María Larrea in conversation with Jesús Vigorra

The famous phrase ‘People from Bilbao are born where they want’ becomes a book in the hands of María Larrea, a multifaceted writer, screenwriter, and film director who, yes, was born in Bilbao, though she has lived in France. This first autobiographical novel – first published in French – is marked by a life that is far from easy to understand: at 27, she discovered that her parents were not her biological parents and that she had been sold. Rather than curse her fate, she chose to reflect it in writing that is as dense and direct. In just one year, a cascade of awards followed, including the 2022 First Novel Award in France, the Best Novel Award from France Télévisions, and the Best First Novel Award from Les Inrockuptibles. In her film career, in 2018, the author received the Audience Award for a first feature film screenplay at the Premiers Plans Festival in Angers, granted by the French radio station France Culture, for the film she co-directed with Catherine Paillé.

Larrea will discuss her work and the influences of her tumultuous life on it, with members of nearly twenty book clubs that meet at the Infanta Elena Public Library. She will do so in the company of journalist and actor Jesús Vigorra. His journalistic work in radio and television and, especially his involvement in cultural dissemination, has been recognized with the National Award for the Promotion of Reading in 2006, from the Ministry of Culture; the Spanish Publishers Award in 2003, for the promotion and dissemination of books; the LIBER Award 2007, from the International Book Fair; the Communication Award from the University of Seville and the Aljabibe Journalism Award, among others. He has collaborated in several media, especially in Canal Sur and Diario Córdoba. The event will be presented by Isabelle Berneron, book attaché of the French Institute.

Event in Spanish