In this transnational era, literary translation pushes further the shared questions of our countries. 

Because a key feature of poetry is that it can create a consciousness for how language itself works, the translation of poetry is not merely a transferring of meaning but something essential to understanding the nature of our being and our being together.

In its second year, A-festival 2017’s theme concentrates on translational and transnational issues in various contexts of expression: personal, experimental, feminine, (in)visible, and national. 

Due to the constraints of cultural, social, and political frames, there are authors who take shelter in translation for survival and rebirth, there are authors who are limited in, cut off from, or blatantly denied a readership in their home language. 

For such cases, translation is vital to one’s livelihood directly, and by extension, a growing consciousness among the communities whose voices they touch.

Detailed program in Hanoi:

October 11

Film screening at Toong Co-working Space, 98 To Ngoc Van Street
7:00 – 10:00pm
A Useless Fiction (2015) and Skype Q&A with director of the film, Cheong Kin Man
Multi-language multi-subtitle

October 13

Panel discussions at Manzi Art Space, 14 Phan Huy Ich Street
10:00 – 11:30am
Panel 1 – Personal practices of translation
11:45am – 1:00pm
Panel 2 – Transformation: feminine experiences in writing and translations
2:00 – 3:15pm
Panel 3 – (In)visibilities and possibilities in translation
3:30 – 5:00pm
Panel 4 – Transnation: questions of country and identity

Book/zines show with translated spirits 

8:00 – 11:00pm

An evening of zines and books for exhibition and sale coupled with drinkable translations in cocktail form by Justin Lane Briggs

October 14

Workshops – Huong Ngo Art Space, 89 May May Street
10:00am – 12:00pm
Workshop 1 – Translating the Untranslatable *registration necessary! Please check the facebook event https://facebook.com/events/631415640579224/ or blog for details
1:00 – 2:30pm
Workshop 2 – The Secret in Poetry
3:00 – 4:30pm
Workshop 3 – Researching for poetry
AAAAAaaaa (part 1) – Huong Ngo Art Space
7:30 – 10:00pm
A multilingual poetry reading and performance night featuring festival guests, open to a public audience

Detailed program in Saigon:

October 15

AAAAAaaaa (part 2) – Coeverything, 146 Vo Van Tan Street, District 3
8:30pm – 11:00pm
A poetry reading and performance night, open to a public audience. 100,000VND entrance fee includes a delicious drink.

October 16

Panel discussions – The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre, 16 Nguyen U Di, District 2
10:30am – 12:00pm
Panel 1 – English is (not) my (mother) tongue
1:30 – 3:00pm
Panel 2 – Activity & receptivity in literary communities
16/10 – Workshops – The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre
3:30 – 5:00pm
Workshop 1 – Street poetry
5:30 – 7:00pm
Workshop 2 – Translation Lab

All events are free of charge.

PV