The Long Night of LiteratureS 2025

India

The Long Night of LiteratureS is a European literary festival held across New Delhi, Kolkata, and Varanasi, where audiences meet and interact with authors from across Europe. Organized by the EU National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), this festival celebrates the richness of European writing and promotes cross-cultural dialogue through the shared experience of reading, listening, and imagination.

Europe's extraordinary diversity of languages mirrors that of India, both are rich mosaics of voices, traditions, and stories. Through this festival, EUNIC celebrates the encounter of cultures beyond language barriers, offering Indian audiences a chance to explore contemporary European literature and engage with avant-garde perspectives shaping today's Europe.

An Evening of Stories and Encounters

During the festival, audiences are invited to immerse themselves in a night where literature transcends the page. Authors transform their works into performance and dialogue, creating an experience of discovery and emotion. Each writer brings a unique voice, language, and vision, together forming a kaleidoscope of modern Europe, filled with creativity, diversity, and the human spirit.

Festival Dates and Venues

The Long Night of LiteratureS 2025 will be held across three cities:

Kolkata: 18 November 2025 - Alliance Française & Goethe-Institut building, Park Street
New Delhi: 21 November 2025 - India Habitat Centre
Varanasi: 24 November 2025 - Alice Boner Institute

This year's edition welcomes authors from 14 European countries, bringing a rich blend of voices and visions:
From Austria, Markus Köhle; Bulgaria / EU Delegation, Todor Todorov; Denmark, Fine Gråbøl; France, Monia Aljalis; Germany, Jackie Thomae; Hungary, Ferenc Barnás; Italy, Clara Nubile; Poland, Piotr Florczyk; Portugal, Isabela Figueiredo; Slovenia, Andrej Blatnik; Spain, Marcos Giralt Torrente; Switzerland, Anaïs Clerc; Ukraine, Yury Zavadsky; and the United Kingdom, Gail McConnell

Spotlight on France: Monia Aljalis

At the crossroads of voice and verse, Franco-Tunisian writer, poet, performer and literature teacher Monia Aljalis seeks the sacred pulse of language.

Her debut novel, L'Extase (Seuil, 2024), follows Leyla, a young woman drifting through Paris, suspended between inherited beliefs and modern desire. Through her words, Aljalis explores identity, transmission, and spiritual dissonance in contemporary life.

She is also the founder of Le Bœuf Monstre, an artistic collective in Paris focused on cross-disciplinary experimentation, and Toile Noire, an experimental music duo. Her work was awarded the Prix Amic by the Académie Française.

Monia will participate in the Kolkata, New Delhi, and Varanasi editions of the festival, where she will perform readings from L'Extase. She is currently a Villa Swagatam resident at the Alice Boner Institute in Varanasi, drawing inspiration from the city's rhythm and its cultural and historical layers.