Writers, booksellers, editors and cultural journalists have once again shown that they are made of a different material. And not precisely for enduring the marathon days of Sant Jordi, but for wanting to add extra hours to April 23. Of course, not in any way, but with a good party. There were several celebrations that took place in Barcelona as a final climax to the day of the book and the rose. Planeta and Grup 62 gave theirs in Room B. Luz Gabás, Gemma Ventura or Màrius Serra were some of the writers who did not want to miss the usual meeting.
Nor was Gemma Ruiz Palà , who, from the top of the stage, sang the famous "I snuck in there and I planted myself at your party", by Mecano, and celebrated the good reception of Les nostres mares , the best-selling fiction book in Catalan of the day . Eva García Sáenz de Urturi, deserving of the same distinction in Spanish with El ángel de la ciudad, the continuation of the Kraken series set in Venice, could not accompany her. As she confirmed to La Vanguardia, she had to catch a flight that same night.
The Club room at Paral·lel 62 was another of the meeting points at dawn on Monday. There was a call for Males Herbes and L'Altra Editorial, as well as writers from other labels. Andrea Genovart, Leti Asenjo, the poet David Caño and the filmmaker Albert Serra, among many others, did not miss the appointment. And if an author was not seen in either of the two meetings, it may be that he was hiding in the secret garden of Alice Garden, in Pau Claris, with a gin and tonic as the final icing.
The post Sant Jordi hangover was starred on Monday by Miguel Gane at the Romea theatre. The author of Ojos de sol managed to fill the venue with young people to listen to poetry. "Thank you very much for coming here without really knowing what you were going to find," he said before starting the recital, in which, in addition to poems, there was no lack of humor or music, thanks to his stage partner, Nur Bonet , who throughout the evening accompanied Gane in his lyrics on guitar, flute and piano.
The furor came with Barcelona és ella, the Catalan version of one of his first poems, which he created for the occasion. It didn't take more than a couple of verses for a large part of the room to take out their phones and start recording, despite previous indications from the organization that it was not allowed. “If you feel the need to send something to a friend who couldn't come, feel free to do so,” Gane insisted. After that permission, there were dozens of screens that lit up in the dark throughout the presentation.
Denunciations of injustices also found their space. Both Gane and Bonet regretted that cases of gender violence continue to occur. “No, shut up, you're not prettier. You are precious when you fight", started the verses of Now that you already dance, "a poem that goes viral every March 8". The poet also took the opportunity to claim his homeland, Romania, and his town, Leresti, from which he emigrated when he was only nine years old, as he detailed in 2019 in his novel When you are older "Mine are always given a lot of cane in the media”, he lamented shortly before saying goodbye to the public dancing Dragostea din tei, the song by O-Zone that raised those present from their seats to move their hips.
Just as well attended was Juan Cuenca's talk with the journalist Jesús Martínez at La Casa del Libro on Passeig de Gràcia, where he presented his second novel, La aparente normalidad). With this book, the Catalan lawyer and writer focuses on Victoria, a literary critic marked by bipolar disorder. “A friend encouraged me to put her reality on paper. After several interviews and even a trip to the place from which it came, this book was born, with which I do not intend anything other than to end the taboo of mental illness," said Cuenca, who just a few days before managed to pack the ImaginCafé Pelayo street.
Also in this place, the writer, journalist and trans referent Valeria Vegas, who has just published her first novel, The Best Supporting Actress, was the protagonist on Thursday. A story in which a crime will offer an actress and an assistant trapped by routine the opportunity to redeem themselves. But, beyond literature, the afternoon also gave time to talk about cinema, her immense press collection and Cristina Ortiz, la Veneno, of whom she wrote her memoirs. “When you know the character, knowing how to unleash it is easier than it seems. She was hyperbole herself, and that's what I tried to capture."
There is no doubt that the pace does not slow down even if Sant Jordi is left behind.
