Christine Otten
(Deventer, NL, 1961) is a writer, performer and theatre producer. Her 2004 breakthrough came with De laatste dichters (The Last Poets), nominated for the Libris Literature Prize. This novel about the lives of four black Americans who became famous as "The Last Poets" was adapted for theatre. We hadden liefde, we hadden wapens (We Had Love, We Had Weapons), Otten's swirling 2016 novel, is about the life of the black citizen's rights activist Robert F. Williams in America, and about taking a stand for the right to be who you are, regardless of the consequences. Een van ons (One of Us, 2020), her novel about lifelong prisoner Luc was performed as a theatre monologue. In Als ik je eenmaal mijn verhaal heb verteld (Once I told you my story, 2024), Anir tries to build a new life â€outside†after 12 years of detention. The Blocknotes Foundation, co-founded by Otten in 2020, uses creative writing for empowerment and talent development of people in prison.
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Author Christine Otten in Bibliotheek Nieuw Waldeck
With: Christine Otten, Mehmet Polat
The Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival can be found on many stages in The Hague from 23 to 26 January 2025. In Bibliotheek Nieuw Waldeck, writer Christine Otten will talk about and read from her new book Als ik je eenmaal mijn verhaal verteld heb (Once I've told you my story), with musical contributions from master ud player Mehmet Polat.
Als ik je eenmaal mijn verhaal verteld heb is a novel about big themes: can one escape the own background and the community one belongs to? What makes a good person? And when is one truly free?
After 12 years of detention, Anir is trying to build a new life 'outside'. At the probation office, he meets Emma. She finds in Anir the experienced person she needs for her dissertation. Anir hopes the conversations will be liberating. What begins as an equal 'deal' between two like-minded people soon becomes an intimate and sultry friendship, in which the scientific context seems to fade into the background.
Christine Otten is a writer, performer and theatre-maker. In 2004, she made her breakthrough with De laatste dichters (The Last Poets), which was nominated for the Libris Literature Prize. This novel, about the lives of four black Americans who created a furore under the name 'The Last Poets', was adapted for theatre. We hadden liefde, we hadden wapens (We Had Love, We Had Guns, 2016) is a whirlwind novel about the life of black civil rights fighter Robert F. Williams in America, and about standing up for the right to be who you are, regardless of the consequences. Een van ons (One of Us, 2020), her novel about lifelong criminal Luc was performed as a theatre monologue. The Blocknotes Foundation, co-founded by Otten in 2020, uses creative writing for empowerment and talent development of people in prison.
Mehmet Polat is a master ud player, composer, soloist and ensemble leader of his Mehmet Polat Quartet. He performs internationally from Africa to India, Persia to the Balkans with contemporary to jazz, combining different musical genres. In his improvisations, compositions and with his own take on different musical styles, Mehmet constantly seeks new musical paths and inspiration. He invented a new left-hand technique so that he can play more sophisticated and modern pieces on the ud. He also designed a ud with two extra bass strings to increase the range and function of his instrument.
Festival tip 1: for the full festival experience, go to the grand festival events Friday Night Unlimited (24 January) and Saturday Night Unlimited (25 January)! Both nights you choose your own route along some 20 performances, readings and conversations on five stages in Theater aan het Spui and Filmhuis Den Haag. English and Dutch spoken.
Festivaltip 3: as Writers Unlimited presents literature festivals for 30 years, we celebrate this anniversary with Playing with Fire, a show full of music, dance and literature at Amare (Danstheater) on Sunday afternoon, 26 January. You will see and hear Spinvis, Shirma Rouse, XILLAN, Babs Gons, Joost Oomen, Zaire Krieger, Claudia Karapanou Flamenco Trio, Royal Conservatoire Dance and percussion group Pulse led by Eli Wing, among others. Book now! Tickets are 11 euros (under 29s or students), or 16 - 35 euros (depending on seat chosen).From 23 to 26 January 2025, Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague is to be found in theatres, libraries and schools throughout the city: from Theater aan het Spui, Filmhuis Den Haag, Amare and Paard to Theater Dakota, Theater De Vaillant, the Laakkwartier, Nieuw Waldeck, Schilderswijk and Ypenburg libraries, the Institute of Social Studies and De Haagse Hogeschool. With over 120 writers, poets and spoken-word artists and musicians from the Netherlands and abroad. With readings, prose, poetry, storytelling, spoken word, author interviews, topical talks, films and music.
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Optimistische woede (Optimistical Anger)
With: Annelies Verbeke, Christine Otten, Jannah Loontjens, Manon Uphoff, Rachida Lamrabet, Sanneke van Hassel, Shantie Singh
In this Writers Series programme, writers' collective Fixdit, in collaboration with Writers Unlimited, celebrated the publication of the Fixdit manifesto Optimistische woede: fix het seksisme in de literatuur (Optimistic Rage: fix sexism in literature), a publication of De Geus, at Theater aan het Spui in The Hague.Optimistic rage
Many people openly admit to barely reading books by women. Reading lists in schools are dominated by books by (white straight) men. Women win fewer literary prizes than men. Is that a bad thing? Yes, because it reflects and shapes relations in society.Eleven female writers are outraged by the unequal position of women in the arts, and united in the collective Fixdit. From alliance, they fight for change, in the literary world and in the canon. In the eleven pieces of this manifesto, they explore the problem in depth. Furious, combative, and above all: optimistic.
Programme
No fewer than eight of the eleven Fixdit authors read from their contributions to their joint manifesto: Sanneke van Hassel, Rachida Lamrabet, Jannah Loontjens, Christine Otten, Shantie Singh, Fleur Speet, Manon Uphoff and Annelies Verbeke. You probably read their books and met them in previous Writers Series programmes or at the Winternachten festival.The programme in Zaal 1 opened and closed with parts from Gregory Shaggy's urban dance performance (Y)our eyes only about the reality of young black men in Western society. With their own dreams, goals and talents, they try to make a name for themselves in a world where prejudice, racism, inequality and distorted images in the media are unfortunately still among today's problems. The men want to search for their own truths. They try to face personal blockages in order to ultimately follow their dreams.
After the programme, we celebrated the book launch with bubbles and book signing at De Vries Van Stockum Boeken's book sales stand in the foyer. This book launch marked the start of a Fixdit tour along bookshops and literary venues throughout the Netherlands and Belgium.
Fixdit consists of Yra van Dijk, Sanneke van Hassel, Rachida Lamrabet, Jannah Loontjens, Munganyende Hélène Christelle, Christine Otten, Gaea Schoeters, Shantie Singh, Fleur Speet, Manon Uphoff and Annelies Verbeke. -
This Is Not America (part 1)
A late-night show about the United States of America that touches on many issues, from the shrinking middle class to the differences between whites and blacks, from hopeful new immigrants to the embittered white underclass. The America of the supporters of Donald Trump. A discussion between bestselling US author Colson Whitehead, Bolivian author Rodrigo Hasbún, Dutch writer Christine Otten and Anglo-Dutch writer Ian Buruma about America in the era of president Trump. Stephan Sanders moderates the conversation and Spoken Beat Night adds a jazzy musical interpretation of the American story.
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The Tale of Two Cities
Four writers, eight cities. In The tale of Two Cities, writers for whom "the city" has more than one face have their say. Dutch sociologist Corina Duijndam lived among disadvantaged youth in the suburbs of Paris and Amsterdam; Ibrahim Piotr Kalwas knows his birth city Warsaw like the back of his hand and his chosen home of Alexandria (Egypt) like the back of his other hand; Ilja Leonard Pfeiffer once swore by Leiden but is now stuck on Genoa (Italy); and Israel's Dorit Rabinyan jumps back and forth between New York, Tel Aviv (Israel) and Ramallah (Palestine) in her novel about impossible love between an Israeli and a Palestinian. Moderator: Christine Otten.
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VPRO De Avonden Live: Christine Otten and Manon Uphoff
Interviews with writers for the VPRO radio programme De Avonden Live. In Dutch.
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The Third Chamber of Parliament
Third Chamber chair Ruben Maes invites you to debate, interrupt, and introduce amendments. Bring true democracy closer. Even if it is just for one evening. Five guests will spark off the debate: philosopher Maxim Februari opens with a column on the notion of citizen. Then cultural historian Thomas von der Dunk, journalist Paul van der Gaag and writers Christine Otten and David Van Reybrouck enter into a discussion with you, the audience. In Dutch.
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What I would give my life for
Four writers were inspired by a confronting question: who or what would I give my life for? Four writers, four pleas for a cause which sets them on fire. As surprising as moving: the stories and songs of inspired writers and storytellers. In Dutch.
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Antjie Krog Sestig
With: Ad Zuiderent, Adriaan van Dis, Anne Vegter, Antjie Krog, Anton Korteweg, Bas Kwakman, Christine Otten, Hester Knibbe, Ineke Holzhaus, Jan Baeke, Jan Klug, Jan van der Haar, K. Michel, Liesbeth Lagemaat, Mark Boog, Peter Swanborn, Raj Mohan, Rob Schouten, Robert Dorsman, Rodaan Al Galidi, Tom Lanoye, Tsead Bruinja
Dutch poets honoured the South-African poet and writer Antjie Krog. She celebrated her 60th birthday in The Hague. A festive evening, where Antjie Krog presented the audience her favourite poems in Afrikaans. Writers Adriaan van Dis interviewed her on the position of the Afrikaans poet in South-Afrika. Numerous Dutch poets read their poems for Antjie.
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Ronelda S. Kamfer and Christine Otten
With: Christine Otten, Jeroen van Kan, Ronelda S. Kamfer
Ronelda S. Kamfer is one of the most exciting young South-African poets. She will perform and speak with the Dutch writer Christine Otten.
Kamfer grew up in Cape Town. She studied at the University of Western Cape with the well known writer Antjie Krog. For her first collection of poems 'Noudat Slapende Honde' (2008) she was awarded the prestigious Eugene Marais Prize. In 2010 she was introduced to the Dutch audience at the Writers Unlimited festival. Her performance was a sensation. All copies of her books were sold instantatiously. Her new collection, 'Santenkraam', was published this month in Dutch translation at Podium publishing house.
During this evening in Writers Unlimited The Series, she will talk to writer, performer and journalist Christine Otten. In her work she shows affinity with the South-African poet: 'Ronelda S. Kamfer converts the raw dayly reality of South-Africa into crystal clear poetry, that leaves the reader speechless.' Otten is known by her novels 'The Last Poets'(2006), 'In Wonderland' (2010) and 'Als Casablanca' (2008). With Writers Unlimited she tourned to South-Africa, and performed at festivals in Durban and Cape Town.
The talk between Kamfer and Otten will be moderated by the radio- and televisionpresentor Jeroen van Kan (VPRO De Avonden).
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Big Brother visiting
Christine Otten and Antjie Krog had disorder literally hovering on their doorstep. They discovered that independently of each other they had written books with an almost identical scene, a police raid on their homes. Both raids took place on wrongful suspicions of terrorist or terrorism related practices in the 1990s. The affair in Otten's novel goes back to a terrorist action by RARA in the Netherlands; in Krog's nonfiction book it's about an ANC murder in South Africa. In "Big Brother Visiting", Wim Brands asks both writers to compare their books and place them in time. Is it coincidental that they both write on how the personal life of their characters, and thereby there own freedom, is violated? Is it a coincidence that they write about these matters after 9/11?
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The remake of Uncle Tom's cabin
"Aha, you must be the lady who started the civil war and has abolished slavery", said president Lincoln at the time to Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's cabin. Can literature have such an important role? When history has overtaken fiction, as is the case in this novel, must a novel be adapted to make it more relevant? Writers Frank Martinus Arion, Vamba Sherif and Christine Otten attempt this. They rewrite parts of Uncle Tom's cabin and explain why their version is better suited to the modern reader than the original. Panel chairman is Pieter Steinz. Dutch spoken.
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Tradewinds/Passaatwinde - Cape Town
With: Christine Otten, Drisana Deborah Jack, Jan Klug, Jit Narain, Sutardji Calzoum Bachri
In Kaapstad werkt Winternachten samen met het festival Tradewinds/Passaatwinde, georganiseerd door schrijfster Antjie Krog en producent Ben Willliams. Net als bij Winternachten in Den Haag komen in Tradewinds/Passaatwinde schrijvers, dichters en musici samen uit de hele wereld, maar met name uit de landen die een historische koloniale band met Nederland hebben. Het festival biedt film, muziek, voordrachten en debatten.
Het hoofdprogramma vindt plaats in het Labia Theatre, een art-deco 'filmhuis' in het centrum van de stad. Daarnaast legt Tradewinds/Passaatwinde met optredens buiten de stad verbindingen met de vele verschillende gemeenschappen in de Kaapse regio. Het thema dit jaar is 'Poetry Junction': dichters en andere kunstenaars geven verschillende visies op tien jaar democratie in Zuid-Afrika.
Van zondag 24 tot woensdag 27 oktober reizen de dichters rond in de Kaap en treden ze op in culturele centra, bibiotheken en universiteiten. Op donderdag 28 en vrijdag 29 oktober zijn er optredens in het Labia Theatre.
De deelnemende schrijvers en dichters: Sutardji Calzoum Bachri (Indonesie), Regina Beregho (Zuid-Afrika), Breedevallei Digters (uit Worcester, Zuid-Afrika), Chirikure Chirikure (Zimbabwe), Ingrid de Kok (Zuid-Afrika), Drisana Deborah Jack (Sint Maarten), Estella Kambina (Zuid-Afrika) Mzwakhe Mbuli (Zuid-Afrika), Petra Muller (Zuid-Afrika), Jit Narain (Suriname), Christine Otten (Nederland), Alfred Schaffer (Nederland/Zuid-Afrika) en Bulelani Zantsi (Zuid-Afrika). Deelnemende musici: Jan Klug (Nederland), Chiwoniso Maraire (Zimbabwe) en Karen Zoid & Band (Zuid-Afrika).
Daarnaast neemt de schrijfster Nurridin Farah (Somalië) deel in een discussieprogramma en treden op als gespreksleiders en presentatoren Miki Flockemann (Zuid-Afrika), Alfred Schaffer (Nederland/Zuid-Afrika) en Harry Garuba (Zuid-Afrika).
Maandag 25 Oktober, avond: Poetry Junction in Montagu
Woensdag 27 Oktober: Poetry Caravan: Atlantis, Delft + Brown's Farm, Athlone, City Centre libraries
Donderdag 28 Oktober: Poetry Junction en Poetry Slam - University of the Western Cape
Donderdag 28 oktober, 20.00-22.00 uur: Preview evening, Labia Theatre, Orange Street, Kaapstad.
Vrijdag 29 oktober, 20.00 uur: "Main evening" in het Labia Theatre, Kaapstad. -
Poetry Africa - Durban
With: Christine Otten, Drisana Deborah Jack, Jan Klug, Jit Narain, Sutardji Calzoum Bachri
Poetry Africa in Durban geldt als een van de belangrijkste poëziefestivals van Afrika. Zes dagen lang treden meer dan dertig dichters en muziekgroepen uit twaalf landen op. Het programma omvat voordrachten, seminars, workshops, poëzie-schrijfwedstrijden en speciale optredens in scholen en in gevangenissen.
Namens Winternachten treden dichters op uit Indonesië, Suriname, Sint Maarten en Nederland. In een programma op donderdag 21 oktober in het Elisabeth Sneddon Theatre staat deze 'Dutch Connection' centraal. Elk van de dichters draagt voor uit zijn werk, en wordt geïntroduceerd door de bekende Zuid-Afrikaanse stand-up comedian Soli Philander. Philander is ook voor het Nederlandse publiek een bekende. Hij trad twee keer op tijdens Winternachten in Den Haag.
Poetry Afrika opent op maandagavond in het Elisabeth Sneddon Theatre met een serie korte optredens van alle participerende dichters: Sutardji Calzoum Bachri (Indonesië), The Botsotso Jesters (Zuid-Afrika), Feel A Sistah!, een 'Spoken Word Collective' uit Zuid-Afrika met Lebo Mashile, Myesha Jenkins, Napo Masheane en Ntsiki Mazwai, Dorian Haarhof (Zuid-Afrika), Joy Harjo (USA), Drisana Deborah Jack (Sint Maarten), Were Were Liking (Kameroen/Ivoorkust), Mazwakhe Mbuli (Zuid-Afrika), Kobus Moolman (Zuid-Afrika), Richard Murphy (Ierland), Nowadayz Poets (Zuid-Afrika), Jit Narain (Suriname), Albert Nyathi (Zimbabwe), Christine Otten (Nederland), Karen Press (Zuid-Afrika), Baralong Seboni (Botswana), Tumi (Zuid-Afrika) en Christian Uetz (Zwitserland).
Tijdens Poetry Africa beleeft de documentaire van John Albert Jansen over de Surinaamse dichter Jit Narain zijn première in de Engelstalige versie 'Ashes of Memory'.
Meer informatie over Poetry Africa is hier te vinden.
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The seers - poetic visions
Climbers of mount Olympus, romantic idealists, Doktor Spocks and bungyjumpers to hell, write themselves a poetic road to the future. Four poets and their vision: Pieter Boskma, Ruben of Gogh, Astrid Lampe and Christine Otten were commissioned by Winternachten to write a visionary poem. They recite their poems and discuss it with Joris van Casteren. Christine Otten is accompanied by saxophone player Jan Klug.
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My National Anthem
With: Christine Otten, Geert van Istendael, Gibi Bacilio, Jaap Blonk, Kader Abdolah, Michaël Zeeman, Theodor Holman
Holland is no longer the country it used to be. Are we ready for a new national anthem? Six writers and poets from The Netherlands and abroad present their personal alternative on this afternoon.
Writer/commentator Theodor Holman, Gibi Bacilio from Curaçao, writer and rap-poet Christine Otten, Kader Abdolah and the Flemish writer Geert van Istendael sang their new national anthems for our country. Michaël Zeeman talked to the writers and poets in an effort to reinvent the nation. Dutch spoken.
On this page, you can listen to the sound recordings.
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Winternachten Bijlmer
With: Christine Otten, Cynthia Mc Leod, Gibi Bacilio, Marylin Simons, Nicole Terborg
No better poet and performer than Gibi Bacilio from Curaçao. He performs together with the Surinamese writer Marylin Simons, winner of the Kwakoe literature prize, Cynthia McLeod from Suriname and the Dutch novelist and rapping poet Christine Otten. Moderated by Nicole Terborg. Dutch spoken. An evening organised in co-operation with Krater Theater Bijlmer (www.krater.nl).
Tickets: 020 6952911
