I attended a writer’s festival a few years ago, where the director of the festival told me how they had curated it to be a celebration of only the things they personally loved. At the time, I thought it was the greatest act of egotism I have encountered in Australian arts, which given how the entire field is one driven and fuelled by egos, that’s quite a testament. Then I was asked to curate this year’s OzAsia Festival’s Weekend of Words and suddenly I found myself succumbing to the temptation to do exactly the same. I wanted all the writers and all the books and all the wordsmiths and all the everything that I love to be at my festival and nothing else. Fortunately, OzAsia Festival employs professionals who whipped my ego back into its cage The end result is a festival of ideas. This is a celebration of not just the things I love, but the things I think you will love as well. Its also got things that we all need to know more about, things that will make us uncomfortable, things that will inform and things that will entertain. Mostly, however, it’s a festival of things that will make you want to read and write and create and recite yourself.
My goal was to create a literary festival that transcends the traditional boundaries of storytelling. We’re living in a time when narratives aren’t confined to just books—they exist in films, on stages, and even in social media feeds. So, why limit our celebration to only novelists? This year, I’ve brought together a diverse group of voices: from novelists and poets to screenwriters, comedians, and comic book creators. Together, we’re building a festival that embraces every genre, form, and tradition. It’s a festival for those who write—and those who experience storytelling in every imaginable way.
Fantasy: Expanding Worlds with Cultural Depth
I’ve always been fascinated by the power of fantasy to create new worlds while reflecting our own. This genre allows writers to push the limits of imagination while staying rooted in cultural experiences. That’s why we’ve brought in Vajra Chandrasekera, a Sri Lankan writer whose debut novel, The Saint of Bright Doors, explores the intersections of identity, belief, and otherworldly realms. Vajra doesn’t just tell fantastical stories—he redefines how we think about power, culture, and history. He’s won or been nominated for every major award in his field, and when you read his new book Rakesfall you’ll see why he’s being hailed as one of the most original voices in literature.
And it’s not just about creating magical universes. We’ve got writers like Keshe Chow, whose speculative fiction delves into the complexity of personal and cultural identity through unique, imaginative lenses. Keshe’s stories are not just entertaining—they invite readers to think about how culture and tradition shape the choices we make.
Vajra Chandrasekera
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Vajra Chandrasekera is from Colombo, Sri Lanka and is online at vajra.me. His debut novel, The Saint of Bright Doors, won the Nebula, Locus, and Crawford awards, and was a New York Times Notable Book of 2023. His second novel Rakesfall is out now.
Appearing in: Session 2, Session 16, Opening Night Gala
Keshe Chow
Naarm, Melbourne, Australia
Keshe is a multi-award winning author of fantasy, romance, and speculative fiction. Her debut novel, The Girl With No Reflection, was released this year with Penguin Australia. Currently, she lives in Naarm with her partner, kids, her cat, and far too many houseplants.
Appearing in: Session 3, Session 12
Contemporary Voices: Reflecting Today's Realities
While fantasy opens doors to new worlds, contemporary fiction brings us face-to-face with the complexities of the one we live in. For this year’s festival, we’ve curated panels that feature writers like Bora Chung and Siang Lu, whose works critically explore modern-day realities through compelling, sometimes dark, narratives. Bora’s work, particularly Cursed Bunny, blends the grotesque and the fantastical to comment on issues like gender and societal expectations, while Siang’s satirical take on contemporary Asian identities offers us much-needed humour and critical reflection.
Bora Chung
Pohang, South Korea
Bora is the author of Cursed Bunny and Your Utopia. Cursed Bunny was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2022. Bora likes dark, magical tales and stories about strong women battling to survive in an unjust, violent world.
Appearing in: Session 10, Session 13
Siang Lu
Siang Lu is the award-winning writer of The Whitewash (UQP, 2022) and the creator of The Beige Index. He is the recipient of the Queensland Literary Awards’ 2021 Glendower Award for an Emerging Writer.
Children’s Writers: Crafting Tomorrow’s Readers
As a father myself, I know how important it is to create stories that engage and inspire young readers. That’s why I’ve made space for some of the most innovative children’s writers in our lineup. Gabrielle Wang, for example, blends rich cultural histories with adventurous tales that captivate young minds. Her novel Zadie Ma and the God Who Chased the Moon is the kind of story that not only entertains but also helps children connect with their cultural roots.
And then there’s Sandhya Parappukkaran, whose work celebrates diversity through colourful, imaginative tales. Sandhya’s writing, especially Amma’s Sari, isn’t just a story for children—it’s a celebration of cultural identity and familial bonds. Her narratives are a reminder that the stories we tell our children can shape how they see themselves and the world around them.
Gabrielle Wang
Wurundjeri Country, Melbourne, Australia
Gabrielle Wang is an award-winning children’s author of more than twenty books. She is third-generation Chinese Australian. Gabrielle’s books are a blend of Eastern and Western culture with a touch of fantasy. Gabrielle was the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2022 and 2023.
Appearing in: Session 9
Sandhya Parappukkaran
Turrbal Country, Brisbane, Australia
Sandhya Parappukkaran writes stories which are inspired by her childhood experiences traversing different cultures and are steeped in the theme of ‘embracing your cultural identity’. Scrumptious food and glimpses of nature inspired by her Kerala Indian heritage feature heavily when she sits down to write.
Comics and Graphic Novels: Visual Storytelling at Its Best
The beauty of comics and graphic novels is that they combine visual and textual storytelling in ways that other forms cannot. We’re lucky to have creators like Rachel Ang and Benjamin Chee, who are masters at using the comic book medium to tackle serious themes with wit and creativity. Rachel’s Swimsuit isn’t just a visual feast—it’s a deeply personal exploration of body image, identity, and the female experience. Meanwhile, Benjamin’s genre-blending works explore everything from mythology to modern-day work culture, often with a touch of absurdity that only comics can offer.
Rachel Ang
Wurundjeri Country, Melbourne, Australia
Rachel Ang is an artist and writer who makes comics. Their work has previously been published in international journals such as The New Yorker and kuš!, The Age, and Meanjin. Their first book, Swimsuit, won a Silver Ledger from the Comic Arts Awards of Australia.
Appearing in: Session 6
Benjamin Chee
Nonfiction & Memoirs: The Power of Personal Stories
Some of the most impactful stories come from lived experiences, and memoirs allow us to step into another person’s shoes, if only for a while. Louisa Lim and Sarah Malik bring deeply personal narratives to the stage, giving us a glimpse into their lives and the broader social issues they tackle in their work. Louisa’s Indelible City and Sarah’s Desi Girl explore the intersections of politics, culture, and identity, asking us to reconsider our own place in the world. Their nonfiction works offer us not just insight, but a call to action—a reminder that personal stories can lead to societal change.
Louisa Lim
Naarm, Melbourne, Australia
Louisa Lim’s book The People’s Republic of Amnesia was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize and the Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism. Louisa has reported for The New York Times, Washington Post and Guardian, and was the correspondent for BBC and NPR for a decade. She currently teaches at the University of Melbourne.
Sarah Malik
Bediagal Land, Sydney, Australia
Sarah Malik is a Walkley-award winning Australian investigative journalist, author, and television presenter. She is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir Desi Girl: On Feminism, Race, Faith and Belonging, and a travel anthology Safar: Muslim women’s stories of travel and transformation.
Appearing in: Session 1, Session 11, Closing Night Debate
Poetry: Verses that Move Us
Poetry is the language of the soul, and this year’s festival brings together some of the most evocative poets of our time. Sara M. Saleh is one such poet, whose powerful words tackle themes of displacement, identity, and resistance. Her work is deeply personal yet universally relatable, touching on the struggles many face in a world that often feels fractured.
Then there’s Grace Yee, whose poetry combines personal reflection with a broader social critique. Grace’s collection Chinese Fish has won awards for good reason—it’s a striking portrayal of what it means to belong, or not, in today’s world.
Sara M. Saleh
Bidjigal Country, Sydney, Australia
Sara M. Saleh is a writer, human rights lawyer, and the daughter of Palestinian, Lebanese, and Egyptian migrants. Her first novel Songs for the Dead and the Living and first poetry collection The Flirtation of Girls were both released in 2023.
Appearing in: Session 4, Opening Night Gala
Grace Yee
Wurundjeri Country, Melbourne, Australia
Grace Yee is a poet and writer. She is the author of Chinese Fish, winner of the Victorian Prize for Literature, and the Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry, Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.
Appearing in: Session 14
Journalism and Research: Telling the Truth in a World of Noise
Journalism holds a mirror to society, often in the most challenging of circumstances. This year, we’re privileged to feature journalists like Louisa Lim and Khalid Amiri, who have reported from some of the world’s most conflict-ridden regions. Their experiences highlight the courage it takes to tell the truth in a world increasingly dominated by misinformation.
Alongside them, we have Mridula Nath Chakraborty and Smriti Daniel, whose research delves into the cultural and political forces that shape our societies. Their work isn’t just about recording history—it’s about understanding how cultural narratives influence today’s politics and tomorrow’s futures.
Louisa Lim
Naarm, Melbourne, Australia
Louisa Lim’s book The People’s Republic of Amnesia was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize and the Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism. Louisa has reported for The New York Times, Washington Post and Guardian, and was the correspondent for BBC and NPR for a decade. She currently teaches at the University of Melbourne.
Khalid Amiri
Naarm, Melbourne, Australia
Khalid Amiri, an Afghan refugee and former journalist for Radio Television of Afghanistan, fled Kabul after the Taliban takeover. Now a refugee rights activist, he advocates for Afghan people suffering in Afghanistan. He holds a Master’s degree from the University of Melbourne.
Mridula Nath Chakraborty
Boonwurrung Country, Melbourne, Australia
Mridula researches and teaches multicultural and postcolonial literatures, with an emphasis on diasporic writings of South Asia around the world (including in Asia, Africa and the Americas), Asian literatures in translation, and culinary cultures.
Appearing in: Session 4, Session 10, Session 13
Smriti Daniel
Kaurna Country, Adelaide, Australia
Smriti Daniel has followed her diverse interests across a number of subjects ranging from the arts to science and health reportage. Her byline has appeared in The Guardian, ABC, and Reuters among others. She is currently the Digital Manager at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency.
Appearing in: Session 8, Session 9, Session 11
Comedy: Laughter with a Message
As a comedian myself, I’ve always believed that humour is one of the most powerful tools we have to address serious issues. Comedy can disarm, enlighten, and provoke—all at once. This year, we’ve brought together a stellar lineup of comedians like Urvi Majumdar and Lawrence Leung, whose stand-up acts blend humour with sharp social commentary. Comedy isn’t just about making people laugh—it’s about challenging them to think.
Urvi Majumdar
Naarm, Melbourne, Australia
Urvi Majumdar is a stand-up comedian, writer, producer, and actor. She has written for The Project and The Weekly, and recently wrote and starred in her own online series, Urvi Went To An All Girls’ School, as a part of the ABC Freshblood initiative.
Appearing in: Session 5, Session 15, Closing Night Debate, Stop Everything! Live
Lawrence Leung
Naarm, Melbourne, Australia
Lawrence Leung is a screenwriter, actor, and award-winning standup comedian. He created the ABC1 comedies Lawrence Leung’s Unbelievable and Choose Your Own Adventure. He also hosted the TV series Our Brain and was recently a writer/performer for WTFAQ on ABC1.
Appearing in: Session 5, Session 15, Opening Night Gala
Screenwriting: From Script to Screen
The craft of screenwriting is a unique beast. It requires an understanding not only of story but also of visual storytelling. We’re lucky to have some of the industry’s best with us, like Mithila Gupta, who will be leading workshops on the intricacies of screenwriting. Her work has been instrumental in pushing for more authentic representations of Asian-Australian stories on screen, and her insights will be invaluable for anyone looking to break into the industry.
Mithila Gupta
Gadigal Country, Sydney, Australia
Mithila is a highly experienced creator/writer/producer who has written popular Australian drama for 15 years. She has recently created and showrun Four Years Later, an Indian/Aussie romance for SBS. She carries a slate of global projects across Australia, India, and the US.
Appearing in: Session 5, Workshop: Perfecting the Pitch
The Future of Storytelling
At the end of the day, this festival is a celebration of all the ways we tell stories. From the written word to the spoken one, from images on a page to scenes on a screen, stories are what connect us as human beings. I’m thrilled to have brought together such a diverse group of storytellers for this year’s OzAsia Festival’s Weekend of Words. It’s my hope that this festival inspires not just writers, but readers, viewers, and anyone with a love for stories to think about the future of storytelling in new and exciting ways.
So, whether you’re a lover of novels, comics, poetry, or screenplays, there’s something for you here. I invite you to dive into this year’s program, engage with our incredible lineup of writers, and perhaps even walk away with a new story of your own.
Sami Shah
Program Curator OzAsia Festival's Weekend of Words