HK International Literary Festival 2019 Spotlights Identity and Dystopia

Description

Now in its 19th edition, the Hong Kong International Literary festival has a track record of bringing in big names in the fiction, non-fiction and verse worlds while also dedicating itself to promoting rising talent.

This year’s event boasts a strong set list of local female writers at the HKILF x HKFW: Women Writing in Hong Kong event, where an in-depth conversation with the remarkable group daringly redefines the boundaries of cultural and gender identities through their creative endeavours. Nury Vittachi, the Hong Kong-based founder of HKILF, will also speak at the festival.

Apart from local writers, the festival also features established writers associated with various issues of social debate, including Renee Nault (graphic novel adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale) who will discuss dystopian societies in fiction and reality; LGBT+ writers John Boyne, Harry Giles and Kit Fan who will examine how and why writing needs the LGBT+ community; as well as Hannah Bent and Chessie Henry will deliver a reading presentation about the differently-abled.

The festival also plays host to a series of workshops and talks on writing, publishing and translation, free press, among others.