We’re pleased to let you know that more information about the forthcoming Reel Iraq Festival is now available. There’s going to be a series of really interesting writers events this year, with Iraqi writers doing a series of readings at the McDonald Road Library on 19/05/09 and the Forest Cafe on 20/05/09. We’re very lucky to be able to host the following writers as part of the festival:

Sinan Antoon

Poet, Novelist and filmmaker whose novel I’Jaam: An Iraqi Rhapsody was hailed as ‘a novel par excellence.’

Hussain al-Mozany

Short stories from the effervescent novelist and journalist.

Betool Khedairi

Born in Baghdad to an Iraqi father and Scottish mother. Her first novel, A Sky So Close, has been translated into English, Italian, French and Dutch.

Gulala Nouri

A magnificent poet with an subtle yet intrepid eye reading new works.

Saadi Youssef

Late 20th century Iraqi literature has been marked by writers such as Saadi Youssef whose poetry has been immensely popular since he started writing at the age of 17. He has published thirty-two collections, a volume of short stories, two novels, several essays, and four volumes of his collected works.

To find out more about what’s going to be on offer, please visit the writing events section of the website at:http://www.reelfestivals.org/category/events/writing-events/

There’s also more information on the Films section of the website now, including updated information about the various short films being screened as part of the festival. For more information please visit: http://www.reelfestivals.org/category/events/films/

Please keep checking the site over the forthcoming weeks as we’ll be adding a lot more information including:details on the exciting concert with Farida and the Iraqi Maqam Ensemble along with the Babylon Arabic Band; a Symposium on Iraqi Culture and memory at the University of Edinburgh; a lecture series bringing you from Mesopotamia to present day Iraq; a wide variety of arts events through the city; and a Panel Discussion being held by the British Council and featuring speakers such as Salam Pax (the Baghdad Blogger) and Maysoon Al Damluji (Iraqi politician and Women’s Rights campaigner) and much more!

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