Irish novelist John Banville, who uses Benjamin Black as a pseudonym, is visiting the festival for the first time
The XXXVIII edition of the Semana Negra de Gijón, which will take place from this Friday until the 13th on the grounds of the old Naval Gijón shipyard, presented Rufo, its mascot, dressed as poet Ángel González this Thursday.
This tribute is in memory of the founder of the poetry evening of the event, in commemoration of his centenary. A collective reading of his verses and various activities surrounding his work have been organized.
Additionally, the noir festival will kick off with the presence of Irish novelist John Banville, who uses Benjamin Black as a pseudonym in all his noir works, making his first appearance at the event to present his latest novel, ‘Los ahogados’.
Alongside him, Argentine writer, screenwriter, and playwright Claudia Piñeiro will inaugurate this edition with her latest work, ‘La muerte ajena’.
They will not be alone, as over a hundred invited authors and artists will participate in an edition with a multitude of proposals, where the guiding thread will once again be the spirit of advocacy.
Among them is Loyds Lebrón, the director of the festival bearing his name in Buenos Aires last year, as well as the festival twinned with Semana Negra in the Italian province of Latina, Gian Luca Campagna, who will present his novel ‘El perfume del último tango’.
Also in attendance will be authors such as: Petros Markaris; Miriam Lewin; Jorge Volpi (Mexico); Santiago Roncagliolo (Peru); Gioconda Belli (Nicaragua); Imanol Caneyada (Mexico, winner of the Hammett in 2023); Charlie Becerra (Peru), Miguel Vargas Román (Chile); Juan Pablo de Luca (Argentina); Fritz Glockner (Mexico); Rosa Montero; Marta Sanz; Lorenzo Silva; Berna González Harbour; and Luisa Etxenike.* Other writers to be seen at the festival include: Rosa Ribas; David Torres Ruiz; Juan Carlos Galindo; Ulises Bértolo; Luis García Jambrina; Alejandro Palomas; Marta del Riego Anta; Óscar Montoya; and May R. Ayamonte.
Also noteworthy among the authors is the participation of Manuel Rivas, National Prize for Spanish Letters in 2024, who will present his novel ‘Detrás del cielo’.
Additionally, Juan Tallón, winner of the Rodolfo Walsh in 2023 with ‘Obra maestra’, will present ‘El mejor del mundo’, while Ignacio Martínez de Pisón, winner of the Espartaco in 2024 with ‘Castillos de fuego’, will present ‘Ropa de casa’ and Juan Cruz Ruiz will do the same with ‘Secreto y pasión de la literatura’.
On another note, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Franco’s death, Jesús Ruiz Mantilla will bring ‘Franco y yo’ to the event, and Ramón Lluís Bande will talk about his trilogy around the 1930s in Asturias. Antón García and Berta Piñán will present the Spanish translations of the novels with which they won the Xosefa Xovellanos novel prize in 2014 and 2017, respectively.
Additionally, Spanish illustrator and graphic designer Miguel Sánchez Lindo (Spain, 1985) has been tasked with creating the image for this year’s edition; a piece with references to the city and the noir genre.
The festival will also feature space for Asturian comics, anti-fascist comics, and the contribution to the exploration of women references in the fields of artistic creations.
Artists like Isaac Miguel del Rivero, Ruma Barbero, Raquel Lagartos, Alfonso Zapico, Alberto Vázquez García, Israel Álvarez, or Guillermo Menéndez Quirós will showcase their work for viewing on the panels of the Semana Negra Exhibition Tent.
These works will also be reproduced in the catalog book, complemented by an essay on the subject written jointly by Arantza Margolles and Norman Fernández, which will be given to attendees at the roundtable in the Encounter Tent dedicated for this purpose.
Other presences at the event will include Rubén Uceda, with his latest comic, ‘Sin Olvido. Un viaje por la memoria antifascista’, and Pepe Gálvez and Adrián Bago, who will do the same with their graphic novel ‘Maquis’. Israel Álvarez will also present his new installment of ‘El señor de las montañas’. Additionally, French artist Emile Bravo will be in Gijón to present his latest work, ‘La esperanza pese a todo’.
