Anticipated Prospects in ILB 2025 as discussed by Cristina Rivera Garza

The Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin (ILB) is set to take place from September 11 to 24, featuring an exciting and engaging lineup of events. This year, the festival is under the curatorship of the acclaimed Mexican writer Cristina Rivera Garza, who is using her role to highlight the importance of translation and diversity.

As the Curator in Residence, Rivera Garza has invited Spanish-language writers who have been working closely on issues of migration and gender violence, but still in very formally innovative ways. The festival's events are focused on providing plural views generated in the Spanish-speaking world as a critical alternative to what is being seen elsewhere.

One of the featured writers is Gabriela Wiener, an author from Latin America. Wiener will be joined by Velia Vidal, Javier Zamora, and other writers from Norway, Finland, and the diverse Latin American community in Berlin. The events aim to provide a serious and generous discussion of relevant issues such as migration and gender violence.

Cristina Rivera Garza, known for her belief that everything she writes is engaged and political, will be talking about her book, Liliana's Invincible Summer, on September 13. She wrote it in both English and Spanish at the same time.

Another notable writer at the festival is Javier Zamora, a Salvadoran-American author who will be discussing his memoir about his journey as a kid traveling from El Salvador to the United States.

Rivera Garza believes that writing is not an isolating activity and that many writers are concerned about their communities and the world. Through her curation, she aims to get to a different vision and way of life in the present, not just for the future. The events at the ILB are an opportunity to engage with literature that challenges and broadens perspectives on the present.

She is also excited to see writers like Velia Vidal, Eliana Hernández-Pachón, Luisa Reyes Retana, and Esther Andradi gain a wider audience. The festival emphasizes the importance of these writers' roles as activists in their own communities, using their words to shed light on the complexities of migrants' contributions to society.

In conclusion, the Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin, under the guidance of Cristina Rivera Garza, promises to be a thought-provoking and enlightening event, showcasing writers who are working in formally innovative ways on issues of migration and gender violence. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to broaden your horizons and engage with plural voices from around the world.