New York University, Institut Français and The Cultural Services of the French Embassy will host the second “Festival of New French Writing” to take place on Thurs., Feb. 24; Fri., Feb. 25; and Sat., Feb. 26 at New York University’s Hemmerdinger Hall (ground floor, 100 Washington Square East, entrance on Waverly Place).
New York University, Institut Français and The Cultural Services of the French Embassy will host the second “Festival of New French Writing” to take place on Thurs., Feb. 24; Fri., Feb. 25; and Sat., Feb. 26 at New York University’s Hemmerdinger Hall (ground floor, 100 Washington Square East, entrance on Waverly Place). All talks are free and open to the public. For more information, call 212.998.8750, email frenchfestival@nyu.edu, or visit frenchwritingfestival.com. Subways: N, R (8th Street); 6 (Astor Place).
This festival brings together seven of France’s most important writers with seven leading American writers, each for a one-hour discussion moderated by an American cultural critic.
Schedule of events:
Thurs., Feb. 24
7:00 p.m.: Winner of the Prix des éditeurs and Prix Femina Geneviève Brisac with Rick Moody (The Ice Storm and The Four Fingers of Death), moderated by Open Letter Publisher, Chad Post.
8:30 p.m.: Novelist Stéphane Audeguy (The Theory of Clouds and The Only Son) with European correspondent for The New Yorker, Jane Kramer.
Fri., Feb. 25
2:30 p.m.: Philosopher Pascal Bruckner with essayist and Professor of Humanities at Columbia University, Mark Lilla, moderated by New Yorker writer, Adam Gopnik.
4:00 p.m.: Graphic Novelists David B. (Epileptic) with Ben Katchor (Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer, The Jew of New York and Shoehorn Technique), moderated by New Yorker Art Director Françoise Mouly.
7:30 p.m.: French/Afghan writer and filmmaker and Prix Goncourt winner, Atiq Rahimi (The Patience Stone) with Russell Banks (The Sweet Hereafter, Cloudsplitter), moderated by journalist Lila Azam Zanganeh.
Sat., Feb. 26
2:30 p.m.: Laurence Cossé (A Novel Bookstore and A Corner of the Veil) with Arthur Phillips (Prague, The Song is You), moderated by NYU Professor of French, Judith G. Miller.
4:00 p.m.: Writer and film director, Philipe Claudel (I’ve Loved You So Long, Brodeck, By a Slow River) with A.M. Homes (The Mistress’s Daughter, This Book Will Save Your Life), moderated by Harper’s Magazine Publisher John R. (Rick) MacArthur.
Simultaneous interpretation from both languages will be available. Book-signings will follow each event and the authors’ books in English and French will be available for sale by Fieldstone Book Company.