The project will have 12 episodes in the first half of the year, which will serve to show how important Portuguese-speaking writers think about the world and the role of literature in contemporary times.
“We try to discuss not only literature, the work of the guest writers, but also the world and the differences in worldview that exist in Portuguese-speaking countries,” explained in an interview to Lusa Selma Caetano, the podcast coordinator.
"The authors and curators will talk about topics such as polygamy, racism, among others, and about the cultural differences that exist between Portuguese-speaking countries," she added.
The coordinator of the project said that the intersections of the work of the invited authors and the central themes discussed with the help of the curators in each episode, which will take an average of 40 minutes in length, were designed to arouse reflections.
"We will always confront the issues addressed by the invited authors of different nationalities to make an analysis of the cultural differences existing in Portuguese-speaking countries, which speak the same language", stressed Selma Caetano.
The coordinator also explained that “Cruzamentos Literários” will have 12 episodes in the first semester, published every two weeks, always on Thursdays, starting on January 21st, on the Spotify platform.
In the first episode, Portuguese journalist, writer and curator Isabel Lucas talks to Mozambican writer Paulina Chiziane. The podcast is illustrated with readings of passages from Chiziane's works, by Brazilian writer Veronica Stigger.
The second episode will be presented by the journalist, literary critic and Brazilian curator Manuel da Costa Pinto, in dialogue with the Portuguese writer Mário de Carvalho. The readings are by the actress and journalist Carmen Morentzsohn.
The third episode features the Angolan writer and poet Ondjaki, who will talk to the Brazilian writer Ana Maria Gonçalves. The readings are the responsibility of the slammer and Brazilian researcher Roberta Estrela D’Alva.
The fourth episode will bring together Brazilian professor of African literature, Rita Chaves, who leads the conversation with the Angolan writer Pepetela. The readings are by the Brazilian poet Ricardo Aleixo.
The list of invited authors in the podcast's epidodes also includes Cristovão Tezza, José Luís Tavares, Milton Hatoum, Noemi Jaffe, José Eduardo Agualusa, Dulce Maria Cardoso and Mbate Pedro.
"In addition to mapping the [contemporary literature] production in Portuguese and the work of its authors, the project also aims to encourage the transit of books between countries, among all the countries that speak our language," said Selma Caetano.
“It is very important to have access to books on the African continent, to Portuguese books and they [Africans and Europeans] also need access to books by Brazilian authors (..) We want to start a movement, make these literary crossings taking advantage of the virtual support [ podcast] that reaches all countries and has a wider reach ”, concluded the project coordinator.
Created from a partnership that brought together the Instituto Camões, the Institute for Cooperation and Language (IP), the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the Oceanos Association, the podcast “Cruzamentos Literários” is part of the Cultural Programming of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
