Franschhoek Literary Festival back after two years
AFTER a break of two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Franschhoek Literary Festival is back in a revived, re-imagined and reinvented format and happening in the Boland town from today until May 15.
While no festival took place last year, organisers were busy planning.
In line with Covid precautions, attendance is conditional on showing proof of vaccination, or a negative Covid-19 test result (PCR or Rapid Antigen) less than 72 hours old. Tickets will not be refunded if the above compulsory conditions are not met.
Now that that is out of the way, one of the joys of the festival is that all the village venues, big and small, are within a few minutes' walk of each other, creating a vibrant ambience in streets abuzz with book-lovers.
Starting each day at 10am until 5pm, the daily smorgasbord of all things literary, on which you can feast, sees up to nine one-hour events running concurrently with half an hour between each.
And talking about feasting, Franschhoek is not known as the food and wine capital of the Cape for nothing, so when you have a break between book events, take the time to sample some of the diverse food at the eateries lining the main road and further afield.
Here are a few of the talks that will be taking place:
FRIDAY:
• Jackie Phamotse talks to
Deon Meyer (The Dark Flood)
about his new thriller and creative process – from the seed of the idea to the last edit.
• Adriaan Basson grills political
trainspotters Ralph Mathekga (The ANC’s Last Decade) and Qaanitah Hunter (Eight Days in July) on the possible futures of the ANC.
• Melinda Ferguson joins Terry Angelos (White Trash) & Robert Hamblin (Robert) to dissect their memoirs, which share a backdrop of underworlds and inner worlds, transgressions and transitions.
• Sara-Jayne Makwala King digs
deep with two writers of fiercely honest memoirs of personal crisis: Shana Fife (Ougat: From A Hoe Into A Housewife & Then Some)&
Nompumelelo Runji (How I Took Back my Power).
SATURDAY:
• Malcolm Ray talks to Ismail
Lagardien about his memoir Too White to be Coloured, Too Coloured to be Black – and the need for a new and believable South African dream.
• Join best-selling publisher
and author Melinda Ferguson for a two-hour live-writing memoir workshop. Get tips on how to improve your personal writing as well as insights into the publishing scene in South Africa.
SUNDAY:
• Join the No.1 best-selling
cookbook author The Lazy Makoti for tea and cake, and tips on energy-efficient entertaining.
• Fellow wine farmers and
former Springboks Dugald Macdonald (Ja-Nee) and Schalk Burger Snr (Just A Moment) uncork some vintage rugby showdowns with sports writer Luke Alfred.
For more details and bookings, go to Webtickets and https://www. flf.co.za/ or:https://www.flf.co.za/ events/?Y=2022&D=2.