What's on Literature

International Literature Festival in Rome 2018

By: Wanted in Rome

Date:

26 Jun, 2018

International authors read under the stars at the Roman Forum.

Letterature – Festival Internazionale di Roma returns to the Basilica di Massenzio in the Roman Forum, taking place over numerous evenings from 7 June-3 July.

The popular initiative celebrates the written word with a host of internationally acclaimed authors who are invited to write a text inspired by a chosen theme, which this year is The Right / The Reverse: The inexhaustible stream of words, composed especially for the event.

Letterature: Festival Internazionale di Roma

The 17th edition of the annual literature festival features a line-up of award-winning Italian and international authors who will read from their work, supported by actors and live music. The international aspect of the programme includes Margo Jefferson, Tara Westover, Glenn Cooper, Ayad Akhtar Michael Zadoorian from the US; Ayelet Gundar-Goshen from Israel; Paul B. Preciado from Spain; and Olivier Guez from France.

Entry is free but tickets must be picked up before the readings begin, from 20.00, at a designated booth on Via dei Fori Imperiali. Tickets are provided on a first-come, first-served basis, and readings take place at 21.00, with access to the Basilica from 20.30.

A novelty this year is Letterature Off, taking place over five weekends, from 18 May until 23 June, in five city libraries. Based on the 2018 theme, this section of the festival will include a focus on women's writings as well as texts aimed at young people.

In addition to the Roman Forum venue, numerous parallel events take place at the Casa delle Letterature, including an exhibition with previously unseen works by the late artist Maria Lai who represented Italy at the 2017 Venice Biennale. For full details see festival website.