The Guadalajara International Book Fair, a party with sad moments

GUADALAJARA.

“The Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL) does not depend on any government subsidy, or any ideology; It depends on itself and the work of the team that makes it possible, with the support of the University of Guadalajara (UdeG). It is a self-sustaining company and that is very important for the future,” said editor Marisol Schulz yesterday.

The general director of the most important editorial meeting in Spanish thus responded to questions about the future of this initiative, which will hold its 37th edition from November 25 to December 3, the first without the presence of its founder Raúl Padilla, who died on last April 2nd.

"We are making progress. The fair is already recovering the levels we had in 2019. The financial part was very tight with the pandemic. But last year we already came out with black numbers and we expect the same in 2023. We have sponsorship from local governments; “We are not sponsored by the federal government,” he added.

During the press conference held at the Enrique Díaz de León Auditorium of the UdeG, the cultural manager explained that they estimate that the 37th edition will have income of 102 million 582 thousand pesos, and expenses of 101 million 739 thousand pesos; That is, they expect to achieve a profit of 842 thousand pesos.

Figures that, in the words of Ricardo Villanueva, rector of the UdeG, show that the fair “is stable, it is good, and we think that this year we will recover the balance point.”

Regarding the relationship that FIL Guadalajara has maintained over the last five years with the federal and state governments, the rector clarifies that it has always been a meeting point, “not one of disagreements,” and it will continue to be.

“We have never had problems. The President of the Republic and the governor of Jalisco have always been invited; but of course whoever comes wants. We want to recover relations with the authorities. We have invited the candidates Xóchitl Gálvez and Claudia Sheinbaum and, if there are more candidates along the way, they are also invited. The more plural the fair is, the better. The controversy is part of its success,” she said.

Villanueva and Schulz admitted that it will be a sad fair, since it is the first that will be held without their helmsman Padilla. “I cannot deny that there will be moments of sadness; but, as Marisol has said, the FIL will continue to be a party. The entire meeting will be a tribute to Raúl. We want to make the best edition ever. “I'm sure that's what he wants us to do, to celebrate him like this,” he added.

Gautier Mignot, ambassador of the European Union in Mexico, pointed out that his delegation will be made up of 70 authors from 27 member countries; Among these, Dacia Maraini, Tatiana Țibuleac, Lídia Jorge, Pascal Quignard, María Dueñas, Andréi Kurkov, Colm Tóibín, Mária Ferenčuhová, Judit Berg and András Forgách stand out.

The EU pavilion, explained the diplomat, with its 1,130 square meters and architecture inspired by the values ​​of sustainability, inclusion, digitalization, hospitality and circular economy, “will become a meeting space between professionals, authors, artists, guests and visitors.

And the literary program includes authors such as Elia Barceló, Elísabet Benavent, Piedad Bonnet, María Dueñas, Morgana Kretzmann, Andrés Neuman, Pascal Quignard, Julia Quinn, Élmer Mendoza, Sergio Ramírez, Angelo Tijssens, Margarita García Robayo, Antonio Muñoz Molina, Jordi Sierra i Fabra, Tatiana Țîbuleac, Jorge F. Hernández, Elvira Lindo and María José Ferrada, who serve various regions, currents and genres.