Every January, ‘I boreali.it‘ — one of Italy’s largest celebrations of Nordic culture — brings a masterfully curated program of literature, cinema, music, talks, food and creative workshops to Milan. Its 12th edition runs from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 January 2026 at Teatro Franco Parenti (via Pier Lombardo 14) and Il Cinemino (via Seneca 6). This year’s program embraces the festival’s hallmark breadth — from Nordic storytelling and contemporary debate to cinema, kids’ labs and live music — and offers new perspectives on art, society and cultural identity from the North.
Milan as a Nordic outpost
That all of this happens in Milan is no coincidence. As Italy’s most internationally oriented cultural city, Milan offers fertile ground for dialogue between North and South Europe. During I Boreali, Nordic culture briefly becomes part of the city’s everyday rhythm, not an exotic import but a shared conversation.
For readers of All Things Nordic, the festival stands as proof that Nordic culture does not belong only to the Nordics—it is increasingly a European, even global, reference point.
At the heart of I Boreali lies literature. Nordic writing—long appreciated in Italy for its noir tradition—has expanded far beyond crime fiction. The festival increasingly showcases authors working on:
• memory and post-colonial identity
• Arctic and peripheral narratives
• gender, family and social change
• climate and human-nature relationships
This focus on Nordic storytelling offers fresh angles on authors already known to international readers as well as voices still largely untranslated. Alongside books, I Boreali uses cinema and public talks to explore the contemporary North. Screenings and debates often underline a key point: Nordic societies are neither utopias nor dystopias, but complex systems negotiating rapid change.
📖 Friday 23 January — opening & literature
17:45 – Il desiderio di sentirsi parte di un tutto — a free reading from Karin Boye’s poetry with Fulvio Ferrari and Laura Pezzino (Teatro Parenti foyer).
18:30 – Opening talk: Swedish writer Andrev Walden in dialogue with Veronica Raimo on his novel Maledetti uomini — a bold exploration of masculinity and identity (Sala Blu).
21:00 – Dreams (film screening) by Dag Johan Haugerud (2024) at Il Cinemino, with contextual commentary by Andrea Romanzi.
This opening evening sets the tone with reflections on identity, belonging and narrative form — Nordic themes that resonate far beyond the region.
🧠 Saturday 24 January — culture, debates & creative labs
Morning & afternoon highlights:
11:00 – Creative workshops for kids — La banana rubata (5–7 yrs) and A caccia di misteri (7–9 yrs) — plus a writing workshop inspired by Ulf Stark.
11:00 – Odino, Thor e gli altri: a talk on ancient Nordic religion and contemporary mythology.
12:00 – Nordic Brunch — Scandinavian-inspired buffet with children’s menu (Teatro Parenti).
14:00 – Norwegian author Morten Strøksnes discusses Il fantasma di Lumholtz — a literary hybrid of exploration, nature writing and biography.
15:30 – Maschi che cambiano: dialogue between Walden and Thomas Korsgaard on evolving representations of masculinity in Nordic literature.
18:30 – Icelandic writer Jón Kalman Stefánsson in conversation about Varie cose sulle sequoie sul tempo.
Evening & live music:
21:00 – Film Love (Haugerud) at Il Cinemino.
21:30 – I Boreali Live DJ set by Swedish producer Olof Dreijer — electro-pop energy linking Nordic sounds to a Milanese audience.
This day combines family-friendly creativity, deep talks on tradition and modernity, and social conversation, before culminating in cinema and music.
🔍 Sunday 25 January — debate, discovery & performance
Midday & afternoon sessions:
11:00 – Live podcast Romanzo di formazioni with Stefánsson, Federico Frascherelli and Gino Cervi.
11:00 – Democrazia e gioco di squadra nella letteratura per l’infanzia — a talk on Nordic children’s literature with Lena Frölander-Ulf.
12:00 – Another Nordic Brunch to wrap up the weekend.
12:30 – La sfida dei ghiacci: conversation about the Arctic with Strøksnes, Leonardo Parigi and Marco Agosta.
14:00 – Danish author Thomas Korsgaard on Nessun altro posto dove andare.
15:30 – Laggiù nel cuore della foresta: joint lab for kids inspired by Nordic tales.
17:00 – Adam Weymouth discusses Il lupo solitario — a journey through Europe following the famed wolf Slavc.
Evening performances:
18:15 – Una variazione di Kafka — live monologue inspired by the work of Adriano Sofri.
19:30 – Fossik Project: Monkeybiz — a musical-visual performance blending poetry and sound by Marta Del Grandi and Cecilia Valagussa.
21:00 – Closing film Sex from Haugerud’s trilogy at Il Cinemino.
Sunday blends insightful literary debate, environmental reflection and artistic expression — ending the festival on a note that’s both thoughtful and joyful.
🎯 Why the 2026 edition matters
The 2026 I Boreali offers multiple entry points for Nordic culture lovers — from established authors and thinkers to cinematic art and creative experiences for all ages. Its holistic approach reinforces Nordic culture not as a monolith but a vibrant constellation of voices, ideas and forms. For All Things Nordic readers, this multi-layered program is rich soil for cultural analysis and storytelling that resonate with interests in Nordic art, society and global influence.
Read more on Iboreali.it
