The Fifteenth International Writers’
and Artists’ Festival / Le XVe Festival International des écrivains et artistes
On Friday,
June 9th, I drove with friend, songwriter and poet Honey Novick, to the 15th
International Writers’ and Artists’ Festival in Val-David, Quebec (June 10th
and 11th, 2017). Celebrated artists, poets, writers and singers with an
international heritage that included France, Chile, Argentina, Romania, Canada
and the USA would congregate at the festival, set in a large house nestled deep
in the Maple Laurentian forest.
The mixed
Laurentian forest is called the “eastern forest-boreal transition” and includes
a varied tapestry of broadleaf (aspen, oak, paper birch, mountain ash and
maple) and conifer (pine, spruce and fir) trees.
When we
reached our destination—a large three-story house surrounded by forest—I took
in the aroma of fresh pine and “sweet fern” and spotted Bunchberry (soon to be
designated Canada’s national flower), forget-me-nots and lupine carpeting the
ground near the house. A young deer, foraging on a shrub’s new leaves beside
the house, glanced at us without fear then slipped back into the forest.
I thought
the setting ideal for an international festival celebrating the expression of
the arts. I was scheduled to talk about my latest book “Water Is…”, a personal
and scientific journey with water, and to give a lecture on eco-fiction. Flavia
Cosma, the originator and organizer of the festival for over a decade, greeted
us at the door and in true Romanian-fashion immediately sat us down to eat and
drink. After a seven-hour drive (we somehow ended up in Charlamagne, Celine
Dion’s birthplace), I was hungry and enjoyed some of Flavia’s signature dishes,
varză a la Cluj (cabbage a la Cluj) and salată boeuf (beef salad), made with
carrots, parsley roots, eggs, potatoes, beef, pickles and peas mixed with
mayonnaise. The view outside my bedroom on the third floor peered through tall
firs to a mountain valley and the small village of Val-David. I looked forward
to meeting poets, writers, musicians and artists the next day…
Day 1:
Saturday
Honey Novick
(Toronto, Ontario), poet laureate of the Summer of Love Project 2007 Luminato
Festival and winner of the Bobbi Nahwegahbow Memorial Award, opened the
festival with an inspirational song.
Composers
and singers Brian Campbell (Montréal, Quebec) and Ivan-Denis Dupuis (Sainte
Adele, QC) provided additional and stirring song performance.
Quebec
author Louis-Philippe Hébert (Saint Sauveur, QC), winner of the Grand Prix
Québecor du Festival de Poésie de Trois-Rivières and the Prix du Festival de
Poésie de Montréal, read from his novel Un homme discret (Lévesque, 2017). Poet
Julie de Belle read several poems, including When the sea subsides, finalist in
the Malahat Review. Brian Campbell, finalist in the 2006 CBC Literary Award for
Poetry, read from his book Shimmer Report (Ekstasis Editions, 2015).
Poet and
award-winning TV documentarist Flavia Cosma, who received the gold medal as an
honorary member by the Casa del Poeta Peruano, Lima, Peru in 2010, nominated
for the Pushcart Prize, and whose work has been used in University of Toronto
literature courses, read from her collection
of poems, The Latin Quarter (MadHat Press, 2015) and Plumas de Angeles
(Editorial Dunken, 2008).
Romanian
writer Felicia Mihali read from her novel La bien-aimée de Kandahar, nominated
for Canada Reads 2013. Romanian author Melania Rusi Caragioiu, member of the
Canadian Association of Romanian Writers, read from her book of poems Basm în
versuri și poeme pentru copii in Romanian.
Nicole
Davidson, the mayor of Val-David, read some of her poetry. Jeanine Pioger,
French author of Permanence de l’instant, read a selection of her poetry.
Jocelyne Dubois showed her artwork and Romanian artists Carmen Doreal and Eva
Halus discussed their artwork and poetry.
“Water Is…”:
I shared the inspiration and making of my latest book, “Water Is…”, a
scientific study and personal journey as limnologist, mother, teacher and
environmentalist, which was recently picked by Margaret Atwood in the NY Times
as 2016 ‘Year in Reading’ and recommended by Water Canada as ‘Summer Reading’.
I discussed how I first conceived the book as a textbook early in my career as
a freshwater biologist and how it morphed from one idea into something
completely different and why it is my most cherished work to date.
Day 2:
Sunday
French poet
David Brême gave a workshop on poetry and the cultural hybridization of
franco-québécoise (atelier sur la poésie et l’hybridation culturelle franco québécoise),
which he had given earlier in Toronto.
Montreal
poet from France and Senegal, Nane Couzier, read from her collection
Commencements, honorable mention in le Prix de poésie 2016 des Écrivains
francophones d’Amerique.
Novelist and
short story writer Jocelyne Dubois read from her novel World of Glass, finalist
for the 2013 QWF Paragraphe Hugh MaLennan Prize for fiction. Laurentian poet
John Monette, author of the collection Occupons Montréal (Editions Louise
Courteau, 2012) read several poems and Eva Halus, Romanian poet, read from her
book Pour tous les Voyages. Chilean poet Tito Alvarado also read his poetry
Claudiu
Scrieciu and Felicia Popa of Nasul.TV Canada—Televiziunea Libera—the Canadian
chapter of Romanian TV in St. Laurent, Quebec, televised aspects of the
festival and the closing ceremony. Felicia, who interviewed me for their show,
talked with me about “Water Is…”.
Eco-Fiction:
I discussed how eco-fiction evolved as a genre and its importance, both
metaphorically and literally, in the literature of the Anthropocene (with a nod
to Margaret Atwood’s 2016 challenge to a college audience in Barrie, Ontario,
to write the stories that focus on our current global environmental crisis). I
provided examples of ecological metaphor such as Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight
Behavior, Michael Ondaadje’s The English Patient, Frank Hebert’s Dune, and
Thomas Hardy’s The Return of the Native. Astute questions, initiated by Flavia,
led to an animated discussion on our ultimate participation in Nature,
co-evolution, cooperation vs competition, soft-inheritance, DNA repair and the
role and place of water in virtually all things.
The festival
concluded at the Centre d’Exposition (art centre) of Val David with “Les Mots
du Monde”, where poets, songwriters and writers performed readings and song to
the community. The cultural setting and perfect acoustics provided a true
inspiration for Honey Novick’s stirring opening songs—angelic in nature and in
voice. I asked colleague Jeanine Pioger to read my essay “Why I Write,” which I
had translated into French with help from colleague Betty Ing, and Jeanine read
it beautifully. Merci, Jeanine! The French version appears below.
After the
closing ceremony, Flavia invited participants to a grand dinner party at the
festival house featuring authentic Romanian dishes, good wine and stimulating
conversation.
The festival
was a great success on many levels. Honey Novick astutely thanked Flavia in a
Facebook post, “thanks for the wonderful memories, great inspiration, generous
hearts and a tremendous weekend.” On Facebook, Felicia Popa said: ” Din păcate
in poze nu se poate vedea frumusetea din sufletele oamenilor care au fost
prezenți acolo, in schimb rămân amintirea clipelor petrecute impreuna … și
desertul de sfârșit … Yammi … mulțumim de invitație Flavia Cosma!”
Yvan-Denis
Dupuis (photo by Brian Campbell)
I felt a
great resonance and synchronicity throughout the weekend. It was as though we
had all embarked on a dimensional ride together, orchestrated by Flavia, that
challenged, fulfilled and enlightened…I spoke English, French and puțin limba
română. Foarte puțin… …And the food… OOHLALA!
Mulțumesc,
Flavia! A fost minunat!
La raison pour laquelle j’écris
L’écriture
est le souffle et la lumière de mon âme et la source de mon essence. Quand
j’écris, je vis le moment présent. Je suis dans le moment de la création,
connecté au Soi Divin, embrassant la nature et l’ensemble de l’univers fractal.
Je fais
quelque chose d’important.
Je me
connecte avec vous.
Isaac Asimov
a dit : « j’écris pour la même raison que je respire — parce que si je ne le
faisais pas, je mourrirais ». C’était aussi vrai quand il était auteur inconnu
qu’après qu’il est devenu grand écrivain. Il parlait métaphoriquement,
spirituellement et littéralement. Je sais que si je n’écrivais pas, je me
priverais mon âme de sa respiration de vie. Il représente plus que la vérité
métaphorique ; il est scientifiquement prouvé. L’écriture expressive — que ce
soit sous la forme de l’écriture d’un journal, de blogging, de l’écriture de
lettres, de mémoires ou de fiction — améliore la santé.
Que vous
publiiez ou non, votre écriture est importante et utile. Prenez possession de
celle-ci, nourrissez-la et considérez-la comme sacrée. Inspirez le respect des
autres et respectez tous les écrivains à leur tour ; ne laissez pas l’ignorance
vous intimider et vous faire taire.
L’écriture,
comme toute forme de créativité, exige un acte de foi ; tant en nous-mêmes
qu’en les autres. Et c’est effrayant. C’est effrayant, parce qu’il faut que
nous renoncions au contrôle. Il est d’autant plus préférable d’écrire. La
résistance est une forme d’autodestruction, dit Julia Cameron, auteur de The
Artist’s Way.
Nous
résistons afin de maintenir une vague idée de contrôle, mais au contraire, nous
augmentons nos chances de développer la dépression, l’anxiété et la confusion.
Booth et al. (1997) ont conclu que la divulgation écrite réduit sensiblement le
stress physiologique du corps causé par une inhibition. Nous sommes nés pour
créer. Pourquoi hésitons-nous et résistons-nous? Parce que, dit Cameron, « nous
avons accepté le message de notre culture… [que] nous sommes censés faire notre
devoir et puis mourir. La vérité est que nous sommes censés être prospères et
vivre ».
Joseph
Campbell a écrit : « suivez votre bonheur et les portes s’ouvriront là où il
n’y avait pas de portes avant. » Cameron ajoute : « c’est l’engagement interne
pour être fidèle à nous-mêmes et de suivre nos rêves qui déclenche le soutien
de l’univers. Alors que nous sommes ambivalents, l’univers nous semblera
également être ambivalent et erratique. » Quand j’écris, je vis le moment
présent, en harmonie avec le moment divin de la création.
http://scifiportal.eu/the-fifteenth-international-writers-and-artists-festival-le-xve-festival-international-des-ecrivains-et-artistes/#comment-125458
Comentarii:
Excepțional
!!!.
Îubită Doamnă Flavia Cosma, Vă felicităm și
vă îmbrățișăm pentru această realizare excepțională !
Cu deosebită
stimă și prețuire,
Melania Rusu Caragioiu
Chers amis/
cheres amies, dear friends, queridos/queridas amigos/amigas,
La XVeme
edition du Festival des ecrivains et artistes de Val-David a pris fin. Le
Festival suivant aura lieu les 7 et 8 octobre 2017.
Je suis tres
fiere de vos performances et je vous remercie de tout coeur. C'etait une
explosion de creativite, d'une inegalable qualite artistique. Chacun/chacune
d'entre vous ait contribue a cette extraordinaire manifestation artistique, ce
que me permit de dire que cette edition du Festival a ete la meilleure
expression artistique de nos efforts jusqu'a ce jour.
Tous sans
exception vous avez fait preuve d'une grande maturite artistique. Il faut
mentioner la contribution de nos commanditaires (Metro Val-David, Bourassa
Sainte Agathe du Nord, Photocopies Illico Saint-Agathe), ainssi que de nos
amis/amies qui nous aident depuis long temps sans y etre forcement sous les
lumieres de la rampe.
A TOUS/
TOUTES, UN GRAND MERCI ET A LA PROCHAINE!!!
Flavia
Cosma-Directrice, Le Festival de Val-David
Flavia Cosma
16/06/2017
AT 10:47 PM
I am touched
and deeply moved by your beautiful article about the International Writers’ and
Artists’ Festival at Val-David, QC, Canada. As a director and coordinator of
the above mentioned Festival, I thank everyone of the participants for their
creativity and absolute dedication. As a poet and writer myself I am thrilled
once again by the artistic level reached in our common search and expression of
art and beauty. Long live the Festival!!!
REPLY
Nina
Munteanu
17/06/2017
AT 12:41 AM
Dear Flavia,
I am so glad
I came to your lovely retreat and hope to come again. Thank you for inviting me
to speak about the subjects dear to my heart. The community of writers and
artists who came was enriching, stimulating and heart-warming.
All the
Best,
Nina
REPLY
Eva Halus
17/06/2017
AT 3:58 AM
I am also
thrilled by the great professional and artistic level of the 15th edition of
the Festival. Year after year poets and writers reinvent themselves, it is like
a spiral revolving in New territories and, most of all, around the charismatic
Director of the Festival,Flavia Cosma, who surprises us year after year…so,
long live the Festival!
REPLY
Nina
Munteanu
17/06/2017
AT 5:05 AM
Wonderful
words, Eva! Yes, long live the Festival!
Nina
Niciun comentariu:
Trimiteți un comentariu