International
Multi-genre
Festival
© Jaroslav Brabec
“If mankind were a novel and I were writing its last chapter, it would end with the word hope.”
Arnošt Lustig
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International FestivalAL100
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Arnošt Lustig’s birth, FestivalAL100 will connect ten countries on four continents. The festival will offer:
- artistic and cultural events
- an anniversary edition of Lustig’s world-famous and unpublished works
- exhibitions
- educational programs for students, including a literary competition young HUMAN-ists
The festival will be held under the auspices of Czech President Petr Pavel, Government Commissioner for Human Rights Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková, the Czech Commission for UNESCO, Brno Mayor Markéta Vaňková, South Moravian Region Governor Jan Grolich, Prague Deputy Mayor JUDr. Jiří Pospíšil, Prague 1 Mayor Terezie Radoměřská, Mayor of Prague Bohuslav Sobotka, the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic, and the Czech ambassadors to Austria, Germany and France. It will offer an exceptionally diverse multi-genre program not only in the Czech Republic and the United States, but also in other countries in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Visitors can look forward to unique cultural and artistic events, exhibitions, educational programs for students, a literary competition, and lecturer training.
Together, we will commemorate not only the literary and film legacy of Arnošt Lustig, but above all his legacy of humanism, freedom, justice, resilience, and joy.
Literature
Renowned institutions in Prague and Brno are opening new spaces dedicated to the work of Arnošt Lustig: the Arnošt Lustig Fund and Archive at the Memorial of National Literature and the Arnošt Lustig Library at the Moravian Library.
Round Table with literary scholars in Václav Havel Library in Prague will be devoted to a critical perspective on the literary contribution of Arnošt Lustig’s prose and in Gallery of the Central Bohemian Region in Kutná Hora a Student Round Table will take place.
Jubilee edition of the books will offer:
- New editions of a wide range of selected international award-winning short stories, novels, and existential essays by Arnošt Lustig, as well as a surprising collection of his early works, in which readers will meet for the first time in book form the young voice of
- New audiobooks of the golden fund of Arnošt Lustig’s short stories performed by leading performers.
- An important collection of Arnošt Lustig’s fiction in digital form.
A series of staged readings, Listening , directed by Lukáš Hejlík, and literary evenings will bring Lustig’s prose and non-fiction closer together.
A look behind the scenes of the most important places associated with the author’s birthplace will be offered by the literary walk Arnoštova Libeň with the poet Vít Janota, as well as other guided walks.
Exhibitions
In the Museum of Literature, the Moravian Library and the Terezín Memorial will present multimedia exhibitions dedicated to the literary work and life of Arnošt Lustig, both permanent and travelling.
International touring exhibition I want to be human – Arnošt Lustig’s message to the stars and not only to them will travel to the planetarium in Netanya, Israel and to various places in the Czech Republic. The exhibition illustrates in an unconventional way how man can survive the unimaginable and preserve his humanity despite its fragility in a rapidly changing world. At the same time, it highlights the gap between impressive scientific progress and our lack of efforts to cultivate humanity, leading to a general underdevelopment in this regard.
The web portal “The World of Arnošt Lustig,” created in collaboration with the Moravian Library, will introduce visitors to the life and world of Arnošt Lustig.
Music, theatre and film
In a lyrical-musical series entitled Cantata – Dance of the Insane, Johann Sebastian Bach and his famous cantata Ich habe genug (BWV 82) will meet Arnošt Lustig and his only, extraordinary and unpublished poem Shevirat hakelim (Breaking the Sacred Vessels).
Based on Arnošt Lustig’s short stories and novels, both premieres of two theatrical productionsas well as other dramatizations.
Premiere of DANCE THEATRE inspired by Arnošt Lustig’s golden fund short story.
Film festivals, projections and screeings of feature films, short films and documentaries based on the author’s screen plays and short stories. The films will be intended not only for the general public, but also for schools, where they will be accompanied by discussions moderated by filmmakers and journalists.
Education
The 2nd edition of the international literary competition Young HUMAN-ists will contribute to the development of creative talent and at the same time strengthen humanistic and democratic values among high school students from Brno, St. Pölten (Brno’s twin city) and Vienna.
As an accompanying program, a series of educational workshops will be held, focusing on enriching civic and values education, literature and history, or interdisciplinary. The workshops will be aimed at primary and secondary school pupils and students. The programme will be based on the methodology prepared by the Memorial of National Literature, the Arnošt Lustig Foundation and teachers of Charles University. Methodological sheets for teachers and worksheets for students will be available during the workshops.
Educational workshops will include training for teachers.
