Writers / Speakers

Monica Aasprong & Hanne Ørstavik: Aspects of Norwegian Literature
The Norwegian poet, prose writer and translator Monica Aasprong and the Norwegian prose writer Hanne Ørstavik (“Love”), one of the most important voices of contemporary Scandinavian prose, discuss with translator Sotiris Souliotis their recent work and their influences.

CO-ORGANIZED BY: Norwegian Literature Abroad / Kastaniotis Publishing

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

“A Musical Bridge Between Greece and Turkey,” Honoring Zülfü Livaneli
A special musical evening dedicated to the deep friendship and artistic meeting of two iconic creators: Mikis Theodorakis and Zülfü Livaneli. The performance will be by Ioanna Forti, with Heraklis Zakkas on bouzouki, Alexandros Kapsokavadis on guitar, and Achilleas Wastor on piano, who is also responsible for the artistic direction of the program. Greetings will be delivered by Giannis Giannakakis, Deputy Mayor for Culture of Chania, and Giorgos Agorastakis, president of the Pan-Cretan Association of Mikis Theodorakis Friends.

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

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Concert with Dora Bakopoulou: “When poetry became a song”
The piano soloist Dora Bakopoulou with Angeliki Liouka on vocals present a musical programme dedicated to the lyrics of great poets (Elytis, Gatsos, Livaditis, Ritsos, Seferis, etc.) set to music by Mikis Theodorakis.

Giorgos Agorastakis introduces with a speech on the topic “Bibliography for Mikis Theodorakis.”

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

La Grèce antique dans le roman moderne
Authors Kostas Akrivos and Nikos A. Mantis discuss their books “Andromachi” (“Andromache”) and “Kithaironas” (“Kithairon”), respectively. Moderator: Grigoris Bekos, journalist.

Co-organized by Kastaniotis Publishing & Metaixmio Publishing.

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

The Normalization of the Far Right in the West
A discussion on the rise, normalization, and dynamics of the far right in the contemporary Western world. Participants include Davide Coppo, Italian author and journalist, Nikos A. Alivizatos, emeritus professor of Constitutional Law at the Law School of the University of Athens, Stavros Zoumboulakis, president of the Board of Trustees of the National Library of Greece, Makis Malafekas, author, and Louis-Philippe Dalembert, Haitian author. Moderated by Manolis Pimplis, journalist and director of the Chania Book Festival.

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

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“Mavrokordatos kai Trikoupis, Venizelos kai Karamanlis: I architektones tou politevmatos. Apo tis ohthes tou Tamesi stin plateia Syntagmatos” (“Mavrokordatos and Trikoupis, Venizelos and Karamanlis: The Architects of the Political System. From the Banks of the Thames to Syntagma Square”) by Nikos K. Alivizatos
Nikos K. Alivizatos, Emeritus Professor of Constitutional Law at the Law School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), discusses his book “Mavrokordatos kai Trikoupis, Venizelos kai Karamanlis: I architektones tou politevmatos” (“Mavrokordatos and Trikoupis, Venizelos and Karamanlis: The Architects of the Political System”) with the Mayor of Chania, Panagiotis Simandirakis, and Nikolaos Emm. Papadakis, Director of the National Foundation for Research and Studies “Eleftherios K. Venizelos.” Moderation: Giorgos Koukourakis, political scientist, Associate Director of the National Foundation for Research and Studies “Eleftherios K. Venizelos”.

CO-ORGANIZED BY: National Research and Study Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos” / Metaixmio Publishing 

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

The issue of modern Greek literature with LGBTQ+ content
Discussion with Christos Machairidis, writer, Iosif Alygisakis, writer, and Roula Vouraki, philologist-writer.

Co-organised by Erisma Publishing

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

From great to “Little Dangerous Ones”: a landmark book on the thinking of a whole generation
“Mikres epikindynes” (“Little Dangerous Ones”) (Key Books Publishing) is about 100 girls, from 13-22 years old, who shared their stories fearlessly, honestly and bravely. Member of Parliament for Chania Sevi Amanatidou-Voloudaki, Emmanouela Katzouraki, World Shooting Champion and Marianna Skylakaki, CEO of AtheNEAs, discuss the book.

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

A discussion on the book “Politiki tou politismou” (“The Politics of Culture”) by Myrsini Zorba
Dr. Maria Andreadaki Vlazaki, Archaeologist and former General Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, journalist Mikela Chartoulari, and author and researcher Pavlina Marvin discuss the release of the revised edition of Myrsini Zorba’s book “Politiki tou politismou” (“The Politics of Culture”).

CO-ORGANIZED BY: Polis Publishing

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

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“Epicheirisi ‘Nostos’” (“Operation ‘Nostos’”) by Nikolas Zirganos
Investigative journalist and screenwriter Nikolas Zirganos, known for his research on the international antiquities smuggling network, discusses his new book with Maria Andreadaki-Vlazaki, PhD in Archaeology and former General Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, and journalist Mikela Chartoulari.

Co-organized by Topos Publishing

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

“Techniti noimosyni gia olous” (“Artificial intelligence for all”) by Manolis Andriotakis
Journalist and author Manolis Andriotakis discusses his new book (Psichogios Publishing), a concise guide to the dynamics of technological developments and the primary issues stemming from the increasing use of artificial intelligence in various aspects of our lives.

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

“Antenna first” – Polymorphic, interactive installation
Chania Art Gallery presents a polymorphic, interactive installation by Yannis Markantonakis (curator: Dimitris Angelatos, Professor of Modern Greek Literature and Literary Theory), with the friendly participation of sixteen visual artists, on 8+8 portraits of Italian and European writers from the 80 presented by Antaeus Chrysostomidis and Mikela Chartoulari in the State-owned public television channel “ET1” TV show “The Lightnings of Our Time”: Antonio Tabucchi – Pisa, Umberto Eco – Bologna, Massimo Carlotto – Padova, Donna Leon-Venice, Niccolò Ammaniti – Rome, Dario Fo – Milan, Claudio Magris – Trieste, Andrea Camilleri – Agrigento, Sicily, Maurice Attia – Algiers, Pierre Assouline – Paris, Herta Müller – Berlin, Peter Esterházy – Budapest, Andrey Kurkov – Kiev, Orhan Pamuk – Istanbul, José Saramago – Lisbon,  Enrique Vila-Matas – Barcelona. 

2nd Chania Book Festival 2022

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“Apofloiosi kai akonisma. O poiitis glyptis: i elegeia stis “Satires” tou K.G. Karyotaki” (“Peeling and sharpening. The poet sculptor: the elegy in K.G. Karyotakis’s “Satires”) by Dimitris Angelatos
The Professor of Modern Greek Literature and Literary Theory Dimitris Angelatos discusses his new book with the journalist Kiriaki Beioglou. 

Co-organized by Gutenberg Publishing

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

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“Mitos: on the edge of the Labyrinth”
The “Chania Art Space” Art Gallery presents the exhibition “Mitos: on the edge of the Labyrinth” (curator: Yannis P. Markantonakis, secretarial support: Zoe Kollarou, scientific collaborator: Dimitris Angelatos) with the participation of 34 Cretan visual artists (Lefteris Vergerakis, Sofia Vlazaki, Yannis Dialinos, Vicky Kamenou, Irini Kana, Amalia Karkoulia, Zoe Kollarou, Stella Koukoulaki, Vangelis Lazaris, Yannis P. Markantonakis, Pantelis Markantonakis, Stavroula Mavromataki, Maria Michelogianni, Lambrini Boviatsou, Vasso Mylonogianni, Daphne Mylonogianni, Grigoris Niolis, Pagona Xenaki, Kostas Pagomenos, Onoufrios Papatzanakis, Aglaia Peraki, Sylvia Petsoura, Manolis Petrakis, Vasso Protopapadaki, Vangelis Roussos, Chrysoula Skepetzi, Lena Taki, Irini Tsiraki, Konstantinos Fisher, Antonis Frantzeskakis, Evi Fotopoulou, Eva Charalambidou, Anna Harchalaki, Dimitris Hourdakis), with unique art books, which highlight the way in which Cretan authors perceive the various boundaries -historical, mythological, sociological, psychological- through the prism that connects books and art over the centuries.

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

Is reading a pleasure for young people? Exploring the role of books in the life of Gen-Z

The presentation, for the first time in Greece, of the preliminary results of the research conducted in 2023 by the Department of Communication and Digital Media of the University of Western Macedonia on books, reading habits and attitudes of young people belonging to Generation Z. With Anastasia Yannacopoulou, assistant professor at the Department of Communication and Digital Media of the University of Western Macedonia, and Yannis Angelou, PhD in Communication and Media, research associate of the Department of Communication and Digital Media of the University of Western Macedonia.

Co-organized by the University of Western Macedonia – Department of Communication and Digital Media

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

Loss and Mourning: Individual and Collective Traumas in Literature
Discussants: Voula Antoniadou (author), Maria Katsikandaraki (author and educator), Michalis Paterakis (poet), Katerina Stamatelatou (author), Andromachi Chourdaki (author). Moderated by: Anna Kallivretaki (author).

CO-ORGANIZED BY: Radamanthis Publishing

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

Two Faces of Crete
On one hand, the urbanized, cosmopolitan life, and on the other, the evident and underground power of the “roots”, the violence of desolation. Authors Iakovos Anyfantakis and Giannis Nikoloudis discuss the two different Cretan worlds presented in their novels “Radiokasetofono” (“Radio Cassette Player”) and “Adeios topos” (“Empty Place”).

Co-organized by Patakis Publishing

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

The levitation between the local and the global
The practical relationship of poetry with history and with current affairs. The relationship of poetry to other arts and forms of expression. With poets: Yannis Doukas, Haris Psarras, Orfeas Apergis, Lenia Safiropoulou, Krystalli Glyniadaki.

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

Literature at the Crossroads of Two Eras: Literary and Democratic Culture during the Dictatorship and the Metapolitefsi. Cultural Transitions.
Speakers: Andreas Apostolidis, author (“Romantica”) and director, Yannis Baskozos, journalist, director of the e-journal “O Anagnostis”, author (“I balanta ton anideon kai kalon” / “The ballad of the ignorant and good”), Nikolas A. Sevastakis, professor of Contemporary Political and Social Philosophy at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, author (“Katagogi i oi istories ton allon” / “Origin or the stories of others”), Niki Troullinou, author (“Odos Solonos” / “Solonos Street”).

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

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Documentary “Latin Noir” by Andreas Apostolidis
A journey through Latin America, the life and work of the famous writers Paco Ignacio Taibo II from Mexico, Leonardo Padura from Cuba, Luis Sepulveda from Chile, Santiago Roncagliolo from Peru, Guillermo Orsi and Claudia Pineiro from Argentina (duration: 67′). From award-winning director and crime novelist Andreas Apostolidis.

Co-organized by Agra Publishing

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

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Discussion about Latin Noir
A discussion on the documentary that explores how a generation of writers was driven to write noir mystery stories in an attempt to confront the brutal state violence, increased crime and ongoing human rights violations experienced in Latin America from the 1970s to the present day. With the documentary’s director and crime novelist Andreas Apostolidis, the Peruvian writer Santiago Roncaliolo and his translator in Greek, Kostas Athanasiou.

Co-organized by Agra Publishing / Kastaniotis Publishing

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

“Adynates poles” (“Impossible Cities”) by Nikos Mantis & “I mnimi tou pagou” (“The Memory of Ice”) by Ioanna Bourazopoulou
Novelists Nikos Α. Mantis and Ioanna Bourazopoulou discuss their recent books and the contemporary explorations of fantasy literature. Coordinated by: Marina Aretaki, Laboratory Teaching Staff member of the Department of Philology, University of Crete.

CO-ORGANIZED BY: Kastaniotis Publishing

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

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“Pou zei o lykos?” (“Where does the wolf live?”) by Rhea Galanaki
The novel “Pou zei o lykos;” (“Where does the wolf live?”), with the dedication “For the groups of friends, from ’67 to ’74”, long out of print, is being reissued exactly fifty years after the iconic year of 1974, featuring an extensive afterword written today. Author Rhea Galanaki discusses with Marina Aretaki, Laboratory Teaching Staff at the Department of Philology, University of Crete.

Co-organized by Kastaniotis Publishing

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

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“Seferis kai Camus: Zitima fotos” ( “Seferis and Camus: A Question of Light”) by Yannis Kiourtsakis
Marina Aretaki, Laboratory Teaching Staff at the Department of Philology, University of Crete, discusses with the novelist and essayist Yannis Kiourtsakis about his new book and how two authors of the 20th century prophetically see the current crisis of European and global civilization.

Co-organized by Patakis Publishing

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

“Mystiki Ithaki” (“Secret Ithaca”) by Kostas Arkoudeas
Novelist Kostas Arkoudeas discusses his book “Mystiki Ithaki” (“Secret Ithaca”), the third part of his trilogy titled “I skotini pleura tis grafis” (“The Dark Side of Writing”) (“Chameno Nobel” (“Lost Nobel”), 2015, “Epikindynoi syggrapheis” (“Dangerous Writers”), 2019), with philologist and author Roula Vouraki.

CO-ORGANIZED BY: Kastaniotis Publishing

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

Theatrical reading: Ioanna Karystiani
The actress Io Asithianaki reads excerpts from the book “Psila grammata” (“The fine points”) by Ioanna Karystiani.

Organized by the Municipal Regional Theatre of Crete

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

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Theatrical reading: Kostas Akrivos and Nikos A. Mantis
The actress Io Asithianaki reads extracts from the books “Andromachi” (“Andromache”) and “Kithaironas” (“Kithairon”) by the authors Kostas Akrivos and Nikos A. Mantis, respectively.

Organized by the Municipal Regional Theatre of Crete

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

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Theatrical reading: Zyranna Zateli
The actress Io Asithianaki reads extracts from books by Greek author Zyranna Zateli.

Organized by the Municipal Regional Theatre of Crete

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

How do we talk about European literature in a changing Europe?
The authors Christos Asteriou, Lefteris Kalospyros and Yannis Doukas will be in conversation.

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

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3rd Greek-German translation workshop ViceVersa & “Vater und ich” (“Father and I”) by Dilek Güngör
Announcement of the results of the 3rd ViceVersa Greek-German translation workshop (23-30 June) by translators Michaela Prinzinger and Theo Votsos and the participants. Presentation of the book “Vater und ich” (“Father and I”) by the German journalist and writer of Turkish origin, Dilek Güngör,by her translator in Greek, Theo Votsos and the writer Christos Asteriou.

Organized by the German Translators’ Fund/DÜF-Toledo Programme, Commissioner for Culture and Media of the German Federal Government

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

Exhibition “I’ve looked on beauty so much”
Constantine P. Cavafy, the poet, philosopher, historian, and hedonist, is reintroduced to us through the works of visual artist Dimitris Asteriou from Chania. Asteriou endeavors to unveil the poet’s multiple and complex identity by inviting him to assimilate the landscape, wander through the alleys, and poetically transpose the landmarks of the city of Chania.

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

“The Charm of Book Covers”
A discussion on the importance of book covers and the aesthetics of books in modern publishing. Participants: Christos Kourtoglou, graphic designer, Yannis Palavos, author, Kostas Spatharakis, publisher.

Moderation: Marilena Astrapellou, journalist.

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

Literature in Countries Experiencing Crisis
Cuban author Leonardo Padura converses with Argentine novelist Claudia Piñeiro and author Ieronymos Lykaris about the role and impact of literature in countries facing severe economic, humanitarian, and political crises. Moderated by Kostas Athanasiou, translator.

CO-ORGANIZED BY: Hellenic Ibero-American Literature Festival in Athens LEA / Carnivora Publishing / Kastaniotis Publishing

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

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The depiction of racial discrimination in the literature of Paulo Scott & Louis-Philippe Dalembert
Brazilian novelist, poet, and short story writer Paulo Scott and Haitian novelist, poet, and essayist Louis-Philippe Dalembert (2024 Goncourt Prize for Poetry) discuss the depiction of racial discrimination and social injustice in their books “Marrom e Amarelo”/ “Phenotypes” and “Milwaukee Blues”, respectively. Moderated by Kostas Athanasiou, translator.

CO-ORGANIZED BY:  Hellenic Ibero-American Literature Festival in Athens LEA / Gutenberg Publishing / Kastaniotis Publishing

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

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The experience of translation and its importance for literature and language
Translators Kostas Athanasiou (Spanish), Rita Kolaiti (French), David Connolly (English), Katerina Schina (English) discuss the adventure of translation and its importance for the dissemination of literature and the dialogue between cultures. Moderated by Kostas Athanasiou.

3rd Chania Book Ferstival 2024

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“Personas Decentes” / “Decent People” by Leonardo Padura
Author Leonardo Padura discusses his recent book with journalist Mikela Chartoulari and his translator Kostas Athanasiou.

Co-organized by Kastaniotis Publishing

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

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“The night will be long” by Santiago Gamboa
Author Santiago Gamboa talks about his new book (published by Dioptra Publishing) with historian Lena Matsiori and translator Kostas Athanasiou.

Organized by the Greek-Ibero-American “Literatura en/em Atenas – LEA” Festival

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

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“Water Over Stones” by Bernardo Atxaga
Basque author Bernardo Atxaga discusses his new book “Water Over Stones” with the Greek translator, Kostas Athanasiou.

Co-organized by Ekkremes Publishing

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

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Alla rysai imas apo tou ponirou (“Y líbranos del mal” / “And deliver us from evil”) by Santiago Roncagliolo
Peruvian writer Santiago Roncagliolo talks to the historian Lena Matsiori and his translator in Greek, Kostas Athanasiou, about his new novel “Alla rysai imas apo tou ponirou” (“Y líbranos del mal” / “And deliver us from evil”) .

Co-organized by Kastaniotis Publishing

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

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Discussion about Latin Noir
A discussion on the documentary that explores how a generation of writers was driven to write noir mystery stories in an attempt to confront the brutal state violence, increased crime and ongoing human rights violations experienced in Latin America from the 1970s to the present day. With the documentary’s director and crime novelist Andreas Apostolidis, the Peruvian writer Santiago Roncagliolo and his translator in Greek, Kostas Athanasiou.

Co-organized by Agra Publishing / Kastaniotis Publishing

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

“Water Over Stones” / “Etxeak eta hilobiak” by Bernardo Atxaga
The Basque writer Bernardo Atxaga talks about his new book “Water Over Stones” with his translator in Greek, Kostas Athanasiou.

Co-organized by Ekkremes Publishing

1st Chania Book Festival 2022