Read Russia invites British readers to celebrate Russian literature throughout London in April 2013. Coinciding with the London Book Fair, Read Russia’s program of events will bring Russia’s leading authors, translators, scholars and publishing insiders to the British capital to engage with readers on contemporary trends in Russian literary culture and Russia’s rich literary traditions.
Russia’s Open Book, a new feature-length documentary narrated by Stephen Fry and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Paul Mitchell, has its world premiere in London in April. This Intelligent Television production gets inside the minds of some of Russian literature’s brightest lights and explores the continuing mystique and power of the Russian novel. Russia’s Open Book won’t be on television worldwide until the autumn, but Read Russia offers the chance to catch a sneak preview, and learn more about the story behind the film, at a press launch on 14 April.
Many of the writers who appear in the film, including Ludmila Ulitskaya, Dmitry Bykov and Anna Starobinets, will be meeting with readers in London, where they will join translators, literary scholars and publishing professionals in discussion – both at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre (15-17 April) and around the capital throughout the week. Featured writers include distinguished authors like Oleg Pavlov and Maria Galina, as well as the leading lights of the young generation Debut Prize winners Alexander Snegirev, Irina Bogatyreva – and well-known UK-based writers like Zinovy Zinik, Irina Kirillova, Layla Alexander-Garrett and Hamid Ismailov.
Russkiy Mir Foundation Information Service
