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L'Atelier des deux rives: a training course in literary criticism
Published on 16 July 2025
As part of the Livres des deux rives project, in partnership with the Villa Gillet, the Institut français has proposed l'Atelier des deux rives, a scheme based around literary criticism, aimed at young people from countries around the Mediterranean. L'Atelier des deux rives brought together ten students from Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, identified and selected with the support of local French Institutes. This Workshop included a training course in critical and sound writing, deployed from November 2024 to May 2025, and an immersion in the Littérature Live festival at the Villa Gillet, in Lyon, in May 2025.
The 10 male and female participants accompanied by Atelier des deux rives patron, author Amira Ghenim.
From left to right and top to bottom: Farah Sami, Inès Meghirbi, Maria Fahim, Yacine Belaicha, Sarah Aoun, Safae Abad, Maïssa Sidhoum, Nassim Boutgoura, Amira Ghenim, Lyne Mahfouz and Inès Meghirbi.
Reception of the 10 participants and time for discussion with the scheme's godmother, Amira Ghenim, author of Désastre de la maison des notables (2024, Philippe Rey / Barzakh).
Participants in the Atelier des deux rives were able to take part in the Littérature Live festival webradio, organized by Villa Gillet in collaboration with Studio Vago, and set up for the occasion in the Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon Part-Dieu.
Portrait by Marwan Chahine.
During their training course, Atelier des deux rives participants selected two favorites from novels by authors programmed at the Littérature Live festival. One of the novels selected is Beirut, 13 avril 1975, by Marwan Chahine (2024, Belfond).
The 10 participants in the Atelier des deux rives accompanied by Marwan Chahine, author of Beirut, 13 avril 1975 (2024, Belfond).
The ten young critics enjoyed a privileged meeting with author Marwan Chahine, at the Villa Gillet, during their stay in Lyon.
Portrait by Hélène Gaudy.
Archipels, the novel by author Hélène Gaudy (L'Olivier, 2024), is the second literary favorite chosen by participants from among the novels by authors programmed at the Littérature Live festival.
The 10 participants in the Atelier des deux rives accompanied by Hélène Gaudy, author of Archipels (2024, éditions de l'Olivier).
Les dix jeunes critiques ont pu bénéficier d’une rencontre privilégiée avec l’autrice Hélène Gaudy, à la Villa Gillet, pendant leur séjour à Lyon.
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