What a privilege to be able to hear such an accomplished author talk about their books! I must admit I was a little apprehensive with the online WORD Christchurch Festival talk as Olivia was joining us from their house in Suffolk, UK. That said, the imminent glitches never happened! Thank goodness for the days technology works well. What happened though was a very honest conversation about The Silver Book, Laing’s latest and second novel out of 9 published books.
The book introduces us to a range of characters, some fictional but mostly nonfictional, all sharing a passion for the art of film making in a country still drowning in the aftermath of the Second World War, fascism and all the dangerous combinations derived from them.
Kiran Dass, WORD's Programme director, was also a star and did a fantastic job asking Laing all the great questions the audience wanted to have answered. The conversation focused on The Silver Book and both Laing and Dass only referred to the other books when in relation to the novel.
We had the chance to hear about the process of researching and writing a novel in Italy and the risk taken in telling the story that led up to the assassination of one of the most admired film makers of the 20th century, Pier Paolo Pasolini. Laing walked us through archive visits, wanderings in Rome and searching for clues on the premature political death of Pasolini, which still goes unsolved.
The audience was obviously fascinated by Olivia’s charisma and generosity. They went back to personal stories, the process of connecting and recovering important figures that ‘official’ history insists in burying in shadows, such as Derek Jarman, David Wojnarowicz, Wilhem Reich and Pier Paolo Pasolini as alternatives to the mess we are in, so we can build statues to people who will guide us in the reinvention of a more diverse and sustainable life with ourselves and the planet.
I left the room, feeling hopeful in knowing that some authors - or heroes - are taking a step forward in leading us to a place where memory, space, and art is not only possible, but fundamental to our lives.
Thank you to Olivia Laing for carrying this gentle and bright torch and thank you to WORD Christchurch Festival for making this encounter possible.
Debora, Content
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