Xizir X Crossing Border

Xizir × Crossing Border Festival

Hizir Cengiz, editor for the acclaimed TV program Zomergasten and summer columnist for Volkskrant Magazine, hosts Xizir, a monthly series of intimate one-on-one interviews at Zaal 3 (Het Nationale Theater).

For Crossing Border Festival, a special edition of Xizir brings together two extraordinary guests: Belgian novelist Lara Taveirne and versatile musician Jiri Taihuttu.

Lara Taveirne
Debuting in 2014 with De kinderen van Calais, about two missing teenagers, Lara Taveirne has since written Pluto and Wolf (longlisted for the 2025 Libris Literature Prize). More than a decade later, she has completely reimagined her debut novel into a bold new work: Meisjes van Krijt (Girls of Chalk). In this special edition of Xizir, Taveirne shares her journey as a writer, exploring how her ideas and views on love have evolved over time.

Jiri Taihuttu
Once celebrated as a flamenco guitarist, Jiri Taihuttu went on to compose award-winning film scores (including a Gouden Kalf), and later became part of the rap group ANBU. As a solo hip-hop artist, he scored multiple hits, but has since left rapping behind. Earlier this year, he founded the band De Nachtwacht. Always driven by a hunger for growth, Taihuttu reflects on the courage it takes to reinvent oneself, and he will bring this energy to the stage with a live performance during Xizir.