The Year of Magical Thinking is the title of the fourteenth Krokodil literary festival, which was opened last night at its traditional place, in front of the Museum of Yugoslavia. This year\u2019s edition was dedicated to the recently deceased American author Joan Didion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The audience was led through the dynamic and rich festival programme by Mima Simi\u0107, who started off by joking that she had gone grey with Krokodil. First on the stage was young author Asja Baki\u0107, who spoke about the importance of polemics in literature. She said that she was not trying to be likeable and that her biggest problem was when people shared on social media political ideas that could hurt others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018In my opinion, there is no room for discussions. Fascism is not something you argue with. It\u2019s where you draw a line. No discussion\u2019, said Asja Baki\u0107, who then read her unpublished short story \u2018The Last Supper\u2019, written during her residency in Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The charismatic Argentinian author Ariana Harwicz was next on the stage. Talking to the translator Silvia Monros, she spoke about the book Die, My Love, which addresses postpartum depression. Ariana said that the book had caused her many problems but that it had also showed \u2018how politicised the whole motherhood story is\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018I didn\u2019t let anyone read the manuscript before I gave it to the editor. I was afraid I might get arrested\u2019, said Ariana, smiling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After she read out a passage from the novel in Spanish, Ariana added that the book was going to be adapted for the screen and that it was important to her that the story was not embellished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ariana was seen off the stage with a big round of applause, and author Aleksandar \u0160urbatovi\u0107 was introduced to the audience. Talking to literary critic, Jasmina Ahmetagi\u0107, Aleksandar said that Latin American authors, such as Llosa, Sabato and Fuentes, had a big influence on his writing, and that he would pay homage to these writers in his future works. Aleksandar went on to explain that he had decided to withdraw his novel \u2018The Turkish Chess Player\u2019 from all award competitions because he wanted to show writers that \u2018you can have a novel out without being motivated by the desire to get an award\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018I think we have too many awards in this country. Admittedly, there are too many writers as well. It\u2019s all been devalued\u2019, adds \u0160urbatovi\u0107, who also works as an editor for the publishing company Dereta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The programme continued with the musician and writer Marko \u0160eli\u0107, better known as Mar\u010delo, who made sure that the audience stayed attentive by performing the song \u2018JBG\u2019 from his current album \u2018Noah\u2019s Ark\u2019. Talking to Mima Simi\u0107, he described the album as \u2018a novel in verse\u2019 about the period \u2018marked by protests\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then it was time for the star of the festival. Margaret Atwood spoke to Mima and the North Macedonian author Rumena Bu\u017earovska from her home in Toronto. Margaret shared her memories of Yugoslavia first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Yugoslavia had always been interesting, both geographically and historically, because it used to be considered a crossroads\u2019, she related.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She also talked about The Handmaid\u2019s Tale. She recalled the sneers and scepticism she had encountered when it came out. Then, to the audience\u2019s delight, she read out the introductory paragraph to its first chapter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Radio host Da\u0161ko Milinovi\u0107 interviewed Du\u0161an Petri\u010di\u0107. They took us on a trip down memory lane, from the early days of the famous cartoonist\u2019s career to the political cartoons he has done later for various newspapers and magazines. Du\u0161an also recalled how he and Corax met and began collaborating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The night concluded with a touching tribute to actress Mira Furlan. Her colleague, actress Mirjana Karanovi\u0107, reflected on Mira\u2019s fragile, tender nature and shared what it was like working with her. Mirjana reminded the audience that Mira always spoke openly about life\u2019s injustices and things that hurt and pained her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018We were not particularly close, we didn\u2019t hang out together, but I always felt her as one of my kind\u2019, she said about the fellow actress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ivan Bevc, the owner of the publishing house Booka, expressed how pleased he was with the success of Mira\u2019s autobiography, Love Me More than Anything in the World, but he disliked how the media focused on the story about actor Rade \u0160erbed\u017eija.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mima wrapped the night up by thanking the audience for their interest and attendance. She invited everybody to check out the debate program and urged them not to miss the second evening of the festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report was prepared by KROKODIL journalists for a day: Milica \u0110or\u0111evi\u0107, \u0110or\u0111e Bjelanovi\u0107, and Sara Nikoli\u0107.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project Journalist for a Day \u2013 Journalists against Racism is implemented as part of Reporting Diversity Network 2.0 funded by the European Union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n