Martinus Literary Tent Programme at Pohoda 2025
This year, the Martinus Literary Tent at Pohoda will welcome both international and local literary stars, finalists from the Anasoft Litera Prize, and the crème de la crème of the Poviedka short story competition. On Friday, we can look forward to a discussion with Irish author John Boyne, the beloved LiteRAPture, and highlights from the 2024 Fest Anča. On Saturday, Karel Veselý will take us through the history of love songs, Ilona Wiśniewska will guide us on an imaginary journey through the North, and there’ll also be the Martinus horror-themed quiz and a showcase of SLAM POETRY.
18. June 2025
FRIDAY
9 AM – 10 AM
KK Bagala’s Literary Circus: Kapitáňová, Kerata, Bene, Ulej. Live illustration by Ivana Šáteková, readings by Robert Roth. And perhaps also Jozef Ignác Bajza.
Discover the latest in local humorous literature. Titles such as Nezmysly nezmizli, Emeriho príbeh, Zas píš, and even upcoming manuscripts. All this accompanied by live illustrations. Your morning guide will be ringmaster Koloman Kertész Bagala.
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM
Czech Book of the Year: Letnice by Miroslav Hlaučo
A forgotten mountain town, the early 20th century, where time passes slowly and miracles still happen. The story that earned Miroslav Hlaučo both the Magnesia Litera Book of the Year and the DILIA Litera Debut of the Year award in 2025 will be presented by the author himself and Monika Kompaníková.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Anna Siedykh and Tomáš Forró: Ukraine – the Country and its Literature
How has the war in Ukraine been reflected in translated literature in Slovakia? Reporter Tomáš Forró and poet Anna Siedykh, joined by moderator Daniel Kollár, will discuss this deeply affected country.
12:45 PM – 1:45 PM
Anasoft Litera 2025
In a discussion with the finalists of Anasoft Litera 2025 – Katarína Mikolášová, Martin Hlavatý, Vanda Rozenbergová, and Alexandra Salmela – you’ll get to know the distinctive voices of both emerging and established authors on the Slovak literary scene. Eva Lavríková will guide you through their nominated works.
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM
99 Lashes: Fatemeh Ekhtesari
When Iranian poet Fatemeh Ekhtesari was sentenced to 99 lashes for shaking hands with a man and 20 years in prison for “insulting sacred Islamic symbols,” more than 100 poets signed a petition for her release. What was her (artistic) life like in a country that abandoned them, and what is it like to create under the threat of imprisonment? This event, part of Authors' Reading Month, will be hosted by Tomáš Hučko.
5:45 PM – 6:45 PM
The Elements of John Boyne – author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Suffering, abuse, inner pain of abuse. Challenging to read, yet socially vital themes – John Boyne has been known for them ever since The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, through to his recent Elements tetralogy. Together with Andrea Makýšová Volárová, he will guide us through both his earlier and more recent works.
8:15 PM – 9:15 PM
LiteRAPture
Cut the music – let the mouth run! In the Literary Tent, top Slovak and Czech rap artists will perform without beats and without mincing words – along with a special guest from the USA: Bene, Video Dave, Ivan Kostra, and the grey eminence of Czech beatboxing, Strýček Nicholas.
10:45 PM – 11:45 PM
BEST OF FEST ANČA 2024
Best of Fest Anča 2024: The best animated films of the year. This collection showcases the best contemporary short animated films you won’t see anywhere else. The organisers of the Fest Anča Festival have put together a special screening to deliver unforgettable visual and storytelling experiences from the world of animation.
SATURDAY
9 AM – 10 AM
Martinus Quiz
Horror at Pohoda! If you ever wanted to step into the world of H. P. Lovecraft, Stephen King or Anne Rice, our horror quiz will make it happen. Hosted by: Juraj Šlesar.
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM
KK Bagala’s Literary Circus: Kopcsay, Kostelanski, Kolbas. And maybe even The Magician.
Last year, we were amazed by a circus act starring Dedoluško and Kajomluško—both trained by Márius Kopcsay himself. This time, Koloman Kertész Bagala brings a discussion about their freely unfree lives, as well as fresh news from the big top and the caravan.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Short Story Competition Poviedka: Crème de la Crème
Koloman Kertész Bagala will guide us through short stories by recent award-winners. Featuring Radovan Potočár (2014, 2015), Dominika Moravčíková (2018, 2019), Peter Hoferica (2020, 2022), Karin Kissová (2023, 2024), and Jana Ondrušová (2024). Excerpts will be read by Jana Oľhová.
12:45 PM – 1:45 PM
Karel Veselý: Music of the Heart
Where did the classic love song go? Join Karel Veselý for a journey through the past and present of love songs—from the Beach Boys and the Spice Girls to Sophia. Can a love song be radical? Are love songs dead? And what about love itself?
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM
Cool off in the Literary Tent with Ilona Wiśniewska
No Nordic land is too cold for Ilona Wyśniewska to explore and try to understand. Join her and Rudi Rus on an imaginary journey through Greenland and the icy Svalbard. Interpreted by Mário Kyseľ.
5:45 PM – 6:45 PM
Juvenilia: Ivana Gibová and Márius Kopcsay
What did the stars of Slovak literature write about before they found their voices and earned their fame? Ivana Gibová explored introspective, self-examining teenage outbursts about relationships between men and women—and her relationship with herself. Márius Kopcsay began writing in a style that would later define him already in his childhood. Together with Samo Marec, they’ll guide you through their literary excavations.
8:15 PM – 9:15 PM
SLAM POETRY SK/CZ
A competitive genre of performative poetry where self-expression knows no bounds. There are only two rules: original text and no costumes. Come watch the finest voices of the Czech-Slovak slam scene and help decide who takes the crown for the night. Performers: Bedňa, Freya, Veroni Gyenge, Tukan, Ellen Makumbirofa. Hosted by Anatol Svahilec.
10:45 PM – 11:45 PM
BEST OF AZYL
Treat yourself to a feast of filmic bite-sized gems.
The AZYL SHORTS short film festival brings a one-hour “best of” showcase to Pohoda, featuring 1-minute and 5-minute films and music videos from around the globe, all submitted to its international competition. The selection was curated by an international jury of film professionals, who chose from among hundreds of short films. The resulting programme is a diverse mix of genres and styles, offering audiences an extraordinary audiovisual experience.
POHODA 2025 TICKETS
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