Ioanna Petridou to ET: We will see over 100 writers in Athens – 2024-05-11 18:00:44

Iulis Tsakalou BOOK CRITIC

What prompted you to create the Festival?

I was of course also influenced by the huge wave of detective fiction writers and books and realizing that we also had excellent Greek writers dealing with this genre, talking with a well-known representative, Mr. Grigoris Azariadis, we thought of joining forces to promote the Greek detective literature which was still unknown to the public at the time.

What are we going to see at this year’s event? What is special regarding it, in your opinion, that has captured the interest of readers so strongly in recent years?

Every year I try to develop the organization a little more. Certainly what attracts people are the foreign authors, the speeches concerning huge social issues, the many games that parents can participate in with their children or in groups and of course the theater show with our authors that won everyone over last year . In addition, this year we will also have musical events always related to “crime” and stand up comedy.

-What difficulties did you face?

The great difficulties are created when the state agencies do not support such an effort. This year especially since the Festival has become accessible to people with partial or total vision loss, as you understand, we faced even more.

Why was the name “Agatha” chosen?

Agatha is the queen of the most popular genre of detective fiction over the decades, the “whodunit”.

I also think it is a very evocative word, with the double meaning of “good” and “thorn.”

The detective story is a game and the writer must play fair with the reader. Which authors have been invited to the Festival to take up the challenge? How were so many celebrities chosen?

The authors who will participate in the Festival are over 100. I have tried very hard not to leave out any Greek. As for foreigners, they start from my own preferences, editors’ and readers’ suggestions, and then we check their availability and willingness to take part.

What would you like the future to be?Agatha» Police Literature Festival?

In an ideal world, I would like the state, the municipalities, the city in general to realize the value of reading and culture and to actively participate by helping in practice. This is my dream and I am doing everything to make it come true because for me there is nothing more important than winning one new reader at a time.