(Angola, 1960) has published an extensive body of work comprising novels (15 titles), short stories and novellas (7 collections) and numerous journalistic pieces (including for the Brazilian newspaper O Globo). As an important literary voice and a leading author of the Portuguese-speaking world, his at times magical-realist narratives, often rich in historical context, humor and references to Angola, also appeals to many readers outside that world: his work has been translated into at least 25 languages. In A General Theory of Oblivion (2016), a woman with agoraphobia barricades herself in her flat in Luanda. She remains there for thirty years while her country goes through various political stages, from colony to socialist republic and from civil war to peace and capitalism. His latest novel is Mestre dos batuques (2024, Master of Drums). In it, Agualusa rewrites history and describes how drums played an important role in the resistance against the Portuguese colonisers. He also collaborated with Mia Couto on the screenplay for José Miguel Ribeiro's magical realist animated feature film Nayola (2022), which explores this theme.

Watch the trailer of the film Nayola on YouTube
Instagram: @jose_eduardo_agualusa

(Romania, 1973) grew up in Transylvania during Ceausescu's totalitarian regime. At age 15, he moved to Hungary. His novel The White King (2008) has been translated into 30 languages and won acclaim from the international literary press as well as various literary prizes. The book deals with a boy growing up under the totalitarian regime that has taken away his father. His rebellious youth is dominated by constant oppression and his father's permanent absence. During the festival, his novel Vuurstapel (Fire Stack) will come out in Dutch. This time, the protagonist is a 13-year-old girl living through the confusing years after the bloody revolution that executed the dictator. In Hungary and beyond, Dragomán is considered a kindred spirit to David Mitchell, George Orwell and Stanley Kubrick. He has translated the work of James Joyce, Samuel Beckett and Ian McEwan. Dragomán lives in Budapest with his wife, the poet Anna Szabo, and their two sons.

(Poland, 1968) is a writer, journalist and professor of philosophy. A student of cultural studies and philosophy, she earned her doctorate with a thesis on feminism, postmodernism and psychoanalysis that was published as a book in 2011. Bator taught in Japan, which became the basis of her breakthrough novel Japoński wachlarz (Japanese Fan). In 2013 she won the top Polish literary award, the Nike, with Ciemno, prawie noc (Dark, almost Night). This novel is about a young woman who returns to her hometown of Wałbrzych (also Bator's hometown). An investigative journalist, she wants to look into the mysterious disappearance of three children. The village's inhabitants behave strangely, and sinister events force her to confront dark aspects of her own past: her parents' death and her sister's suicide. Bator employs a mixture of styles, from Gothic horror to chatroom lingo. During the festival, her work will be the subject of the Polish translation contest.

(Zimbabwe, 1971) debuted in 2009 with the short-story collection An Elegy for Easterly, followed by her first novel The Book of Memory (2015) and another story collection, Rotten Row (2016). Her new book Out of Darkness, Shining Light tells the story of the perilous, months-long trek made in 1873 by 69 workers to transport the body of the explorer David Livinstone from central Africa to the Zanzibar coast, so it could eventually be buried in England. "I write the history of the black people of Zimbabwe, those about whom nobody ever speaks." Gappah studied law in Zimbabwe and Cambridge, worked as a lawyer, and lives in Berlin as artist-in-residence. She has won many international prizes for her work.

(Oost-Souburg, NL, 1959) studied Dutch and Literary Theory in Leiden. He spent several years as a professional dancer. Later he developed into a versatile radio-maker at the NCRV broadcaster, including the successful "Casa Luna" programme. He now hosts two programmes on Radio 4: "Passaggio" (weekdays at 7 p.m.) and the talk show "Diskotabel." He also works in theatre as a dramaturge and writer. He is increasingly active as a presenter of concerts, conferences and debates. Every Saturday, he publishes an interview with an inspiring special guest in De Correspondent online daily.