True crime, century-old police archives and forensic history converge this week at the ‘Semana Negra’ international festival of noir fiction literature, which kicks off on Tuesday at 7 p.m. with an opening speech by Argentine author and scriptwriter Claudia Piñeiro. 

Organized by Buenos Aires City’s Culture Ministry in partnership with Spain’s Gijón Noir Week, Semana Negra BA will run October 1-5. It will feature more than 80 local and international authors, across almost 30 activities. The main festival venues are Ricardo Güiraldes Public Library (Talcahuano 1261), the Buenos Aires Latin American Art Museum (MALBA; Av. Pres. Figueroa Alcorta 3415) and the Buenos Aires Spanish Cultural Center (CCEBA; Paraná 1159).

Conferences, public conversations and masterclasses will cover topics like the true crime genre, film adaptations of police novels, the Nordic noir and the gaucho western tropes, and the forensic approach to murder. There will also be special conferences about the work of Jorge Luis Borges, Ricardo Piglia and Carlos Busqued and their connection with the genre. All activities are free, but entrance is subject to the venues’ capacity.

The international guest list includes authors Helene Flood (Norway), Stina Jackson (Sweden), and Santiago Roncagliolo (Peru). Argentine authors Claudia Piñeiro, Selva Almada, Pablo de Santis, Sergio Olguín, investigative journalists Ricardo Ragendorfer and Hugo Alconada Mon, and federal judge Daniel Rafecas will also participate in the conferences. 

For those with an interest in the grizzly, experts will lead tours of the national judiciary’s Forensic Museum. For these, prior registration is required. Be warned: they include images that are not suitable for minors or sensitive individuals. Taking photos is not allowed.  

A previously-unseen photo exhibit of the National Archives will be held at the Ricardo Güiraldes Library, featuring visual records of police scenes from the first half of the 20th century. 

On Thursday, October 3, Hampa Tours will hold a two-hour walking tour based on mysterious events, million-dollar robberies, famous murders, hidden mobsters and diplomatic intrigues in Recoleta. For this, too, prior registration is required online.
The full program is available here.