Ece Temelkuran (b. 1973) is an author, journalist and political commentator. She writes for The Guardian and Le Monde Diplomatique, among others. She tackles subjects that are considered very controversial in Turkey, such as the Kurdish and Armenian questions, the women’s movement, and the question of political prisoners. In 2016 she released Turkey: The Insane and the Melancholy.

Négar Djavadi (b. 1969) fled Iran at the age of ten to join her father in exile in Paris. After studying in Brussels at INSAS, she taught film at Paris VIII and as a director saw her work selected for many festivals. In her first novel, Désorientale (2016), she relates the destiny of an Iranian family across three generations through the souvenirs of her heroine, Kimiâ Sadr.

Juan Gabriel Vásquez (b. 1973) is one standard bearer of the new Latin American Boom. He broke through internationally with The Sound of Things Falling. His work has been translated into more than 28 languages and earned several awards, including the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the PEN English Award.

If you had a ticket for the evening with Paul Auster at Flagey, we will contact you personally for a re-booking or a refund. Passa Porta will be looking for a new date to welcome Paul Auster to Flagey to talk about his work and his new book 4321. Current ticket holders will get early bird booking when a new event with the author is scheduled.

Much to his regret Paul Auster has had to cancel his visit to Brussels because of health issues. For the opening night of the Passa Porta Festival three writers will now take the stage in Flagey, discussing literature and politics: ‘How to Read the World?’.

The Turkish Ece Temelkuran, the Franco-Iranian Négar Djavadi and the Colombian Juan Gabriel Vásquez, have recently published books offering a sharp understanding of the contemporary world. This exceptional evening echoes the Passa Porta Festival, in being multinlingual, in touch with contemporary issues and international.

Flagey, Passa Porta