Sydney Writers Festival 2007

By Diana Simmonds

May 11 2007

The Sydney Writers Festival is ten years old this year and is now, says new director Wendy Were, one of the top five literary gatherings in the world.

"It is, so I'm told," she confirms. "We come in at number three behind Hay and Edinburgh." Which is remarkable not only for an event which is a relative new kid on the block but also one which is tightly-budgeted, not-for-profit and runs on an army of volunteers and just four full-time workers. (When previous director Caro Llewellyn took over there were just two fulltimers. Dr Were is fortunate to have taken over an event which underwent astonishing growth and success during Llewellyn's years in the hot seat.)

"It has been extraordinarily successful," says Were. "There were 65,000 people at the events last year. It says a lot for Sydney's appetite for books and writing - and writers."

Ah yes! The writers. Keeping her wishlist intact and stitching up some of the unavoidable holes as writers do the last-minute dropout trick is Were's lot as opening night draws closer.

"It's inevitable," Were sighs. "You get some disappointments, but even when it's nerve-racking, it's exciting."

The 280+ definite acceptances to invitations range - in A to Z order - from writer-filmmaker Paula Abood to award-winning novelist (The Book Thief and I Am the Messenger) Markus Zusak. As it happens, these two are both Australian and represent the explosion of new talent now bubbling up. In-between, however, are visitors such as Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Somali-born Dutch MP whose outspoken criticism of conservative Islam's attitudes to women has made her a race hate and political extremists' target.

"She will be giving the closing address," confirms Were. "I'm thrilled she is able to come and wants to. And we've just finalised the opening address." (See separate news item.)

That's because the aged Gore Vidal said yes and then said no. Hey ho. Further surprises are to be found in the unofficial themes which somehow happen. This year they seem to be China and cinema.

"Good writing is always the main theme," says Were. "But threads do emerge. There's a definite focus on China. For instance, we have Bei Dao whose poetry was chanted at Tianenmen Square and Will Hutton who is writing about the economic rise of China." (See the box to find out more about Bei Dao.)

The timeliness of spotlighting China seems as appropriate as, a couple of years ago, the packed out sessions all over Sydney when writers from various Islamic countries fed the hunger for more - and unmediated - knowledge of Islam.

Cinema gets a piquant kick-along with a special screening of Romulus My Father - written by Raymond Gaita, in attendance along with his producer Robert Connolly, director Richard Roxburgh and star, Eric Bana. And if you've ever wondered why Gaita comes over as such a serious large vegemite, then the autobiographical Romulus will tell you why.

"We're turning Sydney into a giant cinema," says Were. "And then there's Richard E Grant who will not only be talking about The Wah-Wah Diaries but also introducing a screening of Withnail & I at the Chauvel!"

The resurrected Chauvel cinema in Paddington is a new partner along with Historic Houses Trust - meaning sessions in interesting buildings as well as the core sites of the Wharf, Sydney Town Hall, City Recital Hall and the western, Mountains and schoolkids programs.

"One of the great things about this festival is, I think, that it's always been expansive and outward looking," says Were. "And we're certainly going to keep it that way."

As well as "names" and the always-packed and popular panels, forums and in-conversations, the literary salon is making a comeback (did it ever really go away?) with first-time participation in the festival from innovative and spunky Melbourne-based publishers Sleepers.

In a spicy mix of established and up and coming - one salon will be presided over by Rob Drewe, an author who manages the balancing act of simultaneously writing beautifully and being popular. The other is in the hands of short story specialist Cate Kennedy.

"One of the topics is, Communism: is it dead," says Were. "That may seem a bit reductive but actually, I hope it's going to be meaty." Lemonade and sticky buns will probably not be served.

Wendy Were comes to Sydney from Perth where she was deputy director of the Institute of Advanced Studies and also spent three years building up the Perth International Writers Festival.

"It's a huge responsibility to take over here," says Were. "And it's a privilege too because there is such enthusiasm from writers and readers - everyone involved."

Maybe that's why, at a writers festival, there is also that unique mix of younger and older talent: a balancing act of wise heads such as Barry Jones, Kate Grenville, Martin Harrison, Chris Masters, Dorothy Porter, Janette Turner Hospital and Michael Young on the one hand and, on the other, Lionel Shriver, Shaun Tan, Madeleine Thien, Tara June Winch, Cyril Wong, Alice Pung and Leigh Redhead.

"I think increasingly, writers festivals are where people gravitate to get the ideas and inspiration they're not finding elsewhere," says Were.

Sydney Writers Festival: May 28-June 3, 2007; program and bookings from www.swf.org.au.