Mirthe Frese
is a moderator, writer and theatre professional. She created successful program series for De Balie in Amsterdam, such as De Vrijheidslezing (The Freedom Lecture), Grote Denkers (Great Thinkers) and Generatie IK (Generation ME). In 2018, she wrote and performed her first solo performance, Retourtje Polen (Return to Poland), for Theater Na de Dam. She's currently writing a historical family novel about her Jewish-Moluccan roots (expected in 2021, Nijgh & Van Ditmar publishers). Whether writing, creating theatre, hosting a debate or curating a program, her starting point is always bringing together a diversity of stories, histories and opinions.
(2019)Share this page
Archive available for: Mirthe Frese
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What happens when the water comes?
With: Eva Meijer, Mirthe Frese, Mounir Samuel
What happens when the water comes? What if the Netherlands really does flood? A welcome topic for climate novels, but perhaps a cliché by now. Do we still get scared by such messages? How do you write about climate change in a way that really grabs the reader's attention?
On the basis of two recently published books - Zee nu by Eva Meijer and Jona zonder walvis by Mounir Samuel - we will discuss this on Tuesday 19 April. Both authors proclaim, in their own way, the 'inconvenient truth' about the climate that just doesn't seem to get through to us. Whereas Eva Meijer wanted to write 'a book for the Netherlands' through fiction, Jona zonder walvis is a more essayistic, personal approach to the climate crisis. Both books are wonderful examples of how writers can capture the urgent reality with pen and paper.
With Eva Meijer, Mounir Samuel and Mirthe Frese (moderator). Afterwards there will be book sales and signings.
What if the water comes?
Date: Tuesday 19 April 2022
Starts: 20:30, doors open at 20:00
Tickets: €11 (regular), €8 (library card, CJP and Ooievaarspas), free admission for students, schoolchildren and We Are Public-members.
Location: Studio B, Central Library, Spui 68, The Hague.
Dutch language program.Program compiled by Joëlle Koorneef (Writers Unlimited). Book sale by De Vries Van Stockum Books.
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It's Up to Us & PEN Award
With: Arnon Grunberg, Eva Meijer, Jaap Tielbeke, Mirthe Frese, Raoul de Jong, Salena Godden, Samanta Schweblin, Simon(e) van Saarloos, Tsitsi Dangarembga
"It's up to us" is a statement made by philosopher, songwriter and author Eva Meijer in a radio program, as she was speaking about her novel De nieuwe rivier (The New River), which deals with the climate crisis. It's no longer up to you, the individual, to make the difference, but up to us. This statement became the theme of this online edition of the Winternachten Festival. But we also pose the question of which "us" we are talking about. Who is we?
We discussed this matter with writers Arnon Grunberg, Eva Meijer, Raoul de Jong, Tsitsi Dangarembga and Samanta Schweblin, moderated by Mirthe Frese.
0:00 - Intro.
1:52 - Arnon Grunberg (Netherlands), opening statement.
11:13 - Eva Meijer, Raoul de Jong (Netherlands), intro discussion
12:21 - Eva Meijer, recitation
14:01 - Raoul de Jong, discussion and recitation
17:16 - Eva Meijer, Raoul de Jong, discussion
32:11- Raoul de Jong, recitation
33:12 - Salena Godden (UK), spoken word
39:28 - Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe), interview
52:57 - Simon(e) van Saarloos, performance
1:00:40 - Samanta Schweblin (Germany), interview.
1:11:52 - Jaap Tielbeke (Netherlands), performance.
1:16:58 - Arnon Grunberg, interview.
1:21:43 - Tsitsi Dangarembga, life and work video
1:30:08 - PEN Award for Tsitsi Dangarembga.Arnon Grunberg opened the discussion by a statement from New York. In his speech on Remembrance Day in The Netherlands, Grunberg made it clear that we must take a good long look at ourselves; racism is deeply rooted in our culture. Our "we" is still far from inclusive.
In connection with his new novel Jaguarman, Raoul de Jong told Dutch daily de Volkskrant that, currently, one is often expected to feel like the representative of a group. He prefers to stay true to his own rhythm and message.
The Zimbabwean writer and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga, taking part from Harare, spoke about what "we" means to her in Zimbabwe's current postwar society. Dangarembga's novel This Mourning Body was shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize.
With the Argentinean author Samanta Schweblin, Mirthe Frese talked about the interconnectedness of mankind, and about humanity in an era of new technologies. These appear to form a new universal language between people. In her novel Little Eyes Schweblin investigates how technology creates togetherness and alienation.
To broaden the sense of "we", the Winternachten Festival asked three authors to write a dedicated contribution about the Winternachten festival theme. We saw and heard, from here or far away, Salena Godden, Simon(e) van Saarloos and Jaap Tielbeke. From whose idea of "we" do they want to make a difference? What is needed to feel a sense of "us"? And is it even really up to us? Arnon Grunberg concluded by reflecting on the conversations and sharing his thoughts.
Following this discussion, the PEN Award for Freedom of Expression was handed out to Tsitsi Dangarembga. With The PEN Award, in a co-production with PIP The Hague that supports the Award, writers organisation PEN International honours authors who seek and speak out the truth risking their freedom and lives.
Read here the contributions written for this programme on request of the Winternachten international literature festival The Hague:
- The Religion of Group Identity | Arnon Grunberg
- A different kind of we | Eva Meijer
- Letter to My Younger Self | Jaap Tielbeke
- Everything is Anana | Raoul de Jong
- We could be Heroes | Salena Godden
- I have little time and lots to say | Simon(e) van Saarloos
(Find the Dutch-language versions here/Lees hier de Nederlandstalige versies)Learn more here:
Tsitsi Dangarembga
"Life in an 'ever narrowing Zimbabwe'", interview with Tsitsi Dangarembga, Al-Jazeera, 2020
Video: "Being shorlisted for the Booker Prize changed my life", interview with Tsitsi Dangarembga, France24, 2020
Salena Godden
website
Video: Salena Godden recites her poem The Letter from the collection Pessimism is for Lightweights, ArtHouse Jersey, 2020
Video: Salena Godden, spoken-word performance I want to be your wife, lead track of her newly released The Lockdown EP, Nymphs & Thugs, 2020Arnon Grunberg
website
Video: conversation with Arnon Grunberg about what the covid19-pandemic means for our society and democracy, De Balie Live, 2020Raoul de Jong
website
Audio: interview with Raoul de Jong about his novel Jaguarman, Radio Rijnmond, 2020Eva Meijer
website
Interview with Eva Meijer about De nieuwe rivier (The New River), Het Parool, 2020
Video: Interview with Eva Meijer about her book De nieuwe rivier (The New River), Kunststof, NPO Radio 1Simon(e) van Saarloos
website
Instagram
Audio The Asterisk Conversation #1 podcast: Simon(e) van Saarloos, Nalo Hopkinson, Tirsa With, Writers Unlimited, 2020Samanta Schweblin
Instagram
Video: Samanta Schweblin talks about her book Duizend ogen (Little Eyes, 2020)Jaap Tielbeke
Essays and articles by Jaap Tielbeke in De Groene Amsterdammer - The Religion of Group Identity | Arnon Grunberg
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Opening Night: It's Up to Us & PEN Award
With: Arnon Grunberg, Eva Meijer, Jaap Tielbeke, Mirthe Frese, Raoul de Jong, Salena Godden, Samanta Schweblin, Simon(e) van Saarloos, Tsitsi Dangarembga
"It's Up to Us" is a statement made by philosopher, songwriter and author Eva Meijer in a radio program, as she was speaking about her novel De nieuwe rivier (The New River), which deals with the climate crisis. It's no longer up to you, the individual, to make the difference, but up to us. This statement was chosen as the theme of this online edition of the Winternachten Festival. However, we pose the question of which "us" we are talking about. Who is we?
We discussed this matter with writers Arnon Grunberg, Eva Meijer, Raoul de Jong, Tsitsi Dangarembga and Samanta Schweblin, moderated by Mirthe Frese.
Arnon Grunberg opened the discussion with a statement from New York. In his Dutch Remembrance Day speech, Grunberg made it clear that we must take a good long look at ourselves; racism is deeply rooted in our culture. Our "we" is still far from inclusive.
In connection with his new novel Jaguarman, Raoul de Jong told the Dutch daily De Volkskrant that, these days, one is often expected to represent a group. He prefers to stay true to his own rhythm and message.
The Zimbabwean writer and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga, taking part from Harare, spoke about what "we" means to her in Zimbabwe's current postwar society. Dangarembga's novel This Mourning Body was shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize.
The Argentinean author Samanta Schweblin spoke about the interconnectedness of mankind, and about humanity in an era of new technologies. These appear to form a new universal language between people. In her novel Little Eyes, Schweblin investigates how technology creates togetherness and alienation.
To broaden the sense of "we", the Winternachten Festival commissioned three authors to write a short piece on the Winternachten festival theme. From their own perspectives, we heard from Salena Godden, Simon(e) van Saarloos and Jaap Tielbeke. From whose idea of "we" do they intend to make a difference? What is needed to feel a sense of "us"? And is it even really up to us? To conclude, Arnon Grunberg reflected on the conversations and shared his thoughts.
Following this discussion, the PEN Award for Freedom of Expression was presented to Tsitsi Dangarembga. In a coproduction with PIP The Hague, which supports this prize, the writers' organization PEN International honours authors who currently seek out and speak the truth at risk to their freedom and lives with the PEN Award.
Watch a film portrait of Tsitsi Dangarembga here.You can read the contributions commissioned for this program by the Winternachten International Literature Festival The Hague here:
- The Religion of Group Identity | Arnon Grunberg
- A Different Kind of We | Eva Meijer
- Letter to My Younger Self | Jaap Tielbeke
- Everything is Anana | Raoul de Jong
- We Could be Heroes | Salena Godden
- I Have Little Time and Lots to Say | Simon(e) van Saarloos
(Find the Dutch-language versions here/Lees hier de Nederlandstalige versies)More background:
Tsitsi Dangarembga
"Life in an 'ever narrowing Zimbabwe'", interview with Tsitsi Dangarembga, Al-Jazeera, 2020
Video: "Being shorlisted for the Booker Prize changed my life", interview with Tsitsi Dangarembga, France24, 2020
Salena Godden
website
Video: Salena Godden recites her poem The Letter from the collection Pessimism is for Lightweights, ArtHouse Jersey, 2020
Video: Salena Godden, spoken-word performance I want to be your wife, lead track of her newly released The Lockdown EP, Nymphs & Thugs, 2020Arnon Grunberg
website
Video: conversation with Arnon Grunberg about what the covid19 pandemic means for our society and democracy, De Balie Live, 2020Raoul de Jong
website
Audio: interview with Raoul de Jong about his novel Jaguarman, Radio Rijnmond, 2020Eva Meijer
website
Interview with Eva Meijer about De nieuwe rivier (The New River), Het Parool, 2020
Video: Interview with Eva Meijer about her book De nieuwe rivier (The New River), Kunststof, NPO Radio 1Simon(e) van Saarloos
website
Instagram
Audio The Asterisk Conversation #1 podcast: Simon(e) van Saarloos, Nalo Hopkinson, Tirsa With, Writers Unlimited, 2020Samanta Schweblin
Instagram
Video: Samanta Schweblin talks about her book Duizend ogen (Little Eyes, 2020)Jaap Tielbeke
Essays and articles by Jaap Tielbeke in De Groene Amsterdammer - The Religion of Group Identity | Arnon Grunberg
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Rage Becomes Her - Soraya Chemaly and Sunny Bergman on Women, Inequality and Anger
With: Mirthe Frese, Soraya Chemaly, Sunny Bergman
American author and activist Soraya Chemaly and Dutch documentary filmmaker Sunny Bergman entered into a conversation about anger as a tool for positive change.
Chemaly wrote the international bestseller Rage Becomes Her, and we know Sunny Bergman from her provocative documentaries like Man Made, Our Colonial Hangover, and Sletvrees.
"Women are angry, and it isn't hard to figure out why," Chemaly says. They are underpaid, thwarted, diminished, and overworked. Assertive women are labeled bitches, while expressive women are considered too emotional. If they have an opinion, they best keep it to themselves. Chemaly not only believes that women's anger is justified, but also that it can be a powerful tool for positive change. She calls it a force for creation, the best weapon against oppression. In early April, meanwhile, Sunny Bergman released her documentary on masculinity, Man Made, to great media fanfare. In one double interview (alongside comedian Theo Maassen) for the Volkskrant newspaper she explained why she made the film now: "At this point, I thought it was high time to address men: 'If you don't change, we cannot make society a better place for our children.'"
This event was conducted in English.Event curated by Ilonka Reintjens (Writers Unlimited)
Books for sale courtesy of De Vries Van Stockum Books