The 18th edition of the Algiers International Comics Festival (FIBDA), organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture and Arts and under the patronage of Minister of Culture and Arts Malika Bendouda, will be held from October 1 to 5 at the Riadh El Feth Esplanade, under the theme “The Graphic Novel: A Crossroads of Image and Word.” In this regard, FIBDA Commissioner Salim Brahimi presented the main features of this year’s edition on Monday, September 28, during a press conference held at the Frantz-Fanon Hall of the Riadh El Feth Office (OREF). The event was attended by several representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited to Algeria, numerous media representatives and event partners.
Salim Brahimi explained that the choice of the graphic novel as the central theme of this 18th edition reflects a “broader evolution in the perception of comics,” which have long been associated with children’s literature or regarded as a secondary art form. The development of the graphic novel, by contrast, has helped bring comics closer to literature and expand the narrative possibilities offered by the combination of text and image. Mr Brahimi notably referred to comic-book adaptations of several literary works by Yasmina Khadra, saying they illustrate how the two forms of storytelling can come together. Highlighting the graphic novel also reflects a desire to “raise greater awareness of a genre” that remains relatively underdeveloped in Algeria compared with traditional comics.
The festival commissioner also announced measures aimed at facilitating access to the festival for students of fine arts schools and institutes across the country, who will be able to attend FIBDA free of charge upon presentation of their student ID. The same access will be extended to children’s care centres and people with special needs.
Thirteen Countries, Thirteen Exhibitions and Tributes
Over five days, the event will bring together participants from twelve countries, including Tunisia, Spain, Egypt, Italy, France, the United States, Japan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Palestine, the Czech Republic, Malta and Hungary, alongside Algeria. The EUNIC network, which brings together European cultural institutes and embassies represented in Algeria, will also take part in this edition.
The festival will feature 18 conferences, 14 workshops and activities across several spaces open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. In addition, 13 exhibitions will be presented, dedicated to Algerian and international authors and artists, including Tayeb Arab, Benyoucef Abbas Kebir, Chie Kutsuwada (Japan), Marek Rubec (Czech Republic), Riccardo Nicolai and Veronica Palmegiani (Italy), Rasha Abou El Maaty (Egypt), Fernando Montero (Spain), and Jérémie Nsingi (Democratic Republic of the Congo).
The programme will also feature the participation of renowned cartoonist Slim, who will sign copies of his albums on Saturday, October 3. The festival will also pay tribute to the late Tayeb Arab and Mahfoud Aider through meetings dedicated to their careers and contributions to Algerian comics.
eSports, Children’s Workshops and a Solidarity Mural
Gaming will retain a prominent place in the programme, with the “Gamers Point” space becoming “Five Stars,” a structure specialising in Algerian eSports. Children will have access to a 100-square-metre space offering a range of activities, including comic-book, drawing and collage workshops, as well as a reading area.
As part of this programme, Techno will contribute this year by providing equipment, particularly for manga artists, as well as organising interactive workshops and a daily drawing competition. The company is also supporting the manga competition organised by the Embassy of Japan in Algeria, as well as several FIBDA competitions. Twenty prizes will be awarded across the children’s and adults’ categories.
A collective mural will also be created around the theme “Draw a Flower for the Children of Algeria,” as an act of solidarity in tribute to the children affected by the tragedy at the El Mohammadia Assisted Children’s Institution and to the victims of this summer’s wildfires.
ESBA Students Join the Festival’s Activities
Artistic training will also play a central role in this edition, notably through the agreement concluded between the Higher School of Fine Arts of Algiers (ESBA) and FIBDA. The agreement enables students to take part in the various stages of preparing and running the event and to integrate this experience into their university careers.
FIBDA Artistic Director Djaoudet Gassouma, who is also a lecturer at ESBA, outlined the scope of this collaboration. Students will be involved in the scenographic installation of exhibitions, the organisation of workshops for children and some selection juries.
Workshops focusing on cultural event management and graphic novel techniques are also scheduled, notably with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Algeria and artist Alitha Martinez. According to Salim Brahimi, this participation will give students an opportunity to experience the various challenges involved in organising an international festival, from exhibition design and technical preparation to interactions with professionals and the public.
Strong European Participation
The EUNIC Algeria network is among the partners of this edition, with its participation involving the invitation of artists and professionals reflecting the diversity of European comics. EUNIC Algeria President and Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Algiers, Paola Cordone, presented the network and the activities planned in the joint space (stand) that will bring together members of the cluster during FIBDA.
The Italian Cultural Institute has announced, in particular, the participation of Riccardo and Alberto Nicolai, whose work will focus on the historical figure who represents a strong link between Italy and Algeria: Ali Bitchin, a Rais originally from Massa in Tuscany. Spain will take part with an artist from the graffiti and urban art scene, who will lead participatory workshops on graphic creation, as well as a designer who will conduct a workshop exploring the links between comics, gaming and digital creation. The Instituto Cervantes will also organise a roundtable on the impact of artificial intelligence on comics.
The Czech Republic will be represented by illustrator and comic-book author Marek Rubec, while Hungary will participate in FIBDA with Eszter Szép, a comics artist, researcher and lecturer.
The United States: Comics, Workshops and Exchanges
The U.S. programme will include the participation of artists Alitha Martinez and Michael Polsen, as well as actor Jason R. Moore, notably known for his role in the series “The Punisher.” Sarah Knight, a representative of the U.S. Embassy in Algeria, said that this presence continues the United States’ participation in FIBDA, which began in 2018.
Japan: Manga, Competition and Animation
Japan’s participation will constitute another highlight of the international programme. Marina Fujimaki, Cultural Affairs Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Algeria, presented the Algeria-Japan Manga Competition, which is returning this year under the theme “Heroes and Heroines.” The selected works will be displayed in the Japan Space, where visitors will be able to vote for their favourite manga. The results will be announced during the festival’s closing ceremony on October 5.
In addition, three Japanese guests will be present in Algiers, including mangaka Chie Kutsuwada, who will lead several workshops focusing on character creation and manga panel composition. She will also present her work during a conference addressing the broader theme of the graphic novel.
Artist Natsume Yoshinori will speak on the theme “Japan, an Imaginary World in Manga and Anime,” while Watanabe Eito, an associate professor at Meiji University and a PhD holder in French literature, will give a conference entitled “From the Graphic Novel to Japanese Animation.”
All in all, the 18th edition of FIBDA promises a particularly rich programme, offering an immersion into the various forms of graphic storytelling.