THIN AIR School Prgrogram
What do Kenneth Oppel, Arthur Slade, Susin Nielsen, Richard Van Camp, and Arlene Alda have in common? They’re just a few of the acclaimed writers on the THIN AIR 2008 School Program roster!
Once again, THIN AIR is rolling out a stellar line-up of writers to excite and inspire students of all ages, from the youngest just learning to read to senior high school students about to take their place in the adult world. During the last week in September, Winnipeg and surrounding areas will be humming with Writers to the Schools and School Stage events.
Help Wanted!
The Winnipeg International Writers Festival is looking for a Marketing Assistant and a Production Assistant as we prepare for THIN AIR 2008 in September. Term: mid-May through October, pending funding confirmation. Certain eligibility requirements do apply--please contact the office (927-7323 or info@winnipegwords.com) for more information.
Marketing Assistant Job Description
Production Assistant Job Description
THIN AIR Signature Series:
Michael Petrou on the
Spanish Civil War
Thanks to everyone that came out to hear Michael Petrou. It was a great success we had an audience of over 50 people.
ON THE SIDE OF THE ANGELS:
MANITOBA WRITERS ON FILM
The Cinematheque and The Winnipeg International Writer's Festival invited several prominent Winnipeg writers to introduce a Canadian film every month based on works from Canadian literature or which references Canadian writers in some way.
Thursday April 24 - 7:00pm
LA BELLE BETE (THE BEAUTIFUL BEAST)
Dir. Karim Hussain Canada 2006 / 110min. / 35mm / PsychoDrama
introduced by Manitoba writer Charles LeBlanc!
A love triangle between a mother, son and daughter, LA BELLE BETE (THE BEAUTIFUL BEAST) is a dark drama on the themes of jealousy, vanity, emotional incest and, finally, murder. The film explores the complex psychology of a family; Louise (Carole Laure, SWEET MOVIE) is rich and vain; Patrice (Marc-André Grondin), her son, is as handsome as he is socially dysfunctional; Isabelle-Marie (Caroline Dhavernas, WONDERFALLS), the daughter, is dangerously jealous. Only one member of the family will make it - no matter what the consequences of his or her cruel acts.
Since it was published in 1959, Marie-Claire Blais's chimerical novel La Belle Bête has been considered unfilmable, a wild beast that cannot be tamed - until it came face-to-face with Karim Hussain. Hussain, the Montreal-based director behind two previous features, ASCENSION and SUBCONSCIOUS CRUELTY, and co-writer of Nacho Cerda's THE ABANDONED, is also well known to genre fans as one of the founders and long-time programmers of the Fantasia Film Festival.
Québécoise novelist Blais wrote La Belle Bête when she was only 17, and the book caused an uproar when it was first published. It was considered inappropriate for a young girl to have written such an angry, violent, incestuous novel, in which political and social parallels run like fissures through a twisted tragicomedy in which family members fuck, maim and kill each other in a sort of grim Grimm fable atmosphere. (The Hour)
Thursday, May 15 - 7:00 PM
READING ALISTAIR MACLEOD
Dir. Bill MacGillivray Canada 2005 / 88 min. / BETA SP / Documentary
Introduced by Charlene Diehl
One of Atlantic Canada's finest independent film-makers has created a superb portrait of another fellow writer from the east coast - Canadian Alistair Macleod – admired for the brilliant craft of his short stories and his groundbreaking novel No Great Mischief. Although he has taught creative writing for three decades in Ontario he is most at home on the island of Cape Breton. In this film we get to know MacLeod but also the many writers who admire his work – including Margaret Atwood, David Adams Richards, Russell Banks, Lisa Moore, and Wayne Johnston who all read their favourite passages and share personal stories.
Charlene Diehl / Background:
Charlene Diehl is a Winnipeg writer and editor who has published poetry, non-fiction, and reviews. She edits the jazz magazine dig! and is the director of THIN AIR, the Winnipeg International Writers Festival.
Thursday, June 12 - 7:00 PM
FICTION AND OTHER TRUTHS: A FILM ABOUT JANE RULE
Dir. Lynn Fernie & Aerlyn Weissman Canada 1994 / 60 min. / BETA SP / Documentary
Introduced by Chandra Mayor
This superb award-winning film profiles the life and work of the late lesbian novelist, essayist, teacher and political activist Jane Rule. Blending interviews with archival footage and dramatic evocations of Rule's writings, the film examines her lifelong interest in the intricacies of human relationships, her continuing struggle against censorship and her conviction that we must live and love truthfully.
Chandra Mayor/ Background:
Chandra Mayor is a Winnipeg writer, editor, and teacher. Her novel Cherry (2005) won the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award, and her debut book of poetry August Witch (2003) won the Eileen McTavish Sykes Award for Best First Book. She was a participant in the inaugural VIA Rail/UNBC Poetry Train project, and the Random Acts of Poetry project, and is the Poetry Co-Editor for Prairie Fire Magazine.
Word of Mouth a huge success!
Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the first Word of Mouth Poetry Festival. The festival was a huge success and fun times were had by many. We're hoping to do it again next year!
Gabor Maté at McNally Robinson
A big thank you to those of you who came out to hear Gabor Maté speaking on his new book. Over 90 people attended this event. Here are a couple of snapshots from that event.
THIN AIR Director, Charlene Diehl and Gabor Maté
Gabor Maté
Soucouyant shortlisted for
Commonwealth Writers' Prize
Arsenal Pulp Press is pleased to announce that David Chariandy's debut novel, Soucouyant has been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize in the category for Best First Book.
The two regional winners will be announced on 13 March 2008, during Commonwealth Week, and will enter the final stage of the 2008 Commonwealth Writers' Prize with the six other regional winners from Africa; Europe and South Asia; and South East Asia and the South Pacific. Each regional winner will take home £1,000.
The winners of the overall Best Book and Best First Book prize will be announced in South Africa in May 2008 after judging by a pan-Commonwealth panel comprising the four regional chairpersons, the Chair of the CWP, Judge Nicholas Hasluck and a representative from South Africa. £10,000 will be awarded to the author of Overall Best Book, and £5,000 to the author of Overall Best First Book.
The Prize is organized and funded by the Commonwealth Foundation, and is supported by the Macquarie Group Foundation across all four regions.
Soucouyant, now in its 2nd printing was also a finalist for the 2007 Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction and longlisted for the 2007 Scotiabank Giller Prize.
Copied from the press release sent by Arsenal Pulp Press.
THIN AIR 2007 books reviewed
Remember the evening mainstage that Dave Williamson won the door prize? Charlene Diehl said that she was expecting him to read the books and requested book reviews on them. Well Dave took the challenge to heart and reviewed some of the books for Prairie Fire. You can see his reivews for three of the books at the following links....
The Book of Negroes - Lawrence Hill
THIN AIR Merchandise for Sale
Every year, the Winnipeg International Writers Festival creates beautiful merchandise to help celebrate the THIN AIR festival.
Normally, these items are only available during festival week, but we’re offering it all for a limited time!
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The THIN AIR 5oz. mug is perfect for hot chocolate, mulled wine or warm milk for those chilly days. ($6) |
| The THIN AIR mints ($4) THIN AIR notebook & pen set ($5) |
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And we have a great selection of THIN AIR T-shirts from the past. Drop by the office before the end of February and rummage through our bin (limited sizes and styles) – all T-shirts $5 each! |
THIN AIR Writers make the
QUILL & QUIRE Books of the Year
Quill & Quire, the literary industry magazine of book news and reviews, has just released its "Books of the Year 2007" supplement, and several writers who attended THIN AIR events have been listed: William Gibson, Spook Country (THIN AIR 2007), Michael Ondaatje, Divisadero (THIN AIR Signature Series, May 2007) and Frieda Wishinsky's Please, Louise!, illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay (both here at THIN AIR 2007).
THIN AIR Audience Survey Winners!
Congratulations to Robert Lowe and Sonia Kowalewich on winning the prizes for the Audience Survey. Robert won a selcetion of this year's featured books and Sonia won the $200.00 gift certificate for EQ3 furniture.
The THIN AIR Aboriginal Tour
was a huge success!
Joanne Arnott and Erroll Kinistino visited Friendship Centres in Flin Flon, The Pas and Dauphin. Marilyn Dumont became ill just before the tour and was not able to travel but Joanne and Erroll quickly and comfortably picked up the slack and gave each audience their absolute best. Joanne read poems of motherhood and her relationships with her 6 kids. Erroll regaled everyone with tales from his childhood as well as songs about KoKoom’s Cadillac (which was actually a Pontiac) and Shask-Ka-Nuck, a treat that his KoKoom made for him when he was young.
We would like to send out a huge thank you to all three Friendship Centres that had graciously and enthusiastically welcomed us into their communities.
THIN AIR 2007…what a week!
As more than 70 writers make their way back into their own lives—here in Winnipeg and as far away as St John’s, Victoria, Boston, Denmark and Portugal—the air is still buzzing with their words and laughter.
We thank them for sharing so generously. Thanks also to our faithful audiences who made their work and ours so enjoyable. Special thanks to our resourceful and friendly volunteers—you make everything possible!
