Literature and moving image will collide at times during the upcoming Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, set to be staged in Dubai in February next year, with authors who have seen their work adapted into film and television productions prominent amongst the selection of guests.
Authors taking part include Sara Gay Forden, author of House of Gucci, which has recently been adapted into a film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jeremy Irons and Al Pacino; Julia Quinn whose Bridgerton has proved to be a hit on Netflix and Mohammed Saeed Harib, creator of Freej, now a successful animation series into its fifth season.
Also confirmed are British comedian/writer David Walliams, whose children’s books Gangsta Granny, Billionaire Boy and Grandpa’s Great Escape have been adapted for television; Serhii Plpkhy, whose Chernobyl 1986 was adapted into an acclaimed drama series; actor Ben Miller, whose non—fiction work have been adapted for TV; Great British Bake Off winner and now cookery author Nadiya Hussain and Mona Shammari, author of historical drama No Music at Al-Ahmadi, which was adapted into a 2019 Kuwaiti television series.
Also appearing will be 2021 Sheikh Zayed Book Award winner Iman Mersal; the 2021 International Prize for Arabic Fiction winner Jalal Barjas and Sleepy Head novelist Mark Billingham. Successful thriller writer David Baldacci will be taking part virtually.
Ahlam Bolooki, director of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, said: “We are thrilled to be able to welcome international authors back in person, and brimming with excitement about our new venue, our phenomenal programme and, as always, the unforgettable stories the festival will give rise to.”
The festival, which has theme of ‘Here Comes the Sun’, will be held at the canal-side Habtoor City Hotels in Dubai spread across two weekends, February 3-12. The festival will open with a dedicated Emirati Day and a series of panel events, with Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash, chief executive of the Arts and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture adding:” Through the dedicated Emirati day that we are organising during the festival, we continue to support and empower local talent and provide them with the opportunity to reach global horizons.”
