Haitian writer Évelyne Trouillot is the guest of honor at the 2nd edition of the “Female Books” festival, at Cap Haitien, the second city of Haiti. The event will be held from July 20 to 22, 2023 in the Christophian city, officials say. During her visit to Cap-Haitien, she will host a conference on the theme “Commitment, ethics and creativity” at the French alliance of the city.
Victor Hugo and so many others testify to this, literature has always held its place in troubled times. She will do it again. This festival sets itself the mission of being an original festival highlighting personalities and young writers among the most singular of the moment. On the menu: conferences, talks, exhibitions, signature sale, workshops, and performances. Several emerging voices will also take part. This literary festival will take place in a difficult social and political context. The return to normal is not yet for tomorrow. But literature, books are not idle.
Évelyne Trouillot the guest of honor of the festival is not just anyone. She has a great influence on the new generation of writers in Haiti. Born in Port-au-Prince, she lived in the United States before returning to Haiti. A teacher of French and literature, she works in the education sector. Her first publication, “The Forbidden Room”, was published by L’Harmattan in 1996. In 2004, she received the Soroptimist Prize for French-speaking novelist for her brilliant novel “Rosalie l’infâme”. Her first theatrical text, “Le Bleu de l’ile”, was rewarded by ETC Caraïbes and received the Beaumarchais de la Caraïbe prize ex aequo in 2005. Évelyne Trouillot is one of the greatest Haitian writers at the moment. “Les jumelles de la rue Nicolas”, his latest novel has just been published by Project’iles in September 2022.
For many years, this committed writer has fought for the respect and memory of her country. When she writes, she puts the pen in the wound, to use the expression of Albert Londres. Évelyne’s pen revisits the past, memory, absence, migration. We always come out in his books with a different vision of life, of the world. His work is a journey. Great clarity. A broken silence. A screaming voice. who claims life. Characters that touch us. Evelyne’s sentences are intelligence. Percussive verb. Panting breath. That’s what a great writer is; translates words into emotion. Give voice to words. Find an eye-catching style and a smart word to say to the world. Who speaks to the reader. Évelyne, from the start, it’s amazement. Whether it’s poetry, novel, theater, or short story, you never get tired of reading Évelyne. On the contrary, we leave with emotion. With a fresh look at ourselves and life.
Evelyne’s work still lives with us. When you close the book, you always want to come back to it. Like his hometown that we left a long time ago and we want to come back. Because you always have to come back. How many readers here have made a page of Évelyne her native land? His ideal refuge. We always have to come back to Évelyne, especially when we are “looking for the humanity that is within us.
Évelyne Trouillot/ author’s contribution
Évelyne Trouillot supports initiatives that put women in the spotlight. She said that women who write around the world are often less represented on the literary scene. “Whether at the level of critics, editors or readers or other writers, the treatment often differs when it comes to a woman who writes. The way we look at women’s work is too often tinged with the prejudices that society itself generates and reproduces. Furthermore, women who want to write face more obstacles than men; society’s expectations of them rarely include a space for creation, an individual space because literary creation is generally individual. Even when it opens up to the world and is crossed by the world. So an activity that celebrates women writers is symbolically important. She values poetry and she encourages women wishing to embark on this beautiful adventure that is writing not to be discouraged, to fight to achieve their dream. I highly appreciate this initiative,” she said.
The way we look at women’s work is too often tinged with the prejudices that society itself generates and reproduces.
Évelyne Trouillot
During her visit to Cap-Haitien, she will have carte blanche, will lead a conference on the theme “Commitment, ethics and creativity. She will lead a two-day writing workshop for young female writers in the city. Vision 2000 journalist Marie André Bélange will also lead a conference (Women and the media) and a workshop on the podcast. A tribute to the poetess Yanick Jean will also be there.
According to Rodeline Doly, president of the festival, Cap-Haitien is already opening its arms to the guests of Livres au feminine. The city, during this festival, will be bubbling with life and dreams. In this time of uncertainty, it always takes a page to live.