The Norwegian Festival of Literature is the largest of its kind in the Nordic countries, with a diverse program catering to readers of all ages. Would you like to experience authors live and discuss literature and current affairs with likeminded people? At the end of May each year, literature fills the streets of Lillehammer. The festival has events for both families and an adult culturally curious audience. Experience on stage conversations, debates, lectures, readings, award ceremonies, exhibitions, seminars, shows, quizzes and other festivities.
Finnish artists attending the festival
Rosanna Fellman
Rosanna Fellman, born 1995 in Finland, is a Swedish-speaking Finnish stage poet and activist. She got her breakthrough in 2018 when receiving first prize in the Arvid Mörne writing competition. Her poetry is influenced by contemporary public debate, slam poetry and multilangualism. Fellman’s first poetry book Strömsöborna (2019, Förlaget M) received the Finnish culture prize Vimma in 2019. Her second poetry book Republikens president – Tasavallan presidentti (Förlaget M, 2022) is a multilingual satire about political power.
Knees-Up & Poetry Slam
24. May | 17:00 – 17:45 | Studenten
Nordic Slam (program description only in Norwegian)
25. May | 11:30 – 12:15 | Brenneriet
Club Poetry
25. May | 15:00 – 16:00 | Kulturhuset Banken cafeen
Helena Gualinga
Helena Gualinga (b.2002) is an environmental and human rights activist from an indigenous community in Ecuador. Her father is from Finland and her mother from Ecuador, growing up she divided her time between them. When she was traveling, she worried that her society would be threatened by ever-encroaching extractive industries, corrupt governments and corporations.
That’s how she became an activist and fought alongside her neighbors and community. Her activism focuses on the intersection of Indigenous rights and climate change. Through her home base in Finland, she has a broader platform to talk to people about protecting their community and defending it against the industries that want to exploit it.
Debate: New Perspectives on the Climate Crisis.
23. May | 17:00 – 18:30 | Verdensteateret
Battle for Survival
24. May | 13:00 – 13:50 | Festivalteltet
Strong Statements: Climate
24. May | 16:30 – 16:45 | Studenten
People’s Meeting for Freedom of Expression
24. May | 17:00 – 17:50 | Søndre Park
Maja Lunde and Friends
24. May | 19:30 – 20:45 | Kulturhuset Banken Festsalen
Sofi Oksanen
Sofi-Elina Oksanen (b. 1977) is a Finnish writer and playwright. Oksanen has published six novels, of which Purge has gained the widest recognition. She has received several international and domestic awards for her literary work. Her work has been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than two million copies. Oksanen has been called Finnish-Estonian Charles Dickens and her work has often been compared to Margaret Atwood’s novels. Oksanen is actively involved in public debate in Finland and comments on current issues in her columns and various talk shows.
The Voices of War
24. May | 15:00 – 15:50 | Kulturhuset Banken Festsalen
Literary Gala
25. May | 19:30 – 21:00 | Maihaugsalen
Writing History
26. May | 14:00 – 15:10 | Lillehammer Kirke
Close-Up: Sofi Oksanen
26. May | 16:00 – 16:50 | Lillehammer Kirke
Quynh Tran
Quynh Tran was born in 1989, grew up in Jakobstad and now lives in Malmö. He is educated at Biskops-Arnös writers’ school and works as a psychologist. Awarded Borås Tidning’s debutante prize 2022 for the novel Shadow and coolness.
Opening Performance
23. May | 19:00 – 20:30 | Maihaugsalen
Creativity and Transcendence (program description only in Norwegian)
24. May | 19:00 – 19:50 | Festivalteltet
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The Festival is supported by the Finnish-Norwegian Cultural Institute