Organized annually by the voluntary cultural organization Inizjamed, this year’s Festival will feature seven leading authors from six different countries: Jen Calleja (United Kingdom), Claire Lajus (France), Karl Schembri (Malta/Kenya), Keith Borg (Malta), Hamed Aboud (Syria/Austria), Rosaria Lo Russo (Italy), and Batool Abu Akleen (Palestine/France).
Events featuring Rosaria Lo Russo
August 27
Qari għal Nofsinhar: Bukkun, Ktieb u Kwinti
Teatru Salesjan | 1pm | FREE EVENT
On Thursday, 27 August, at 1pm join us for a reading and a light lunch in the intimate setting of the bar of Teatru Salesjan in Sliema. We’ll be able to enjoy a bite to eat and a drink together while all the guest authors of the Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival give us a taste of their work. Admission is free and, in the spirit of the Festival, different languages will interact with one another. The guest writers are Hamed Abboud, Batool Abu Akleen, Keith Borg, Jen Calleja, Claire Lajus, Rosaria Lo Russo, and Karl Schembri.
The Poetics of Motion
Vincent’s Eco Estate | 8:30pm | TICKETS
The Poetics of Motion is a discussion featuring four Festival guest authors: Hamed Abboud (Syria/Austria), Batool Abu Akleen (Gaza), Claire Lajus (France/Türkiye), and Rosaria Lo Russo (Italy), moderated by Aphroconfuso editor Joe Gatt. The discussion will be interwoven with readings by the four poets, together with the Maltese translations of their work. Stjanu will provide musical interludes throughout the event. Two free trilingual chapbooks featuring the poetry of Abboud and Lajus, published by Inizjamed with the support of Versopolis, will also be distributed. The discussion will be held in English, while the readings will also be presented in their original languages.
August 28
Short Readings/Qari Qsajjar
Spazju Kreattiv | 4:15pm-4:30pm | FREE EVENT
August 29
Seb’Awturi se Jidħlu l-MICAS
On the Festival’s closing night, all seven guest authors will gather at MICAS, and everyone is invited. They will read from their work in the original language alongside translations, creating a celebration of languages, rhythms, and distinctive voices. Troffa Ħamra will provide musical interludes throughout the evening. After the authors share works that once existed only on the page, DJ Bob will bring another Festival to a close with a selection of music, inviting everyone to enjoy a glass of wine and dance the night away in a festive atmosphere.
The evening will be hosted by Gabriel Lia and Ilona Sciberras.
Wine will be provided by Holy Wines.
Rosaria Lo Russo — poet, performer, translator, essayist — was born in Florence in 1964, where she still lives. Her poetry collections include L’estro (1987), Vrusciamundo (1994), Comedia (1998), Penelope (2003), Lo dittatore amore. Melologhi (2004, Antonio Delfini Prize 2001), Io e Anne. Confessional poems (2010), Crolli (2012), Poema (1990/2000) (2013), Nel nosocomio (2016), Controlli — a book with an accompanying DVD film co-created with Daniele Vergni (2016, Elio Pagliarani Prize 2017), Anatema (2021), Rina (2021), Unamedea (2021, Ciampi-Valigie Rosse Prize), and Tande (2023). She has published four volumes of translations of Anne Sexton, including Poesie d’amore (1996), L’estrosa abbondanza (1997), Poesie su Dio (2003), Il libro della follia (2021), and Trasformazioni, a complete translation of Sexton’s Transformations (2023). Her essays include Figlia di solo padre (2020) and La protagonista di Pirandello (2021). She has performed Dante’s Commedia in her show Voci in Comedia. Lectura Dantis since 2000, and has given voice to many poets — often in their presence — including Bigongiari, Luzi, Pagliarani, Brodsky, Caproni, Zanzotto, Szymborska, Balestrini, and Rosselli.