spot i pitanja auditorija. Ako je interes, još malo čitanja, inače hapšenje autora!!

Više fotografija na Fejsbuku

Pokrajinski sekretarijat za kulturu	Ministarstvo kulture, informisanja i informacionog drustva







Medijska podrška

Kikinda Short 06

From June 28th to July 3rd 2011, the sixth international festival of short stories KIKINDA SHORT was held in Kikinda and Belgrade, organized by the Association “Kikinda Short”. This year, 23 authors from 18 countries performed at the Festival making it the largest number of participants, countries and different languages so far. The organizors brought many writers from countries that have not participated in the Festival till now (Czech Republic, Italy, Norway and Portugal) to Serbia, but also a number of authors whose works have already been translated into Serbian (Norminton, Rudis, MacLaverty).

The festival was opened by Minister of Culture, media and information society in the Republic of Serbia Government, Predrag Markovic, in a crowded garden of the National Library “Jovan Popovic” in Kikinda. On June 29th, thirteen authors presented their stories to Kikinda audience. Reading was opened by Shan Melangel Dafid from Wales, a Special Guest Country this year, followed by the stories of Mica Vujicic (Serbia – Host of the Festival), Ulrike Almut Zandih (Germany), Tomaz Kosmac (Slovenia), Julia Kiraly King (Romania), Thijs de Boer (Netherlands), Kallia Papadaki (Greece), Zarko Kujundziski (Macedonia), Evie Wyld (England), Bjarte Breiteig (Norway), Éric Gauthier (Canada), Gregory Norminton (Scotland) and Jelena Lengold (Serbia) – Surprise Guest at this year’s election of Critic-writer Jasmina Vrbavac. Informal meeting with the authors continued at the concert of Kikinda band Drvo truo up to 2 hours after midnight.

The Word of the Minister

”Kikinda Short” for longevity of culture

Kikinda, June 29th 2011

Minister Predrag Markovic opened the 6th International Festival of Short Story ”Kikinda Short” this evening.

– There are many reasons why the Ministry of Culture supports the Festival. Firstly because of you, present here this evening, the other reason are readers and the third, the most important, is that ”Kikinda Short” succeeded, with several elements, in fulfilling what is in the description of duties, not of a single ministry, but of a range of organizations, governments and states. Ministers of South Eastern Europe – from Italy to Moldova, from Slovenia to Turkey – by signing The Belgrade Declaration committed themselves to keeping not only the material and intangible heritage, but also to encourage young people, creativity and networking.

This is, in fact, a brief description of the Festival. In just six years, you managed to gather so many young people, you take care that not only the form is heared, but also the language, you are trying to keep this Festival last through the whole year, not only these five or six days, and to enable the exchange and sharing of experiences thus impying new broader projects – Minister Markovic said, opening the Festival short stories in Kikinda.

Despite the rain in Kikinda, that was falling all the afternoon of June 30th, writers and organizers decided that the second night of the Festival is to be held in the garden of the Library and they did not make a mistake. The rain had stopped, a cold night did not prevent the audience to hear the second group of participants. Reading started with Neven Usumovic (Croatia), followed by the readings of Veronica D. Niculescu (Romania), Jaroslav Rudis (Czech Republic), Adam Marek (England), Giorgio Fontana (Italy), Petar Dencev (Bulgaria), David Machado (Portugal), Jasmina Vrbavac (Serbia – Critic-writer), the star of the Festival – Bernard MacLaverty (Scotland); and it was closed by Holly Hwitt (Wales). With the music of rock band The Sons of Radica authors and audience continued their fun into the night.

In the absence of the Festival Coordinator Srdjan Papic, the first night was led by Mirjana Djurdjevic and Vladimir Arsenic, and the next with Mirjana Djurdjevic and Marko Pogacar.

The organizers made an effort this year to show their guests the city where they were welcomed. They visited the National Museum and, among other things, saw the remains of a mammoth Kika. After the tour by driving in carriages through Kikinda, they visited the old brick plant in which Terra symposium is held.

Besides the authors, the Festival guests were: writer Mirjana Djurdjevic (Serbia), translator Natasa Miljkovic (Serbia), literary critic Vladimir Arsenic (Serbia), writer Edi Matic (Croatia), editor Marko Pogacar (Croatia), selector Roland Orcsik (Hungary), literary agent Jamie Coleman (England), and editor Jim Hinks (England).

The texts for this year’s Festival were translated into Serbian by twenty translators: Ala Tatarenko, Aleksandra Petrovic Korda, Biljana Isailovic, Bojana Gajski, Branislava Tomic, Elizabet Vasiljevic, Ema Mimica, Erna Zedi, Irina Djuran, Ivana Scepanovic, Jovan Tatic, Mirna Stevanovic, Natasa Miljkovic, Niki Radulovic, Paola Petric, Sonja Bogosav, Tanja Brkljac, Velimir Kostov, Vladimir Arsenic and Zoran Rackov.

Belgrade partner of the Festival, Cultural Centre “PArobrod”, showed a much greater caution and the reading first night in Belgrade, on July 1st, took place indoors at Kapetan Misina street, 6a. The audience in Belgrade also showed a great interest and “Parobrod” was overcrowded. The next evening, reading was held on Kalemegdan, at the Music Pavilion and, for the first time in six years that the festival is being held, the appropriate place was found for the readings in Belgrade. In Belgrade, the programe was in the shifts lead by the trio – Mirjana Djurdjevic, Marko Pogacar and Vladimir Arsenic, which follows the Festival for years.

In “Parobrod” Ciltural Center, on July 2nd at 12h, a discussion was held with the subject of a literary agent’s role in today’s book market. The speakers were Aleksandra Rasic, editor operational of “Stubovi kulture” Publishing house, Jamie Coleman and Jaroslav Rudis. Moderators were Srdjan Srdic and Vladimir Arsenic.

Impressions

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I just wanted to say thanks so much for inviting me to Kikinda. I had the best time, and I was sad to leave at the end of it. I wrote an article today about Kikinda Short for the Sunday Times Online – they’d like some photos too. I have some, and there are some good ones online from Kallia and Edi – let me know if you’re just about to put any new ones online.

I’ll let you know when the article has been uploaded.

Best

Adam

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Hi to all!

I just wanted to say a few things. It was great meeting you. I had an amazing time. The sun is shining at last- yes we shall have some days of true summer. And that Athens is back to normal and quite quiet :)))) So for the time being you can all relax – nothing will happen to your savings accounts and enjoy the rest of summer.

Big warm hug.

Kallia

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Hi!

Yes I quite agree! Paris is sweltering. I am numbed by exhaustion and having an e-mail day catching up with life, from the 6th floor. It was a privilege to spend the week with you all. Keep me posted about stuff that’s going on, new books, or if you’re passing through Paris or Wales.

Cariad,

Sian

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Dear All,

Serbia is nothing without you! Even water in Kikinda is not yellow any more. Keep in touch,

love, Mira

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I agree with Mira completely.

Miss you all.

Love,

Chicha

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Echoing everyone else: I miss Serbia! Thanks all for making it such a fun and memorable week.

Holly

[hollyhowitt.wordpress.com]

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I wake in the morning and there is no roommate. I go to bathroom and there is brand new tub. I sit in the cafe and hear only Macedonian and few steps forward I have to eat burek alone. I went to kitchen and there is no meet for lunch. Something is really wrong.

Thanks for plenty of great time in Kikinda and Belgrade.

Regards from Skopje.

Zarko K.

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..yours feelings is my feelings…

Tomaz

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I miss Kikinda, and Belgrade, and Kalemegdan Park, and most of all I miss you all. Thank you for the lovely lovely lovey week! And for sharing photos. Hope to see you again, sometimes, somewhere.

Big hug from Sibiu,

Veronica

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Already seems a long time ago, Thank you for a fantastic week

Evie Wyld

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True, it sounds crazy to be back on my normal routine. Thank you all for this amazing experience!

Giorgio

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Dear All,

Absolutely agree with above speakers. It was a great time. By the way, Giorgio, what is normal? 🙂

Hugs to everybody.

Kinga Julia (and Toby, the pig)

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Dear all,

Sofia seems to look like a very boring city, and I feel bored back in. I miss the time with you. I agree with all of you. Thank you of having a great time. 🙂 And hope to see you soon.

Best,

Petar Denchev

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The best time I’ve ever had whilst smelling of egg. Much love to you all with meat and potatoes.

Jamie

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dear all,

beyond sending a huge hug to all of you, i have to say that i’ll sincerely miss thobi as the pig!!

mirjana and me, after all, almost adopted him…

best from warm concrete zagreb!

Marko

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So my sugestion is: 1) each of us organizes a short-story festival in his/hers own countries; 2) each of us invites the others to his/hers festival; 3) each of us goes to all the other festivals; 4) (i’m not sure what 4) should be); 5) each of us goes back to his/hers own country to find out he/her still misses the fun and the conversations and the readings and the bad food and good food and the beer and friends; 6) we start it all over again.

Thank you for truly memorable days.

Love (from Portugal),

David

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Hi All,

Sorry for my late reply. But thank you all for a great time. It was truly a great adventure.

We will try and get Janneke to read next year so we can come back and then I will say to all those people: Last year was soooo much better.

And I will probably accept any invitation I get from any festival you organize in your country.

See you then! All the best from Amsterdam,

Thijs.

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Thanks, Thijs. And a delayed ‘hello’ to everyone from a thundery and very wet Edinburgh.

It’s been a pleasure to read these emails confirming what a happy time everyone had in Serbia. My nostalgia for the conversation and pivo is starting to subside; what remains is a cheerful memory of excellent company. So thanks to Srdjan, Vera, Vladimir, Jim, and everyone else who made us so welcome. It was a treat!

Till we meet again,

Gregory

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Hi Everybody,

Kikinda was unforgettable in various ways.

To be among a bunch of such talented young writers was a wonderful experience.

Let’s drink an old Scottish toast to ourselves.

‘May we all be happy And may our enemies know it.’

All the best

Bernard & Madeline

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Wow I’ve never heard that toast and I’m going to use it as of now! Thank you. Joy from Paris. I hope you’re all well.

Sian

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hey everybody,

am i really the last one to wave my flag? let’s just call it “the german delay”. just want to say DANKE! HVALA! to Srdjan and his staff who made us have unforgettable days, and not just because the steven king-hotel. 🙂 thank you for your warmth and hospitality, and see you all in one of our countries. See you soon, guys, Lacu noc

Ulrike

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…and this is the “czech prague delay”! we were all the time the last and the slowest ones, maybe because of the power of the beer. but anyway: díky / thanks, kikindas burek was the the best!

jaroslav

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No, I think I am the really last one to greet all of you wonderful people with a toast. It was not my purpose to disappear again! I am for the moment in Poland – where I still can order a “piwo”.

Thankyou all so much for a really unforgettable week.

Best regards from Krakow,

Bjarte

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A short one!

Short with Éric Gauthier

Short introduction

I grew up in a small town in the French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec. I’ve always had a fascination for the weirder aspects of life; somehow, I’ve managed to turn that into a career as both a writer and a storyteller. Though I’ve always loved short stories, much of my time lately has been spent writing and rewriting thick scary-looking novels. The second one, featuring a fantastical alternate-history version of the city of Montreal, should be published in French before the end of the year.

Short interview

Did you hear anything about KIKINDA SHORT before you get invitation and if you did, what was that?

I’d never heard of the festival. I think I’d never even heard of Kikinda itself, but how could I resist a city that has its own international literary festival and its own mammoth?

What do you expect from reading tour in Serbia?

A great mix of languages, experiences, surprises. It’s always stimulating to hear other writers and meet new audiences. Since this will be my first visit to Serbia, I’ll be staying for a few days after the festival, exploring the country, haunting your streets, drinking your beer.

What audience can expect from you?

Everyday Canadian weirdness. Unexpected angles. Bilingualism. Facial hair.

Anything else to say?

Thanks for the invitation! Not much else to say; I’m saving my words for the festival.

…………………………………..

Photo copyright Jean-Franáois Dupuis

Eric Gauthier’s participation is supported by the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec

Short with Veronica D. Niculescu

Short introduction

I was born from a German ethnic mother and a Romanian father, raised on the edge of different cultures. During holydays, in Timisoara, I was listening to the music of the neighbourhood: people were talking back then in German, Hungarian, Serbian – what a score! Radio Beograd was pouring all day long from an old lady’s radio in the backyard…

Now I live in Sibiu, the European Cultural Capital in 2007. I work as a cultural journalist, trying to make my life spin around writing. I published three books – short stories and a fairy tale – I translated several Nabokov and Beckett books. This year is dedicated to translations. The next one will hopefully be for my stories.

Short interview

Did you hear anything about KIKINDA SHORT before you get invitation and if you did, what was that?

Oh, yes, I heard some nice stories about Kikinda Short last summer, when I read the article Radu Pavel Gheo wrote in „Orizont” magazine. Radu Pavel Gheo, participant in Kikinda Short 2010, declared himself fascinated by the festival, which he described as a mixture of german precision, european literature and Balkan charm. Oh, how I envied him, not knowing at that time that he recommended me for the 2011 edition…

What do you expect from reading tour in Serbia?

Meeting the authors and their stories, seeing new places and people.

What audience can expect from you?

I will read my most short short story, „Animals”. It is part of my second book of prose, „The Orange Orchestra”, published in 2008.

Anything else to say?

Less is better. I’m shy. The extreme type.

short with Thijs de Boer

Did you hear anything about KIKINDA SHORT before you get invitation and if you did, what was that?

I heard stories last year from dutch short story writers Sanneke van Hassel, Ton Rozeman and Maartje Wortel, that they were going to this festival far, far away. Where people were telling eachother short stories. I saw pictures after their visit of them dancing. That is how I see the festival in my head when I think about it. All these short story writers dancing together.

What do you expect from reading tour in Serbia?

Hoping to hear some great stories. And of course see all these writers dancing. And because of stories I heard from friends I really think I will like the country as well. So I hope to see a little bit of that as well.

What audience can expect from you?

I will read my story “Loopdrang”, which is called “Walk-urge” in English.

Anything else to say?

When I was a little boy I used to have a canary and I taped his singings and played it back for him. Thinking there was another male canary in the room, a competitor, he started to sing even louder and more beautiful. Which I taped again. And played back again. I did this until he couldn’t sing any better, until he could beat himself in singing. He actually never saw another canary since the petstore we bought him in. When he died we burried him in the garden in an old cigarbox from my grandmother. My grandmother smoked cigars.

Short with Giorgio Fontana

Short introduction

My name is Giorgio Fontana. I am a novelist, a freelance writer, and also editor-in-chief of Webtarget.com. Born and raised in Italy, but a wanderer soul as a vocation, I lived in France, Ireland, Canada – and then back to Milan in my country. My last book is an essay on contemporary Italian society, La velocità del buio (“The speed of dark”). You can get an idea of my work having a look at my website (in Italian): www.giorgiofontana.com.

Short interview

Did you hear anything about KIKINDA SHORT before you get invitation and if you did, what was that?

I didn’t, but then I thoroughly checked the website!

What do you expect from reading tour in Serbia?

Great stuff. I’ve already been twice in Serbia and both times I had a lot of fun. I’m sincerely looking forward to coming back over there.

What audience can expect from you?

I hope to do a good job. I love readings and I’m sure the combo between my mother tongue and Serbian translation will be grand.

Short with Ulrike Almut Sandig

Short introduction

I grew up in a village of some five hundred people in East Germany, former GDR. My father was a Lutheran Priest which meant that I enjoyed roaming around churches and graveyards rather than doing sports or joining a socialist pioneer’s event. When I was sixteen, my parents moved in a village of (including us) fiftyfive inhabitants, a cigarette vendor and a mentally handicapped persons’ home. I left as soon as I could. I worked in France, travelled around India, studied Jounalism and broke up, worked for Amnesty International, and eventually did a M.A. in Sociology of Religions and Indian Studies. By that time a friend and I copied our first literary texts on plain paper sheets and posted them on traffic light posts, empty house walls, site fences. That was the thing I fell in love with, since it meant adressing to people I didn’t know and I would hardly get any answer from – so I thought. In fact, people soon started to write little comments on our sheets, sometimes they scored out a line or they posted an answer aside. That is how I finally came to write and did a diploma in Literary Writing a few years later. The friend I did the street art with has become a singer-songwriter since; we sometimes give reading concerts together, adressing to people who pretend not to love poetry. If you want to listen to the things we do, just click here: http://www.schoeffling.de/res/audio/sandig-im-juli.mp3

Short interview

Did you hear anything about KIKINDA SHORT before you get invitation and if you did, what was that?

Not before I got the invitation, but when my story book “Flamingos” had been published in Bulgarian translation in April and I went to Sofia for a reading, people there knew about KIKINDA SHORT for its great reading sessions and enthusiastic public.

What do you expect from reading tour in Serbia?

Excessive reading sessions with the other authors, listening to their stories and a public that doesn’t mind my funny German accent.

What audience can expect from you?

My story “Triangles” and my great interest in contemporary European literature.

Anything else to say?

I’ve two surnames, Ulrike and Almut. But don’t bother to find out which one counts, just choose one and I’ll answer. Promised.

Short with Petar Dencev

Short interview

Did you hear anything about KIKINDA SHORT before you get invitation and if you did, what was that?

My friend Emanuil Vidinski who was invited at the last Kikinda Short told me about the great reading sessions, the athmosphere, I saw photos etc.

What do you expect from reading tour in Serbia?

I am initially attracted by the readings because they are a kind of theatre form – someone tells a story to the others. Which is great experience. I’ve been in Serbia several times and I like very much the people and the atmosphere. I expect to see different responses to my writing, to meet different authours.

What audience can expect from you?

“Malakoff, I want to grow old” which is a story from my new book “Stories of the Past”. Searching for the missing in today’s people.

Anything else to say?

I’m impatient to come in Serbia.

Short with Kalia Papadaki

Short Introduction

I live in Athens. And I’ve been around for a while, here and there, and for the first time, Athens feels right. I studied economics and finance in the States. I worked in the field of economics, but it seemed I didn’t belong. Until, I quit economics and went into film school. I studied film and script and started writing my first book and a bit later my first script. Since then, I’ve been writing like crazy. Or almost like crazy.

Short interview

Did you hear anything about KIKINDA SHORT before you get invitation and if you did, what was that?

Not really. But soon enough I’ll know everything about it. It’s exciting that there is a festival, which focuses on short stories.

What do you expect from reading tour in Serbia?

I think it’s going to be a great story-telling experience.

What audience can expect from you?

I don’t know. I’m not good with expectations. More so, cause they remind of something long gone or long lost. Stock prices are built on expectations, and so it seems the fate of an entire country at times.

Anything else to say?

I’m under the impression that I said more than enough.