Cartagena Negra festival celebrates noir and mystery literature

The XII edition of Cartagena Negra, a festival dedicated to noir, crime, and mystery literature, is currently taking place in Cartagena, Spain, running through September 12. Sponsored by the Cartagena City Council, the event features a diverse program including literary encounters, film screenings, reading clubs, and roundtables.

The festival opened with an event featuring author Jesús Boluda del Toro at the Murcia I Penitentiary Center. Public programming includes a screening of the film ‘El instinto’, directed by Juan Albarracín, followed by a discussion with the director.

Key upcoming highlights include a reading club focused on Marina Sanmartín’s ‘La doble desaparición de Abril del Pino’ and a round table featuring finalists for the VIII Icue Negro Novel Prize, which recognizes debut authors. Additionally, the festival will present the III Cartagena Negra Honor Award to Julián Ibáñez, recognizing his significant career and contribution to contemporary Spanish noir fiction.