*********************************************************
Literature includes the creative works that draw on emotional experience, and it has the power to both release a writer's emotions and elicit a reader's joy and sorrow. The numerous instances of affections able to be read between the lines in literary works not only turn up in Chinese and Western literary works but are also expressed in photography, paintings, lyrics, films and the performing arts.
Announcing the forthcoming 9th Hong Kong Literature Festival at a press conference today (June 14), the Assistant Director (Libraries and Development) of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Lee Yuk-man, said that with "Affections between the Lines" as the theme this year, the festival will offer a wide range of programmes for the public to appreciate the myriad emotions in literary works from different angles.
Presented by the Hong Kong Public Libraries of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the Hong Kong Literature Festival will run from June 28 to July 15. The variety of activities include a thematic exhibition, symposiums, Hong Kong writers' talks, guided reading sessions, a good read series, group reading workshops, poetry recitals, dialogues with creators, interflow programmes, literary walks and various competitions.
The thematic exhibition entitled "Affections between the Lines" will be held from June 29 to July 15 at the Hong Kong Central Library. With photos, illustrations and multimedia, the exhibition will comprise five parts, namely "Journey through life", "Embrace our city", "A traveller's heart", "Reflections on everyday life" and "All about love", to explore the various sentiments that can be read between the lines in the literary works of local writers.
Also on display will be an exhibition of poems on travel by Professor Yip Wai-lim that has been illustrated with artistic photos taken by his son Mr Jonas Yip, a renowned photographer. Their "Paris: Dialogue" exhibition was previously on display in the San Diego Museum of Art last year. Local poets including Professor Leung Ping-kwan, Mr Quanan, Ms Chan Sui-hung, Mr Yip Fai, Mr Liu Wai-tong, Mr Tsai Yim-pui and Mr Woo Kwok-yin will share their works on travelling in the "Poetry Recital and Sharing of Sentimental Travel Poems".
One of the highlights of the festival is the symposium entitled "Sentimental Essence of Hong Kong Literature". In a series of three seminars, local and overseas scholars including Professor Zhang Longxi, Dr Ng Mei-kwan, Professor Chan Kwok-kou, Dr Su Wei-chen, Professor Lo Wai-luk, Dr Chu Siu-cheung, Mr Chan Kam-kuen, Professor Kwan Sze-pui, Mr Cheung Chi-wo, Dr Ge Liang, Ms Law Tsin-fung and Professor Chou Fen-ling will examine and share their views on Hong Kong literature and its lyrical tradition, similarities and differences among various art forms in articulating feelings, and how the literati and writers merge their genuine feelings into fictional characters and stories.
The popular "Dialogue with Creators" will be held again this year. In a relaxed and casual atmosphere, writers and creators from different disciplines including Dr Leung Wai-sze, Mr Chow Pok-yin, Mr Lau Wai-ming, Mr Leung Wai-lok, Mr Hui Tik-cheung, Mr Lau Wai-shing, Professor Fong Chee-fun, Mr Shu Kei, Mr To Kwok-wai and Ms Chan Wai-yee will analyse the relationship between literature and various forms of creative works in lyrics, writing, editing, scriptwriting and translation of film subtitles.
Jointly organised with three universities, the "Good Read Series" is a new programme this year with academics analysing local contemporary works, Chinese classics on Cantonese opera and Western literary works such as Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" and "Pride and Prejudice". Another new programme is the "Group Reading Workshop", with writers guiding secondary school students to appreciate the emotions in literary works of various genres, such as poetry, prose, classics, translated pieces, fiction and plays.
Following the success of the writers' talk series in the last festival, "Literary Friendship - Talk Series of Hong Kong Writers" will be held this year. Young academics, the last cohort of the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination candidates, famous poets and veteran editors and writers will share their literary friendship and explore the important value of literary creation. Awardees of the 11th Hong Kong Biennial Awards for Chinese Literature will also exchange their views in the guided reading sessions on the creation and writing skills that went into their winning works.
Not to be missed are the lively, interactive "Interflow" programmes presented by three arts and cultural organisations, namely Fleurs des letters, Ssissue and the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre. They will present insights on recent literary developments abroad and the literary creations of secondary students as well as share experience in scriptwriting.
As a prelude to the festival, several activities including the "Literary Walk & Talk", in which guided walks from historical scholars trace the footsteps of literary scenes, have been organised with Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK). The content of the walks is now available on RTHK's Internet programmes. Three competitions, the "Affectionate Discourse" Letter Writing Competition, the "Literature and Film" Short Video Competition and the Literary Performance Competition, have been held and were met with an enthusiastic response. Contestants expressed their creativity and demonstrated the vitality of literature through writing, video and storytelling.
The results of the "Affectionate Discourse" Letter Writing Competition and the "Literature and Film" Short Video Competition were announced today. Three merit award winners from the Literary Performance Competition also performed their adapted works at the press conference. The winning entries will be displayed during the festival period and uploaded onto the festival's webpage.
The Fans of Literature Festival will be conducted again this year. Literature lovers are encouraged to become fans and to receive festival souvenirs and updates on future literary activities organised by public libraries.
All activities are free. Festival booklets are available at all public libraries. For more details, see the website: www.hkpl.gov.hk/9hklf. Enquiries can be made at 2928 4551.
Ends/Thursday, June 14, 2012
Issued at HKT 18:28
NNNN
