Singapore Writers Festival explores stories hidden in plain sight
SOME of the most revealing stories aren’t necessarily the ones that announce themselves. They may lie in a family silence passed from one generation to the next, a familiar neighbourhood whose history has been forgotten, or a seemingly convincing account that begins to unravel when examined more closely.
The Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) returns for its 29th edition, exploring the theme "Hidden in Plain Sight" from November 13 to 22. The festival brings together over 300 writers, speakers, and moderators across 200 programs, spanning fiction, memoir, literary translation, crime writing, journalism, and documentary film. The central invitation is to revisit familiar stories and consider what may have been overlooked.
Festival director Yong Shu Hoong emphasizes literature's power to reveal hidden meanings and perspectives. The theme also reflects contemporary challenges like AI, scams, and the need to distinguish truth from falsehood. Yong's final edition will draw together literary traditions and perspectives from Singapore and beyond.
A major addition this year is the Crime and Mystery Spotlight, featuring authors Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Jean Tay, Ovidia Yu, Robin Stevens, Louise Hegarty, Shuang Xuetao, and Jeremy Tiang. They examine how histories and archival material can be transformed into crime fiction and how crime and thriller conventions can shed light on memory, precarity, and contemporary life.
Other programs explore families' untold stories, societal forces shaping our future, and the multilingual literary landscape in Singapore. Youth programs encourage creative expression among young readers and writers. SWF Homage traces Singapore literature's journey across languages and borders, while family-focused events engage children and families in storytelling and heritage exploration.
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