Luis de Berniere at UEA

Last week was our annual Voices from Greece celebration and this year our honourary guest was novelist Luis de Berniere. Here are just some of the things he told us. Look out for the full interview in Concrete coming soon!!

What did you think of the film "Captain Corelli's Mandolin"?

Most people think I hate the film but I actually don't. I thought some of the cinematography was brilliant and some of the acting extraordinary. Perhaps Nicholas Cage wasn't as good as I would have liked though. And I also felt that there were extreme pressures from America: in my novel the reason why this love story is so strong is because Pelagia and Captain Corelli don't actually make love until they are both much older. The film however had to have a sex scene despite the fact I was against it.

What are you working on at the moment?

I will be releasing a book of poetry inspired by the Greek poet Konstandinos Cavafis. He is a poet that I deeply admire. I particularly like his poems "Η Πόλις" and "Ο ήλιος του απογεύματος ". The second translates to "Afternoon sun". It is a bitter sweet poem dealing with love, the passage of time and the ruthlessness of change.

Why were you initially drawn to the Greek speaking world?

Well, I was initially drwan to it after I went to Greece on holiday and fell absolutely in love with the country's natural beaty as well as with it's people.

How do you feel that your novel is an A-Level set text?

Well at first I was rather sad because I wanted young people to read my book and like it because they chose to and not because they had to but then I realised that some of my favourite writers have been introduced to me by teachers in a classroom setting so I made my peace with it!

Elena Vontzalidou

UEA Greek Ambassador