Discussion: The Ferrante Phenomenon


Friday 10th May | 6:30 p.m.
Kinoteka 1Discussion: The Ferrante Phenomenon 
after the screening of “Ferrante Fever” by Giacomo Durzi
In Polish only
Partner: Big Book Festival

The number of literary phenomena that captivate readers worldwide, becoming a mass experience reinforced with social media messages, keeps growing in contemporary literature. The works of Elena Ferrante, Hanya Yanagihara, or Yuval Noah Harari spark emotions far more powerful than the usual readerly delight. What is the key element of this literary alchemy? Is Ferrante’s concealment of her identity something deeper than a calculated marketing strategy? And how often do carefully calculated steps lead to literary success?

Moderator:
Paulina Wilk – writer and journalist with a focus on literature and global development, specializing in India and the Asia Pacific region. Writes for children and adults. Culture editor with Przekrój, collaborator of the Polityka magazine, and columnist at the W drodze monthly. 

Guest:
Sylwia Chutnik – culture studies scholar with a PhD in humanities, graduate of the University of Warsaw’s Gender Studies department. Writer, journalist, social activist, reading promoter. Member of the Polish Writers’ Union and the Literary Union Association. Columnist with the Polityka, Pani, and Wysokie Obcasy magazines.