"Gran Fest" tests the limits of freedom beyond the graphic novel

“The Limits of Freedom” is the theme of the seventh edition of the “Gran Fest” graphic novel festival, but since the opening, on Friday afternoon, the limits of freedom have been tested, and this testing has nothing to do with art. One of the main guests of this edition, the Iranian Kianoush Ramezani, was unable to cross the border between North Macedonia and Kosovo. “During the day, we fought to resolve the situation, but he had to return to Helsinki. So, we still have a problem with the borders,” said the co-founder and artistic director of “Gran Fest”, Gani Jakupi

The graphic novel festival "Gran Fest" this year focuses on the limits of freedom. The main theme of the edition is precisely titled "The Limits of Freedom". But these limits have begun to be tested just a few hours before the start of the seventh edition of the event. It is the limits that have prevented an artist from coming to the festival.

Iranian cartoonist and graphic novelist Kianoush Ramezani has been a political asylum seeker in France for over a decade. He fled Iran in 2009 and was granted political asylum in 2010. He holds a permanent residence permit. He lives between France and Finland. His work focuses on defending freedom of expression, both through art and public engagement.

"You need a passport from your country of origin," he confessed to being told by border police at Skopje's "Mother Teresa" airport. After several hours of insistence, the French residence permit did not work for him to continue his journey to Kosovo. And "Gran Fest" has started its seventh edition with one less guest - one of the most important.

"Art is my activism and my activism is my life," is the often quoted Kianoush Ramezani, who tested the festival's theme with his own eyes.

"One of our guests was unable to cross Skopje. He is Iranian and a refugee. He has a refugee passport, but the police in Skopje told him that his residence permit in France is not valid, but that he must also have a passport from his country of origin. During the day we fought to resolve the situation, but he had to return to Helsinki. So we still have a problem with the borders," said the co-founder and artistic director of "Gran Fest", Gani Jakupi, in his speech at the opening of the festival at the National Library of Kosovo.

He mentioned the challenges in the organization, saying that they always had a problem and they always didn't know if there would be a next edition.

"But we started this too. We are continuing to work and our goal is to continue", he said. He mentioned that last year they managed to send a promising young author to France to exchange experiences and plans are also being made to publish a work. He also announced the establishment of a foundation that aims to create a museum of graphic novels and illustrations in Pristina. For this, he thanked the sculptor and former director of the National Museum of Kosovo, Skënder Boshtrakaj.

Ensara Haliti, managing director of the festival, addressed the attendees gathered in the Grand Amphitheater of the National Library of Kosovo, saying that this edition has its advantages and challenges and that they are happy to be opening it.

"This year too, we are bringing the spirit of the graphic novel. Many of you have seen that the theme of the edition is 'The Limits of Freedom' and we are living the title of the edition," she said, alluding to the impossibility of the Iranian artist's arrival in Kosovo. She explained that last year they organized a residency, while for this year they are waiting for funds.

The guest list for this edition is long and includes well-known names. After the opening remarks, the attendees moved to the Palace of Youth and Sports, in the City Gallery, where the guest exhibition was opened. This year, the list of “Gran Fest” guests includes Régis Loisel, Dominique Bertail, Kianoush Ramezani, Pierre Wazem, Sandro Lobo, Måwi, Gleb Pushev, Denis Lapiere, Kim, Cécile Dupuis, Dan Altmann, Lucien Czuga, Tone Fejzula, Dora Kastrun, Renier Quer, Darko Perović, Laurent Mélikian, Francesca Marinelli, Maša Bojić, Liza Dervishaj, Denza Gafurr, Rina Krasniqi, Adrian Jakupi and Bujar Kabashi.

The open exhibition presents illustrations and different perspectives of artists. There are novel covers, new works and different artistic approaches. During the three days of the festival there will be numerous activities. The works “Peter Pan” by Régis Loisel, “Llavstori” by Alcimar Frazão and Lobo, as well as “Blue Pills” by Frederik Peeters will be given away to the public for free.

The focus of the festival remains the graphic novel as an art form that combines text and illustration to address artistic, social and political themes. This year, the “Gran Fest” program also includes exhibitions of graphic novels and illustrations, workshops and educational activities for young people, discussions and presentations with authors, as well as events that promote freedom of expression and the art of the graphic novel.

The guest of this festival in the first edition was one of the most famous graphic novel authors in Europe, Hermann Huppen, who died in March of this year. Often considered a legend of the graphic novel, the Belgian Hermann Huppen became the author of several graphic novels and many illustrations in various magazines during his career. His imagination took root all over the globe, in countries where the graphic novel is valued. He presented realities and protested. He became one with the victims in the Balkans of the '90s and put art at the service of humanity.

And now, Kosovo, as a Balkan country, aims to be a reference point for the graphic novel – and for humanism that should never be left aside.