Relive the IV Village of the Book on La Rambla

From Friday 12 to Sunday 14 December, books returned to La Rambla and, with them, many Barcelona residents attracted by the culture.

Here is a brief summary of the most outstanding activities and many photos.

Friday 12

Shortly before the festival's inauguration, Fnac Rambles hosted the presentation of the books nominated for "best film book of the year". The award will be given in January within the framework of La Rambla Film Festival, which was also presented to the public for the first time. La Rambla Film Festival Barcelona is an international film showcase that will take place from 16 to 23 January.

Rafa Burgos also led the free route "La Rambla Univers Literari."

And the inaugural event at the Ocaña restaurant arrived. "Barcelona, literature and cinema" was a tribute to Ventura Pons that was attended by family, friends, people from the film and cultural world who wanted to participate in an emotional event.

Saturday 13

In the early morning, the Publishing Market opened, turning Passatge Bacardí into the literary epicenter of the city on Saturday and Sunday. In addition to the book stalls, many activities were enjoyed: "Miguel Alonso Gómez: an unknown musician in our house" with Patricia García and Daniel Brase, and the "Vila del Llibre Short Stories Contest" with the winners of the stories.

The Rambling is an interactive game to (re)discover La Rambla with a mobile device. A new edition filled La Rambla with players who followed the proposed routes in this year's edition. New literary routes "Christmas on La Rambla" with María Nunes and a new edition of "La Rambla Univers Literari" completed the offering of routes to discover the relationship between La Rambla and literature.

One of the most emotional events was the tribute that, from Friends of La Rambla, we offered to our beloved Lluís Permanyer. "The profession of chronicler in Barcelona" hosted Paco Villar, Daniel Venteo, Enric H. March, Xavi Casinos, Xavier Theros, and Rafa Burgos who, moderated by La Vanguardia's deputy director, Enric Sierra, offered an entertaining debate about the profession of chronicler of Barcelona, about the city and about La Rambla. The enormous figure of Lluís Permanyer accompanied the entire event, which also counted on the participation of the former Ciutat Vella councilor, Albert Batlle, and the presence of the writer's and chronicler's family and many friends.

La Rambla Vila del Llibre serves to bring literature to different spaces on La Rambla. Jamboree hosted "At Pasolini's Death" with Lluís-Antón Baulenas, the Gòtic-Andreu Nin Library "Two Magical Adventures. The first tales of Nou Patufet," and the Ocaña restaurant "Ramon Reventós. An emerging talent a hundred years from now" with Laia Reventós and Enric Gomà who presented "A centaur on La Rambla" and "Ventura Pons: Icon of LGBTQ+ demands and sexual freedom with Ignasi Millet, Santiago Fouz, Jesús Ocaña, and Carlos Barea.

Friends of La Rambla organized, under the guidance of workshop facilitator María José Valero, the bookbinding workshop "Let's make a pocket notebook." Fnac Rambles hosted the activity, with all places sold out, in its forum space.

Music was also present with the performance of the "Hip Horns Brass Collective" sponsored by the City of Barcelona's Commerce Department.

Sunday 14

In the early morning, the Publishing Market opened at Passatge Bacardí and María Nunes offered the route "La Rambla and Catalan female writers.

The Setba Foundation presented the book "WadRas Invisible Women" with the participation of Cristina Sampere, director of the Foundation, Sandra Balsells, photographer and author of one of the reports included in the book, and Xavier Theros who spoke about women's prisons in Barcelona. The event also featured the participation of the former Ciutat Vella councilor, Albert Batlle, and the president of Friends of La Rambla, Àlex Balletbó.

New spaces on La Rambla hosted activities. The 4 Naciones Hotel served as a stage for "Gunmen in Barcelona" with Xavier Vidal, Jesús Martínez, David Revelles, and Francesc Bombí-Vilaseca, and "Josep Maria Llompart: a biography" with Pilar Arnau. The Little Tonino Piano Club hosted the presentation of Tona Pous's Silences from La Rambla neighbor. The event served to review other books by the writer such as "In a mansion on La Rambla" and featured a musical performance by Pau Garsias.

The Ocaña restaurant once again hosted an event related to Ventura Pons as a "talent scout and actor promoter." The event, another tribute, featured Vicky Peña, Josep Maria Pou, Dafnis Balduz, Anna Azona, Bel·lo Torras, and Pepa López, with a discussion on "The Rambla lighthouse by Lluc Oliveras and the closing around Ventura Pons.

The fourth edition of La Rambla Vila del Llibre has been a success in terms of audience and content.

Thanks to all for participating and coming to La Rambla to share culture.