FIBD Angoulême 2025 - Barcelona city of honour of the UNESCO pavilion

BARCELONA, CITY OF COMICS 

A UNESCO creative city since 2015 and with strong historical links to the world of comics, Barcelona has been invited to take part in the UNESCO pavilion at FIBD25 in Angoulême. This invitation involves an ambitious programme featuring six authors from the Barcelona who represent the city’s talent and success and embody various styles and trends.

Our city has been the artistic and industrial centre of the comic in the Spain from its beginnings at the end of the 19th century through to the present day. The early appearance of cartoon strips in satirical magazines such as L’Esquella de la Torratxa, Virolet, Cu-Cut! and Papitu, as well as in popular publications like Dominguín, TBO, La Risa and Pulgarcito, paved the way for what was to come. This long trajectory continued over the course of the 20th and 21st centuries in various formats: magazines, comic books, albums, graphic novels and so on, all of them developed through Barcelona's powerful industrial fabric. Several publications by authors who live in our city, some of them Catalan and others from other parts of Spain, are among the most influential works in our particular history. In fact, 80% of all comics printed in Spain are produced in Barcelona.

This production has also reached countries such as France, Italy, the UK, Sweden and the USA, with the task of agencies in our city essential in coordinating and producing stories by Barcelona-based authors for the whole world. This potential has meant that some of our storytellers now work directly for influential markets such as the Franco-Belgian and North American ones.

Moreover, the city of Barcelona has been depicted in numerous comics, both local and international, serving as the backdrop for many great stories and, in some cases, almost taking on the role of a character itself.

Come along and discover this at our stand, where you will find an exhibition showcasing Barcelona's presence in comics from around the world. And if you take a look at our programme, you’ll find something for everyone: talks, workshops, family activities and a drawing battle!

PROGRAMME

All activities will take place at the Barcelona stand of the UNESCO Pavilion.
Free activities but with limited places.

PDF Programme

30 January to 2 February

Thursday 30 January

 Friday 31 January

 Saturday, 1 February

 Sunday 2 Februar

 AUTHORS ATTENDING

Sandra Cardona (Granollers, 1986) - Eden Glitter, Witch Club, Sac à Diable

Born in Granollers in 1986, Sandra Cardona has been a comics fan since she was a girl. She studied graphic art at Barcelona’s Escola Joso, where she developed the foundations of her artistic style, influenced by the manga she read as a child. After a stint as a graphic designer at a Catalan haberdashery distributor (2011-2017), she decided to branch out into the professional world of comics, focusing on the French-Belgian market.

In 2018, she published her first comic, Bouillon, which was followed by Sac à Diable (2021), Witch Club (2023) and the Eden Glitter series(2024), whose script was written by Eric Corbeyran. She has also participated in projects in Spain, including the anthology Voces que cuentan [Voices That Count] (2021). In addition to comics, she loves experimenting with artistic techniques such as watercolour and acrylic, which she uses in her murals for restaurants in Barcelona and Sabadell.

She currently lives in Bordeaux, where she is working on the new volumes of Eden Glitter. Her work stands out for its detailed, expressive style which combines narrative sensitivity with a fine mastery of graphic art, making her an up-and-coming author on the international comic scene.

Jordi Lafebre (Barcelona, 1979) - Je suis leur silence, Malgré tout, Les Beaux Étés

Born in Barcelona’s Sants neighbourhood in 1979, Lafebre studied graphic arts at the Escola Joso while studying fine arts at the University of Barcelona. He published his first works in national magazines in 2000. In 2009, the French-Belgian market opened up to him when he embarked on a fruitful partnership with Zidrou, a Belgian scriptwriter, with whom he has published works such as Lydie (2010), La Mondaine (2012-2013) and Los buenos veranos [The Good Summers], a six-volume series published between 2014 and 2022.

In 2020, he branched out and took on the role of both author and illustrator with his solo work Carta blanca [Carte Blanche], which has been internationally acclaimed for its elegant graphic style and narrative depth. In 2023, he published Soc el seu silenci [I Am Your Silence], set in Barcelona, which won the 2024 Llibreries award and was chosen for the ACBD Grand Critics’ Award and at the Angoulême festival.

His works have been translated into more than fourteen languages and have won awards such as the Prix Angoulême de la Différence, the Prix Diagonal and the International Japan Award. Lafebre, who stands out for his ability to combine emotion, sensitivity and refined lines, has become a leading figure in contemporary European comics.

Nadia Hafid (Terrassa, 1990) - Le bon père, Chacales

Born in Terrassa in 1990, Nadia Hafid is an illustrator and author of comics who studied fine arts at the University of Barcelona and applied arts at the Escola Llotja. As an illustrator, she has worked for prestigious media outlets such as The New Yorker, The Economist, El País and La Vanguardia. Her first work, El buen padre [The Good Father] (2020), earned her the ACDCómic award for best emerging author and a nomination at Comic Barcelona in 2021 for the Miguel Gallardo Best Breakthrough Work award. It has been translated into French and Turkish.

Her second comic, Chacales [Jackals] (2022), received the 2022 RNE Critical Eye award and the 2023 Sento Llobell Young Talent award, and it earned her a nomination for best work at Comic Barcelona.

She has participated in exhibitions such as ‘Graphic Constellation’ at the CCCB and teaches editorial illustration classes in Elisava’s master’s degree in comics. She recently won the 2024 Finestres Catalan-Language Comics award. Hafid combines a personal and socially conscientious perspective with a unique, modern artistic style.           

Pep Brocal (Terrassa, 1967) - Cosmonauta, Livre des bêtes

Born in Terassa in 1967, comics illustrator and author Pep Brocal studied fine arts at the University of Barcelona (1985-1991) while contributing to major magazines such as those published by Toutain Editor and Norma Editorial. He has worked regularly for Cavall Fort since 1991, where he has contributed cartoons and illustrations for decades. He has also illustrated countless children’s and young reader books and is known for his ability to explore techniques such as silkscreen printing and woodcuts.

The co-founder of the Badabum publishing house, Brocal has been an illustration professor at the EINA school for almost two decades (2006-2024) and has received numerous recognitions, including the 2019 ACDCómic award for best work for Inframundo [Underworld] (Astiberri), the 2020 Ara award for comics in Catalan for Caritat del Río. In 2024, his adaptation of Ramon Llull’s Llibre de les bèsties [The Book of the Beasts] (Bang Edicions) won the Serra d’Or critics’ award.

In France, he has published works such as Cosmonauta, Livre des bêtes and the Olaf and Lily Megamosca series. Brocal combines humour, visual poetry and experimentation, making him one of the most personal voices in contemporary comics.

Marc Torices (Barcelona, 1989) - La vie pleine de joie du triste chien Cornelius, Cortazar

Born in Barcelona in 1989, Marc Torices is a comics creator, director and art director known for his versatility and international profile. He has co-directed award-winning short films such as Knockstrike (with Pau Anglada and Genís Rigol), which has been chosen for festivals including Clermont-Ferrand, Sundance and Ottawa, and won an award at Turin. He also co-directed the experimental short film Naive Mischief in Oak Paso with Manson, winning awards in the Basque Country and Greece.

As an animator and art director, he has worked with numerous creative studios and participated in projects such as Alberto Vázquez’s Decorado and Unicorn Wars. His comics have been printed by publishers and magazines around the world and have garnered success in countries such as France, Italy, the United States and Argentina. His first graphic novel, Abrir Para Cerrar [Open to Close], won a runner-up Injuve award, while Cortázar earned him the 2017 Splash award and the Navarra Booksellers Guild award.

In 2023, he published La alegre vida del triste perro Cornelius [The Happy Life of the Sad Dog Cornelius], which will be translated in Poland, France, the Netherlands and the United States. Torices is also working on the pre-production of the short film La verdad te rechaza, Cornelius [Truth Rejects You, Cornelius]. He is known for his vibrant, innovative style and has become a key figure on the contemporary art scene.

Sara Soler (Barbastro, 1992) - Girlfriends, Ada Tormentas

Born in Barbastro in 1992, Sara Soler is an illustrator and author of comics who launched her career with Red y Blue: Cazadoras de monstruos [Red and Blue: Girls Hunting Monsters] (ECC) thanks to the Connecta’t al Còmic grant. In 2018, she branched out into the US market with Dr. Horrible: Best Friends Forever and the Plants vs. Zombies series (Dark Horse). She has worked with publishing houses such as Planeta, Oni Press, Astiberri, Jungle, Tunué, Hotel de las Ideas and Sarbacane, and has made a name for herself as an international author.

Her works include both adaptations and original stories, including En la oscuridad [In the Darkness] (Planeta, 2019), La Odisea [The Odyssey] (2021), Ikigai (2020) and Season of the Bruja (2022). She recently published Ada Tormentas (2024) and Girlfriends (2024).

In France, she has published Girlfriends (Sarbacane, 2024) and Plants vs. Zombies - Vol. 14.

Her style stands out for its dynamic narrative, vibrant aesthetic and incredible artistic sensitivity. Working on both projects for young readers and adaptations of classics, Soler is one of the most versatile and promising authors on today’s scene.

COLLABORATORS