The United Kingdom programme at Bookfest covers over 50 events designed for literature lovers, publishing and creative industries professionals and the youngest of readers.
The agenda includes a Main Progamme, with events taking place at the United Kingdom Stall or Agora Stage, as well as a Bookfest Junior Programme and British Documentary Highlights.
The main programme events are in Romanian (or with Romanian translation).
12.00: Inauguration of the UK Stall as Guest of Honour country for the Bookfest International Book Fair, 2019 edition
14.30: „Figures” – Presentation of the UK stall design for Bookfest
Speakers: JB Arhitectura team, Virgil Scripcariu
Moderator: Emil Ivănescu
Partners: Romanian Order of Architects - Bucharest Branch.
15.30: „How I found happiness in the heart of Transylvania” – Meeting with writer Arabella McIntyre Brown, author of A Stake in Romania and From Liverpool In The Carpathians
Speakers: Sandra Pralong, Alison Mutler, Matei Buță, Nigel Bellingham
16.30: “The Teacher Within”: Presentation by Simona Baciu on the book The Teacher Within: A Mindful Journey Toward Well-Being For Teachers In The 21St Century by Susan Shapiro & Simona Baciu
5 o’clock tea: „Romanian cultural heritage and British influence”
Speakers: Şerban Sturdza (Fundaţia Pro Patrimonio), Ştefan Bâlici (Institutul Naţional al Patrimoniului)
Moderators: Alexandra Stoica (Ordinul Arhitecţilor din România) şi Cristiana Tăutu (British Council)
15.00: The Supreme Price (2014, director: Joanna Lipper, 75 min)
18.00: Attacking the Devil (2014, director: Jacqui Morris, David Morris, 100 min)
14.00: SUPER: Launch of the SUPER teenage poetry anthology
Partner: SUPER Association
15.00: Debate on the Shakespeare Notebooks edition following the publication of the 16th volume of The Complete Works, as well as the publication of the scientific volume Shakespeare in Romania, Shakespeare in the World, which gathers works from the 2016 eponymous International Symposium.
Partners: Tracus Arte Publishing, the National Museum of the Romanian Literature
Speakers: George Volceanov, Lucia Verona, Alexandru M. Călin, Anca Ignat, Ioan Cristescu
Moderator: Horia Gârbea
16.00*: Debate - „Book Publishing in the Age of Netflix”
Speakers: Niki Chang (The Good Agency), Lucy Beresford-Knox (Penguin Random House), Simona Kessler (Simona Kessler International Copyright Agency), Mihai Mitrică (Asociația Editorilor din România)
Partner: ALDUS
Moderator: Paul Balogh (Learn Forward)
*Venue: Agora Stage (main stage)
16.00*: Conference: children's books illustration, with Neal Layton
Speakers: Neal Layton, Ștefan Georgescu, Alexander Glonin, Karda Zenko
Partner: Fabulafia
*Venue: Modul Cărturești (20 Academiei Street)
16.00: Ann Cleeves - the new queen of British crime
Guests: Raluca Ștefan si Mihnea Arion
Partner: Crime Scene Press
5 o’clock tea: „The way home” – Debate on literature and politics, with writer Mahsuda Snaith
Moderators: Emanuela Ignățoiu-Sora și Cezar Gheorghe
18.00: „East by North-West” – Conversations about the contemporary British thriller novel with writer Clare Mackintosh
Speakers: Bogdan Hrib, Virginia Costeschi
Moderator: Andreea Chebac
11.30 - 12.00: BritTeen workshop in English: “Life of a librarian” with Irina Stoica, booktuber / @British librarian (recommended age: 5-12 y.o.)
12:00 - 13:00: „Stories out of the Box”: Storytelling with Daniel Kearvell (recommended age: 6-8 y.o.)
16.00 - 16.30: BritTeen workshop in English: “Book Art” with Irina Stoica, booktuber / @British librarian (recommended age: 5-12 y.o.)
17.30 - 18.30: „Make your own math story!” – math stories in English workshop coordinated by the International School of Bucharest (recommended age: 6-10 y.o.)
12.00: Inside Einstein's Mind: The Enigma of Space and Time (2015, director: Jamie Lochhead, 60 min)
15.00: Imagine: The Fatwa - Salman's Story (2012, director: Jill Nichols, 82 min)
18.00: War of Words: Soldier-Poets of the Somme (2014, director: Sebastian Barfield, 89 min)
13.00: „Writing with words and pictures” – Illustration workshop with Neal Layton
15.00: Book launch – Înotând spre casă by Deborah Levy (Romanian edition: Editura Litera, 2019, translation by Irina Negrea)
Speakers: Alina Purcaru, George Volceanov, Bedros Horasangian
16.00: „How to find your true meaning - the road to the writer within" – Meeting with writer Mahsuda Snaith, author of The things we thought we knew and How to find home
Speakers: Vasile Ernu, Nona Rapotan
16.30: „Let's Talk About Bullying” – Debate around the book 7 Days by Eve Ainsworth (Romanian edition: Editura Gama, 2019, translation by Andreea Demirgian)
Speakers: Marius Rusu (psychologist, Salvați Copiii), Georgiana Ilie, Elena Văduva (journalists, Școala 9), Diana Mocanu (Editura Gama)
5 o'clock tea: „Crossing Borders” – Debate on the diversity of contemporary British literature
Speakers: Denisa Comănescu, Alexandra Rusu, Sinead Russell
Moderator: Nadine Vlădescu
18.00*: „Art is in the air” – Debate on creative industries and UK-Romania connections
Speakers: Corina Șuteu, Ada Solomon, Pauline Haddaway, Raluca Iacob
Moderator: Matei Martin
*Venue: Agora Stage (main stage)
18.30: Book launch and author meeting – Melmoth by Sarah Perry (Romanian edition: Editura Nemira, 2019, translation by Ioana Văcărescu)
Moderator: Ioana Bâldea Constantinescu
10.00 - 11.00: „Sparking Imagination with Kids’ Lit” – fun reading and storytelling workshop in English and Romanian coordinated by Cambridge School of Bucharest, with Aidan McAllister, Benjamin Redwood and Cambridge School Year 9 students
(recommended age: 6-12 y.o.)
11.30 - 12.00: BritTeen workshop in English: “Comic Books” with Ioana Covei
(recommended age: 11-18 y.o.)
16.00 - 16.30: BritTeen workshop in English: “Japanese Art” with Cristina Iacob
(recommended age: 5-12 y.o.)
18.00 - 19.00: Storytelling @British: “Jack și Vrejul de Fasole”. Bilingual storytelling in Romanian and sign language
(recommended age: 6-10 y.o.)
Event in partnership with A fost odată NGO
12.00: The Tube: An Underground History (2013, director: James House, 58 min)
15.00: David Bowie - Five Years (2013, director: Francis Whately, 90 min)
18.00: Searching for Sugar Man (2012, director: Malik Bendjelloul, 86 min)
10.30: “Discover your creative self”: studying creative industries in the UK, with Iulia Popa - IntegralEdu.
11.00: Illustrator Neal Layton in conversation with Octav Avramescu (Jumătatea Plină)
12.00: „From London to Bucharest” – Discovering the world of Fantasy with writer Claire North and her guests (Speakers: Oliviu Crâznic, Alexandra Fusoi)
12.30: „Let's cook together!” – Cooking workshop with Iulia Cojocaru (Mini Zucchini), inspired by Jamie Oliver's recipes and his most recent book, Super food family classics
Partner: Curtea Veche Publishing
13.30*: Debate: „Challenges of translating from English”
Speakers: Radu Paraschivescu, Veronica D. Niculescu, Luana Schidu, Dan Croitoru
Moderator: George Volceanov
*Venue: Agora Stage (main stage)
13.30: „Welcome to Hogwarts Arts & Crafts Workshop!” – Workshop inspired by the international bestseller Harry Potter byJ.K. Rowlling
Partner: Arthur Publishing House
14.30: Meeting with writer Ross Welford, author of Time travelling with a hamster (Romanian edition: Editura Corint, 2019, translated by Simona Neagu) and The 1000 year-old boy (Romanian edition: Editura Vellant, 2019, translated by Aurelia Ulici)
Moderator: Florin Bican
Partners: Corint Publishing, Vellant Publishing
15.00: Three new novels of British writers translated and published by Humanitas Fiction: Sonata Gustav by Rose Tremain, Ministerul fericirii supreme by Arundhati Roy and Monsieur Karenin by Vesna Goldsworthy
Speakers: Ioana Bâldea Constantinescu, Veronica D. Niculescu, Alexandra Coliban, Luana Schidu
Moderator: Denisa Comănescu
15.30: Discussion about the „Hogarth Shakespeare” projects, pubished in Romanian by Humanitas Fiction
Speakers: Nigel Bellingham, Ioana Pârvulescu, Vali Florescu, George Volceanov
Moderator: Denisa Comănescu
16.00: New translations from contemporary British literature: Mașinării ca mine by Ian McEwan and Numărul 11 byJonathan Coe
Speakers: Radu Paraschivescu, Dan Croitoru, Bogdan-Alexandru Stănescu
16.30: Meeting with writer Clare Mackintosh, author of novels Te las să pleci (I let you go), Te văd (I see you) and Lasă-mă să mint (Let me lie), published in Romanian by Trei publishing house
Speakers: Virginia Costeschi, Mihaela Ionescu
5 o'clock tea: „Literature beyond difference” – Dialogue on literature and sexual identity, with writers Fiona Mozley and Kirsty Logan
Moderators: Oana Băluță și Vlad Viski
18.00: „Alternative publishing” – Debate on alternative publishing
Speakers: Paul Balogh (Learn Forward), Gilda Rădulescu (Editura Casa Radio), Andrei Aivănoaiei (Editura Humanitas)
Moderator: Ciprian Burcovschi
13.30 - 14.30: BritTeen workshop in English: “Astronomy” with Vladimir Ștefănescu
(recommended age: 6-12 y.o.)
17.00 - 18.00: Storytelling @British: „Alice în Țara Minunilor”. Bilingual storytelling in Romanian and sign language. Partner: A fost odată NGO
(recommended age: 6-10 y.o.)
12.00: The Joy of Logic (2013, director: Catherine Gale, 59 min)
15.00: Dreamcatcher (2015, director: Kim Longinotto, 104 min)
18.00: BFI Flare Films – A series of short films (approx. 90 min)
11.00: Debate „Literature and religion”, with writers Sarah Perry and Tatiana Niculescu
Moderator: Eliana Ionoaia
12.00: „The mirror of secrets”: Writer Eugen Chirovici in conversation with Michael Haulică
12.30: Meeting with writer Fiona Mozley, author of the Elmet novel, shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize
Speakers: Alina Purcaru, Simona Kessler
13.00: „Performing Literature”: Kirsty Logan – poet, editor, performer, writing mentor - in conversation with poet Răzvan Țupa
13.30: „Resilience in literature” – Debate around the novel Happiness, by Aminata Forna (Romanian edition: Vellant, 2019, translation by Mihaela Buruiană)
Speakers: Vlad Stroescu (psychiatrist) și Mihaela Buruiană (the book's translator)
Moderator: Alexandra Rusu
14.00: “Why in the world?” – story-writing workshop with writer Claire North
15.00: „Building Bridges” – Debate on English translations of Romanian authors
Speakers: Lidia Vianu, Alistair Ian Blyth, James Christian Brown, Andrei Novac
Moderator: Luminița Corneanu
16:00: „British-Romanian cultural exchanges” – Dialogue between Bronwen Riley and Nigel Bellingham
5 o'clock tea: “Goodbye party!” with Nigel Bellingham and the British Council team
13.30 - 14.30: - „Ziua de naștere a lui Elmer” – Storytelling and workshop with Pandora M
(recommended age: 5-8 y.o.)
14.30 - 15.00: BritTeen workshop in English “Astronomy” with Ioana Șofran
(recommended age: 6-12 y.o.)
15.00 - 15.30: BritTeen workshop in English “Fun Physics & Chemistry” with Elisabeta Petrescu
(recommended age: 6-12 y.o.)
15.30 - 16.00: BritTeen workshop in English “Book Art” with Irina Stoica, booktuber and @British librarian
(recommended age: 6-12 y.o.)
12.00: Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur (2016, director: Charlotte Scott, 60 min)
15.00: 20,000 Days on Earth (2014, director: Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard, 97 min)