For its 25th anniversary next year, the international literature festival berlin (ilb) is pleased to announce the appointment of the acclaimed Mexican author and Pulitzer Prize winner Cristina Rivera Garza as Curator in Residence. She is the director of the Ph.D. program in Hispanic Studies with a focus on Creative Writing in Spanish at the University of Houston.
Following the successful launch of this new curatorial direction last year with the appointment of a Curator in Residence by an international selection committee, Rivera Garza will contribute to the festival’s 25th edition, curating her own events and defining a festival theme in collaboration with the ilb team, and inviting distinguished authors. She received the Pulitzer Prize in 2024 for her memoir, »Liliana’s Invincible Summer. A Sister’s Search for Justice«, where she writes about her sister’s femicide in 1990. This award underscores her exceptional literary achievements and profound impact on contemporary Mexican and global literature.
Known for her interdisciplinary, genre-crossing approach that weaves together literature, history, and social themes, Cristina Rivera Garza pushes the boundaries of traditional narrative and raises fundamental questions about cultural identity, power structures, and memory. Her works, which blend fiction, essay, poetry, and documentary prose, have received international recognition.
Cristina Rivera Garza, Curator in Residence 2025:
»It is a true honor to be the second curator in residence for the international literature festival berlin – a high-energy festival in a cosmopolitan and multifaceted city that has been key for my most recent production. I treasure the opportunity to go back to my dearest Berlin and work alongside an experienced team of organizers, artists, thinkers. From brainstorming to staging, I trust we’ll be able to forge a vibrant contemporary conversation able to congregate talents from a range of communities from around the world.«
Lavinia Frey, Festival Director:
»After a successful first festival with a Curator in Residence, author Helon Habila, we are thrilled to welcome Cristina Rivera Garza for our anniversary year. Her perspective on literature and societal themes will have a profound influence on our program. Our choice to invite a Curator in Residence is meant as a commitment to intercultural collaboration that starts with curation itself. I would like to thank the selection committee for their fantastic and dedicated partnership.«
Timo Berger, selection committee member, adds:
»Cristina Rivera Garza is one of the most versatile and innovative contemporary authors from Latin America. Her work explores the intersections of subjective experience and historical documents, creating new forms to address memory, violence, and trauma. Her gaze into the past is always simultaneously an exploration of potential paths for a more just present, marked by deep empathy and hope.«
The Curatorial Principle
The concept of international guest curation was introduced last year by the Peter-Weiss-Stiftung für Kunst und Kultur e.V. to bring fresh perspectives to the ilb. The Curator in Residence works closely with the curatorial team to enhance the festival’s program with unique contributions, inviting new voices to showcase the diversity of global literature. This principle strengthens the ilb’s international network and will shape the festival’s identity for years to come.
The curatorial principle is made possible by the generous support of the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) through the Capital Cultural Fund (HKF). We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Joint Committee, including the State Minister for Culture and Media and Patron of the 23rd ilb Claudia Roth, General Secretary of the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) Andreas Görgen, Berlin’s Senator for Culture and Social Cohesion and Patron of the 24th ilb Joe Chialo, and Berlin’s Permanent Secretary for Culture Sarah Wedl-Wilson.
About the Selection Committee
The selection committee for the Curator in Residence includes the Board of the Peter-Weiss-Stiftung für Kunst und Kultur e.V., Barbara Wahlster and Prof. Johannes Kister, Festival Director Lavinia Frey, Litprom jury member Timo Berger, author Priya Basil, curator of the FILBA Festival in Buenos Aires Victoria Rodriguez Lacrouts, Director of the Aké Arts and Book Festival in Lagos Lola Shoneyin, and translator and former Director of International Literature at S. Fischer Verlag, Hans Jürgen Balmes.
The 25th international literature festival berlin will take place from 11 – 20 September 2024 (11 – 20 Sep Program & 15 – 24 Sep Young Program).