São Paulo – Algeria will be one of the featured countries at the Festival Cidade da Cultura, which will take place throughout July at more than 150 venues across São Paulo, including art galleries, cultural institutions, music and theater venues, and bookstores. Organized by artistic-cultural hub Polo Cultural, the festival expects to attract around 50,000 people throughout its program.
Algeria’s presence is marked by the launch of the Brazilian Portuguese translation of the book The Disappearance of Mr. Nobody by Ahmed Taibaoui, published in Brazil by Tabla publishing house. The event will take place on July 17 at 7 p.m. at the Mega Fauna bookstore, as part of one of the festival’s facets, the Arena da Palavra. This division focuses on literature, aiming to bring bookstores and authors closer to readers.
Taibaoui was the winner of the 2021 Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature. The narrative tells the story of an anonymous, reclusive man who takes care of an elderly gentleman but disappears after the old man dies. The backdrop of the plot is social neglect, loneliness, and human precariousness. Titled “Dialogues between Algerian and Brazilian Literatures: Human Misery,” the launch event will feature Marçal Aquino and Cristhiano Aguiar, with Paula Carvalho as the moderator.
In addition to literature, the festival’s program includes a variety of other artistic and cultural expressions. “There are several languages, several festivals of different languages within a larger festival,” said Mauricio Kinoshita, the festival’s international relations coordinator, in an interview with ANBA. The festival made a point of including representative attractions from Arab countries in its international lineup.
In addition to Arena da Palavra, the City of Culture Festival features other divisions such as Jam Brasil (Music), Arte em Circuito (Visual Arts), Corpo em Performance (Theater, Circus, Dance), Diplomacia Cultural (Market), and Areninha (Children’s). There will be over 100 events focused on areas like theater, circus, dance, performance, literature, visual arts, music, comedy, and the cultural market.
Among the attractions, 35 will be international, marking the first time foreign artists participate. The international focus aims to create a dialogue between foreign and national art. “The goal is really to foster and enable the exchange of foreigners in Brazil because the Festival Cidade da Cultura is precisely the celebration of the countless cultures that exist in the country and in São Paulo,” says Kinoshita.
Created by Polo Cultural director Marcelo Sollero, the Festival Cidade da Cultura is supported by Rede Itaú, Comgás, the Government of the State of São Paulo, the Ministry of Culture, among other institutions.
Quick facts:
Festival Cidade da Cultura 2025
From July 1 to 31
At 15 venues in São Paulo – SP
More information at Polo Cultural
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
