For its new podcast, the editorial team has selected five original texts, written by readers, to tell what would happen to the virus and to humanity in 50, 100 or 1000 years … “Covid, les mondes d ‘ after ”is now.
Fabrice Gottraux, Frédéric Thomasset, Alice Randegger
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March 2021. The stormy sky closely brushed the Plainpalais plain.
Laurent Guiraud
With “Covid, the worlds after”, the “Tribune de Genève” and “24 heures” offer every Saturday from March 20 an original sci-fi story on the theme of the pandemic, written by our readers. Here and on all listening platforms. A podcast designed and produced by Frédéric Thomasset, Alice Randegger and Fabrice Gottraux. The texts, five short stories in total, are read by French-speaking comedians: Layla Hasan Shlonsky, David Valère, Camille Giacobino and Leo Mohr.
Who said: “Fiction has come true”? All of humanity, probably. As in novels, films, series, the pandemic has shaken the planet. The Covid-19 has taken hold in our lives, in our bodies. We don’t kiss anymore, we hide. We no longer escape, we wait.
Does the virus transform even our imaginations? In this case, let us once again dare this impossible question: how will the future of the pandemic be? To our readers, we offered to write their stories for our new podcast, “Covid, the worlds after”. Free field to explore the health disaster with the fabulous sci-fi lighting!
The challenge was great. They told their dreams, their nightmares, visions of the apocalypse, utopias, stories of survivors, of rebellion, of flight into outer space. And other worlds too. This without ever losing sight of what makes a good story: captivating.
Still unknown, already writers
Many texts have reached us, all striking, all unique. We read them with pleasure, to see this: by playing the game of anticipation – a highly codified literary universe – these writers of all stripes, of all conditions, women, men, young, old, accustomed to writing or starting out for the first time, everyone shares this pressing need to write.
And all of them speak for themselves. Of their emotions, their fears, their hopes, their dismay especially in front of this extraordinary situation. If the drama is willingly involved, humor also participates in this funny party.
Once upon a time there was an artificial intelligence. Does she want you well? It seems so. But it could also count you as a negligible amount, forgetting you on the sidewalk like a dog.
Among all the texts received, we had to make a choice: we selected five. Five short stories, five different imaginaries. Each will be read by Geneva actors. The first, “Last signal”, is available from Saturday March 20 on the site of the “Tribune de Genève” and “24 heures” as well as on all listening platforms. The others will follow each week. As we adore these texts, their written version will be available for reading, also every week, on the internet and in the paper edition.
Who’s telling what story
So listen … Once upon a time there was an artificial intelligence. Does she want you well? It seems so. But it could also count you as a negligible amount. And, in his calculations, you forget about the sidewalk like a dog. Maybe she is even right to do so. So goes “Last signal” by Cédric Teixeira, to be discovered on the first of five podcasts. And park the militias! Through streets and houses, it will be necessary to be careful to reach the underground radio station. The last refuge for the last lovers of books, writings, theater, culture. This is the perspective of “November 30, 202X”, by Lia Leveillé.
And then the queue, the cold, the hunger, the soldiers everywhere in the city, no hope or future. Can a new solidarity be born at the bottom of the yawning void left by the rubble? A “Untitled”, by Lou Dubosson. And then suddenly, a great burst of laughter: the blue planet seen from Mars, the human species under a magnifying glass, as we look at ants under a pebble. “A lecture on the kiss, or come back to Earth” was sent to us by Ling Perrelet. Finally, to breathe before returning to reality, “Last beautiful days” offers an ideal perspective on the future. Flowers, bees, a grandmother, a child… Be careful, science fiction loves illusions.
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March 2021, the Covid is still running. Somewhere in Geneva, a secret place hosts an artistic performance.
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