FIBDA 8 2015

While we here in the capital of the world prepare for the 10th New York Comic Con, there are many other events happening around the country, and the world!

One such event is le Festival international de la bande dessinée d’Alger (FIBDA), the international festival of comics of Algeria, being held from October 6-10!

Via Google Translate:

The 8th International Festival of comics Algiers (Fibda), which will be attended by 32 countries including South Korea, who is the guest of honor, will take place from 6 to 10 October at the esplanade Riad El Feth, Algiers. The program includes workshops, conferences, symposia, organized in hospital, including reading sessions hospitals Parnet and Mustapha Pasha, and children with autism school, in public schools and the city center Draria. “This edition, which is in line with previous, will be mainly dominated by public subjects with the slogan ‘Tell me in bubbles’,” announced yesterday Dalila Nadjem, Commissioner FIBDA at a press conference in Algiers.

If you can read French, the program guide is found here.

Looking for interesting titles? The official selections for Best Album, Best Project, Best Manga, and Best Fanzine! Che Guevera and Rwanda? The Battle of Shanghai? French Antarctica?

This year, South Korea is the guest of honor, joined by 32 other countries. South Korea will be featured in two exhibitions, along with ten others which will feature Chinese and Russian comics, as well as various topics.

FIBDA also hosts a contest for emerging talent. The European Union (EU) Comic Strips Award of Excellence was awarded to Algerian cartoonist Noureddine Aissaoui. In addition of a cash prize of 2500 Euros, the winner will receive training in Brussels.

Plus… Conferences! A symposium! Roundtable discussions! Workshops! Cosplay!

Of special interest to us who love a good comics festival, 12 individuals from various countries will discuss the challenges of staging comics festivals in their countries (Canada, Reunion, France, China, Russia, Tunisia). Oh, if only we could have a National Comics Festival here in the States! With funding from the NEA, NEH, the Smithsonian, a few embassies…