The 38th edition of FIL GUADALAJARA closes with a total of 907,300 visitors

Marisol Schulz, the fair's general manager, said: "The fair has been a great success... it is a perfect meeting point between books and their readers... A 35% increase in sales is perceived for each of the exhibitors who were here selling books."

In this edition, Spain was the Guest of Honor country under the motto Round Trip. With a delegation of more than 170 authors in the literary and professional program, it was also present with musical and theatrical performances, various visual arts exhibitions and a gastronomic program led by Begoña Rodrigo, the first chef in charge of the culinary program.

The Spanish pavilion, of 1,200 square meters, stood out for its interior garden, where plants and cacti endemic to the Iberian region as well as Mexico were planted. This vegetation will be donated to have a second life in public entities in Guadalajara.

Over the course of nine days, essayists, novelists, comic book authors, illustrators and poets, as well as scientists, met. Among the Spanish authors present were: Marian Rojas Estapé, Manel Loureiro, Rosa Montero, Fernando Aramburu, Irene Vallejo, Manuel Rivas, Ana Merino and Eduardo Riestra.

The Spanish writer Marta Sanz presented her recent book Los íntimos, where throughout its pages she shares her memories, reflections and experiences with hints of humor. About her work, she commented: “How I, throughout my life, have tried to get rid of the demon of language... and how now, in recent years, I am trying to get rid of the demon of that literature that is absolutely conditioned by the demands of the market.” In addition, she expressed her admiration for the FIL: “It is not only the influx of girls and boys who go with their schools but also of adolescents and young people... who truly have an interest in literature. I always come away from the FIL revitalized and hopeful.”

For her part, Elia Barceló, one of the most versatile writers of today, agreed on the subject of young visitors: “It is packed with young people from 10 to university students who were not just going to stroll around, but really going to buy books.” The author of the Death in Santa Rita saga added that at the FIL there is room for all genres and in relation to Science Fiction she stated that “it is the only genre that truly reflects our times… that is concerned with things that conventional literature had not touched until now. Science Fiction is not only about escapism, distraction and entertainment, but it also has a lot of weight in the reflection on what path we have chosen, where we are headed in the future. It deals with issues such as genetics.” Finally, she invited readers to explore other literary genres.

Activities

Founded 38 years ago, the FIL offers activities for all actors involved in the book chain. This year, 210 activities were carried out for registered professionals from more than 50 countries.

In addition, the program included the International Meeting of Storytellers, FIL Pensamiento and FIL Ciencia, where figures such as William Harris, director of the Space Center, a science museum of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), participated. He said that he believes that in 20 years it will be more affordable for the general population to travel to the moon. Paco Calvo, a researcher at the Minimum Intelligence Laboratory (MINT Lab), was also there to talk about the intelligence of plants, among others.

The International Meeting of Caricature and Comics addressed the changes in a sector that never stops reinventing itself.

A reading was also held as part of a talk on how to promote indigenous languages ​​and their culture. Andrés Morales, representative of UNESCO in Mexico, explained that “there are more than 7,100 indigenous languages ​​in the world and half are at risk of disappearing.”

27 authors from nine countries, such as Benito Taibo, Pilar Adón and Roque Raquel Salas Rivera, met at the Poetry Hall. For its part, FIL children welcomed more than 194,000 children who participated in workshops and shows.

Recognitions and tributes

Among the 21 awards and tributes given, Ruperta Bautista stood out as winner of the 2024 Indigenous Literature of America Prize for her collection of poems Presagio lóbrego, a work that reflects Tzotzil thought, particularly in the vision of the Chiapas people of Huixtán, Mexico. Gabriela Cabezón Cámara received the Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Literature Prize, and the FIL Prize for Literature in Romance Languages ​​went to the author from Mozambique, Mia Couto, who stated: “literature is life itself; it is the fabric of stories that we share among ourselves. It is the mirror of who we are and what we have lost, a way to preserve what seems ephemeral and give meaning to our existence.”

The Architecture, heritage and art had their space with the ArpaFIL program. The Brazilian-born urban planner, Pedro Abramo received the Jorge Camberos Garibi Medal for urban merit. Condorito was also honored by the Chilean illustrator Rubén Eyzaguirre Santis, better known as Rupa.

Celebrations

This year, the Páginas de Espuma publishing house celebrated 25 years of life, Alfaguara celebrated 60 years of existence and, for its part, Grupo Planeta commemorated the 75 years of its foundation with a conversation about the relationship between writers and editors. The Spanish authors María Dueñas (El tiempo entre costuras) and Dolores Redondo (trilogía del Baztán) participated in this, as well as José Creuheras, president of Grupo Planeta.

The FIL will continue working to offer an extensive and attractive program from November 29 to December 7, 2025, where Barcelona will be the Guest City of Honor.