Georges Simenon was one of the most popular authors of the 20th century. Born in 1903 in the Belgian city of Liège, he published around 400 novels during his life, part under his own name, part under different pseudonyms, as well as 21 volumes of memoirs and numerous short stories. Selling over 500 million copies of his work, he is the best-selling and most translated and adapted French speaking novelist of the past century.
Marking his 120th anniversary, his hometown of Liège, in close collaboration with his son, John Simenon, through his company Simenon.tm, and the University of Liège (ULiège), are organising a festival in his honour. For four days, from March 8 to 11, 2023, the Cité Ardente will pay tribute to the author with a brand new initiative: Le Printemps Simenon (The Simenon Spring).
A diversified programme will allow people to discover and rediscover the work of Simenon through exhibitions, literary encounters, cinema screenings, conferences and a thematic walk. Simenon lovers, wherever they come from, will enjoy a range of events and meetings that will enable them to share and deepen their knowledge of the work and its creator.
Promoting Liège on the international scene cannot escape the evocation of Simenon because we then echo the omnipresence of his birthplace in his novels. He is like a fellow traveller who always kindles the fire of curiosity about him, his work and our “Cité ardente”.
Jean-Pierre Hupkens, Alderman for Tourism of the City of Liège
“I am delighted that our Festival project, which was announced a year ago, is now coming to fruition with such a high-quality programme. This will be the first close collaboration, around this unique work and its author, between two worlds that are often separated: that of management and that of research, and I would like to thank very warmly all the legal and physical persons, too numerous to mention here, who contribute day after day to the future success of this undertaking”, John Simenon said.
The festival aims to show the topicality of Simenon’s work, by presenting recent projects and by giving a voice to current creators who claim his influence, as well as to strengthen the links between the City and its most famous internationally creator, by offering the people of Liège an opportunity to encounter Simenon.
Among others, the programme for the festival includes:
Simenon, images of a world in crisis. Curated by ULiège’s Benoît Denis, the photo exhibition shows the less known of Simenon’s works, his photographs. Between 1931 and 1935, Georges Simenon travelled around the world and brought back reports and novels and, but also thousands of photographs, often of very high quality. What does Simenon, photographer, tell us about Simenon, novelist and reporter? How does his photography work complete or illuminate the work of writing?
Comic book exhibition. The scriptwriters and cartoonists who are preparing a new series of Simenon adaptations for Dargaud, under the supervision of John Simenon, will present a preview of three of the comic scripts.
Literary meetings. Simenon’s works are read all over the world and many contemporary authors are still inspired by him. Writers from Italy, Scotland, Chile and France will be present for 4 days to discuss their relationship with Georges Simenon.
Simenon tour. A walking path along the streets most frequented by Simenon will be inaugurated in the city, especially throughout the Outremeuse neighbouthood. If you walk around Liège, there is no doubt that you tread the same cobblestones as Georges Simenon. He was a tireless walker for a long time, pacing the streets and alleys of the centre of the burning city, passing where he was least expected.
