Kikinda Short 06

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.

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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.

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