The 'Venice Noir' of The Merchant of Venice

Venice Noir is the brainchild of David Hewson, Philip Gwynne Jones and Gregory Dowling, British writers who have chosen Venice as their home. Together with them will be Silvia Bandolin, manager of the historic Libreria Studium in Venice, and Marco Vidal, Venetian entrepreneur and ceo of The Merchant of Venice - a reality deeply rooted in the city of Venice that has been working for years to promote a Venice that is different from the clichés.

"As Libreria Studium we are delighted to inaugurate the first real edition of this Literary Festival dedicated to Noir, Thriller, and Crime in our city, which has always inspired this genre with its atmospheres," said Silvia Bandolin. "Our experience as an international bookshop makes us confident in a festival that can welcome a heterogeneous public and help introduce Italian readers to writers who have not yet been translated and vice versa.

It is thanks to them that important realities such as the Cultural Association SUGARPULP, the Veneto Region, the Veneto Film Commission, Confindustria Veneto EST, Ateneo Veneto, The Merchant of Venice, Hotel Monaco, Ca' di Dio, Ca' Pisani, Hotel Palazzo Experimental, JW Marriott Venezia, Barovier&Toso Arte, Select, ITP - Italian Travel Press and the Venetian Gondoliers' Association have immediately teamed up around this project.

"The Venice Noir literary festival debuts with the ambition of becoming an international point of reference for the crime and noir genre," Marco Vidal emphasises. "Thanks to a scientific committee of the highest calibre, the support of various far-sighted institutions and companies in the area, and, above all, thanks to the city of Venice, which is a unique stage in the world, we will already be presenting ourselves at the first edition as an unmissable event for the many passionate readers from all over the world.

Two souls will guide this second edition: the English one, entrusted to the artistic direction of David Hewson, British writer and journalist, and the Italian one, curated by Giacomo Brunoro, president of Sugarpulp. Sir Ian Rankin will be the guest of honour at the 2025 edition of Venice Noir. A true 'heavyweight' of international crime fiction who will be the spearhead of a stellar cast that brings the best of Italian and international crime fiction to the lagoon.

At the end of the festival, the Venice Noir Award - designed by the Australian artist Amy Thai and made of Murano glass by the historic company Barovier&Toso ARTE, a partner in the initiative - will be presented to an Italian or international author who has particularly distinguished himself or herself in the genre.

The scientific committee is composed of British writers David Hewson and Philip Gwynne Jones, Prof. Gregory Dowling, Italian writers Andrea Molesini and Alberto Toso Fei, Ateneo Veneto president Antonella Magaraggia, artistic director Giacomo Brunoro and organisers Silvia Bandolin for Libreria Studium and Marco Vidal for The Merchant of Venice.

The full programme of the Festival is available at www.venicenoir.it

To book appointments: Eventbrite