Margot Dijkgraaf
(The Netherlands, 1960) is a literary critic, writer, curator, interviewer, debate leader and "ambassador between France and the Netherlands in the field of literature", as a French ambassador once said. She has been writing about literature for some 30 years, mainly for the NRC daily. She has published books on French and European literature, on Hella S. Haasse and Cees Nooteboom. Her most recent book is In de voetsporen van mijn grootvader (2021), an autobiographical search for her literary genes. Before that, she published Met Parijse pen. Literaire omzwervingen (in collaboration with photographer Bart Koetsier, 2020), which takes readers to Paris for walks in the footsteps of famous Dutch and French writers. She is currently joint artistic curator of the Netherlands' Guest of Honour role at the 2024 Leipzig Book Fair with German journalist Bettina Baltschev.
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Archive available for: Margot Dijkgraaf
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Picture This -- Words Versus Images -- with Sacha Bronwasser and Emilienne Malfatto
Sacha Bronwasser is an art historian as well as a writer. Emilienne Malfatto is a war photographer besides a writer. In both of their work, the language of the image plays an important role. What can you express in pictures that you cannot express in words? And conversely, what can you say with language as a writer that you cannot express via photos or fine art? Margot Dijkgraaf moderated this discussion, illustrated with images chosen by the writers, and with presentations of excerpts from their novels.
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Opening Night - Free the Word!
With: Boi Akih, Eelco Bosch van Rosenthal, Farah Karimi, Jennifer Clement, Joost Baars, Margot Dijkgraaf, Milagros Socorro, Mohsin Hamid, Pauline Krikke, Ton van de Langkruis
On the Opening Night of the Winternachten festival 2018 the focus was on freedom of speech.
Pauline Krikke, Mayor of The Hague, opened the festival followed by a word of welcome by Ton van de Langkruis, Director of Winternachten festival. Jennifer Clement, writer and President of PEN International introduced Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid. His novel Exit West was nominated for the Man Booker Prize 2017. On the occasion of the Opening Night, Hamid delivers the Free the Word! speech.
The prestigious Oxfam Novib PEN Awards, presented to the winners by Oxfam Novib director Farah Karimi, honour writers who currently risk their freedom and even their lives to seek out and publish the truth.
The winners of the Oxfam Novib PEN Awards 2018 are journalist and writer Milagros Socorro from Venezuela and journalist Eskinder Nega from Ethiopia. Nega is imprisoned in his homeland and is therefore not attending to receive his Award.
The award ceremony was followed by an introduction of the award winners during the PEN Conversation by journalist and Nieuwsuur-anchor Eelco Bosch van Rosenthal.
The Opening Night programme further included performances by Boi Akih (world jazz) and Joost Baars (poetry). The programme was hosted by Margot Dijkgraaf, literary critic who regularly publishes in Dutch national newspaper NRC, and Chair of the Board of the Writers Unlimited organisation.
The Opening Night is organized in collaboration with Oxfam Novib, PEN International and PEN Nederland.
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Books Unlimited: Mohsin Hamid
A unique opportunity to meet international literary star Moshin Hamid and hear about his book Exit West. NRC newspaper literary critic Margo Dijkgraaf interviews Hamid (Pakistan) about his motivation to write, the source of his characters, and the worldwide success of his books.
Hamid became known with his bestseller The Reluctant Fundamentalist that was later turned into a film, about a Pakistani man who decides to give up his life in the US after a failed love affair and the events of 9/11. In his newest novel Exit West, shortlisted for the 2017 Man Booker Prize, a couple in love amid war and migration finds an escape route to the West via secret doors.
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NRC Book Club Live: Connie Palmen's Lucifer
With: Arjen Fortuin, Margot Dijkgraaf, Michel Krielaars, Toef Jaeger
A festival tradition: the NRC Book Club Live. A panel headed by NRC books editor Michel Krielaars, including staffers Margot Dijkgraaf, Arjen Fortuin and Toef Jaeger, discusses Connie Palmen's Lucifer (2007). In this philosophical whodunit, the wife of composer Lucas Loos falls into an abyss on a Greek island in the summer of 1981. A quarter-century later, the protagonist decides to investigate. She encounters unexpected information through the colourful inhabitants of 1980s Amsterdam. Was this death predicted years earlier in a musical number, or was the fall a terrible accident? In a blurb on the book flap, the author says she was inspired by events surrounding Dutch composer Peter Schat (1935-2003) and his wife.
Everyone is welcome, and of course you, the reader of the book, can add your two cents to the discussion. Afterwards you can attend the interview of Connie Palmen by Anna Luyten, which will also touch on her new novel Jij zegt het (Whatever You Say), based on the lives of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath, the poet who famously committed suicide.
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The Text of my Life: Daan Heerma van Voss
In Filmhuis Studio A the festival's guest writers present their favourite literary texts and explain why a particular poem, novel excerpt, or song lyric influenced their life and work. Which memory, what feeling does this text call up for them? A continuous interview programme, in which the audience also talks with the writers. Hosted by Wim Brands. In Dutch
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The Text of my Life: Alaa al Aswany
In Filmhuis Studio A the festival's guest writers present their favourite literary texts, and explain why a particular poem, novel excerpt, or song lyric influenced their life and work. Which memory, what feeling does this text call up for them? A continuous interview programme, in which the audience also talks with the writers. Hosted by Wim Brands. In English
Alaa al Aswani replaces Mircea Cărtărescu, who had to cancel his appearance for personal reasons.
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The Text of my Life: Stine Jensen
In Filmhuis Studio A the festival's guest writers present their favourite literary texts and explain why a particular poem, novel excerpt, or song lyric influenced their life and work. Which memory, what feeling does this text call up for them? A continuous interview programme, in which the audience also talks with the writers. Hosted by Margot Dijkgraaf. In Dutch
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The Text of my Life: Adriaan van Dis
In Filmhuis Studio A the festival's guest writers present their favourite literary texts and explain why a particular poem, novel excerpt, or song lyric influenced their life and work. Which memory, what feeling does this text call up for them? A continuous interview programme, in which the audience also talks with the writers. Hosted by Wim Brands. In Dutch
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The Text of my Life: Helmut Lotti
In Filmhuis Studio A the festival's guests present their favourite literary texts and explain why a particular poem, novel excerpt, or song lyric influenced their life and work. Which memory, what feeling does this text call up for them? A continuous interview programme, in which the audience also talks with the writers. Hosted by Wim Brands. In Dutch
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The Text of my Life: Susan Neiman
In Filmhuis Studio A the festival's guest writers present their favourite literary texts and explain why a particular poem, novel excerpt, or song lyric influenced their life and work. Which memory, what feeling does this text call up for them? A continuous interview programme, in which the audience also talks with the writers. Hosted by Wim Brands. In English
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The Text of my Life: György Dragomán
In Filmhuis Studio A the festival's guest writers present their favourite literary texts and explain why a particular poem, novel excerpt, or song lyric influenced their life and work. Which memory, what feeling does this text call up for them? A continuous interview programme, in which the audience also talks with the writers. Hosted by Wim Brands. In English
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The Text of my Life: Rodaan Al Galidi
In Filmhuis Studio A the festival's guest writers present their favourite literary texts and explain why a particular poem, novel excerpt, or song lyric influenced their life and work. Which memory, what feeling does this text call up for them? A continuous interview programme, in which the audience also talks with the writers. Hosted by Wim Brands. In Dutch
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A tribute to Hella S. Haasse & Jan Campert Awards
With: Arjan Peters, Benny Lindelauf, Ellen van Lelyveld, Elsbeth Etty, Erik Spinoy, Gustaaf Peek, Kees 't Hart, Loes Luca, Margot Dijkgraaf, Marijn van Lelyveld, Matthijs Ponte, Maxim Februari, Patricia de Groot, Pieter Steinz, Rudi Wester, Willem Nijholt
In cooperation with the Haasse Estate and Publisher Querido Writers Unlimited organises a tribute in the Koninklijke Schouwburg: a festive meeting in which the richness and diversity of her life and work are celebrated.
Willem Nijholt reads from his letters to the writer and Loes Luca performs cabaret texts written by Hella Haasse. Elsbeth Etty, Marjolijn Februari, Kees 't Hart, Patricia de Groot, Gustaaf Peek, Margot Dijkgraaf, Rudi Wester and Arjan Peters tell anecdotes and stories. Her daughters Ellen and Marijn van Lelyveld will add a personal contribution to the programme, which will be presented by Pieter Steinz. Hella S. Haasse died on 29 september 2011. She leaves behind a massive oeuvre, among other books the popular novels Oeroeg, In a Dark Wood Wandering, The Tea Lords. She won many awards, including the Dutch Letters Award in 2004.
After the interval the Jan Campert Prizes will be presented, the literary awards of the Municipality of The Hague, including the Constantijn Huygens Prize, which has been awarded to A.F.Th. van de Heijden. Erik Spinoy (1960) is recipient of the Jan Campert-prijs 2011 for his book of poetry Dode kamer (Dead room). Gustaaf Peek (1975) is recipient of the F. Bordewijk Prize 2011 for his novel Ik was Amerika (I was America). Benny Lindelauf (1964) receives the biennial Nienke van Hichtum Prize for children's literature 2011 for De hemel van Heivisj (Heivisj's heaven) the triennial G.H. 's Gravesande Prize for special literary merit 2011 goes to Stichting Perdu. Host: Trio Droomvogels.
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VPRO OVT Radio Live
With: Annejet van der Zijl, Margot Dijkgraaf, Mathijs Deen, Nelleke Noordervliet, Paul van der Gaag, Trio Droomvogels, Willem Nijholt
Every year VPRO Radio broadcasts this history programme during the festival, live from the Brasserie Dudok. In this episode the writers at the festival discuss literature and history. With live muziek. Hosts: Paul van der Gaag and Mathijs Deen.
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Turkish literature home and abroad
The Turkish writer and journalist Asli Tohumcu now lives in The Hague as a guestwriter for Kosmopolis Den Haag and AD/Haagsche Courant. She writes articles for the newspaper on Turkish migrants in The Hague. The articles are moving, often about a Turkey that no longer exists. Sadik Yemni has lived in Amsterdam for years, and as a writer he is more famous in Turkey than in The Netherlands. Tuncay Çinibulak is a writer and a poet, and since 2005 he is editor-in-chief of the Dutch/Turkish business- and culturemagazine TULPIA. The three writers read from their work and talk about being Turkish in the Netherlands, and about developments in Turkish literature in Turkey and the Netherlans. Hosted by Margot Dijkgraaf. In English.
This programme is a substitute for an earlier announced programme with the Turkish poet Bejan Matur, who cancelled her participation at short notice.
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Two Houses
A daily topic of conversation in the Arab press still: Omaret Yacoubian, the adaptation of the novel by Alaa Al Aswany. A story about corruption, fundamentalism, adultery, drugs, trade and homosexuality. People cry out against the film, but the cinemas in Egypt are jam-packed. The Dutch translation of the novel about the Yacoubian, an apartment building in Cairo, was presented in Winternachten. Writer Aswany talked to Michiel van Kempen, who in his novel Vluchtwegen sketches a critical image of life in an apartment building in the heterogeneous Bijlmermeer. Discussion in English.
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The world, the writer and the philosopher
Does it make any difference to the world what a writer does? Can he write autonomous and avoid the expectations of the outside world, or does he have to take a position concerning social reality? P.F. Thomese opens the debate with a plea for the independent mind, for the autonomous, introvert writer. His opponent is the young philosopher Bas Haring, who by actively adressing a wider audience tries to make philosophy part of daily life. Dutch spoken.
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Literature from Turkey: Asli Erdogan
The Turkish writer Asli Erdogan made her breakthrough with her very succesful novel Kirmizi Pelerinli Kent (City in a red cape) (1998), a stifling novel, situated in Rio de Janeiro. Meanwhile the book has been translated into several languages. In 1990 Erdogan received the Deutsche Welle Preis for one of her unpublished short stories. The main themes in her works are; violence against women, the situation in prisons and Kurdish rights. She will discuss her work with journalist Margot Dijkgraaf from the NRC Handelsblad.
English spoken
