was born in Munich in 1942. He moved with his family to the remote Bavarian mountains when he was just two weeks old, shaping his life profoundly. He received no formal education in filmmaking, opting instead to learn the craft through self-study. Notable for his vivid storytelling and daring cinematic
Ibtisam Azem was born in Tayibe, northern Jaffa, where she spent her formative years. Her academic endeavors brought her to Germany, where she pursued an M.A. in Islamic Studies, complemented by minors in German and English Literature from Freiburg University. Later, she graduated from New York University with an M.A.
born in Detroit, Michigan in 1960, attended Brown and Stanford Universities. He first rose to acclaim with his debut novel, »The Virgin Suicides« (1993). The book is told by a collective narrator of middle-aged men who try to piece together the mystery of the collective suicides of five sisters in
Liana Finck, a prolific graphic artist and author, was born in 1986 in New York State. She developed a passion for drawing early on and pursued her interests academically, earning her BFA from Cooper Union College in 2008, with concentrations in fine art and graphic design. She further expanded her
born in Los Angeles, established herself as a New York Times bestselling author recognized for the »Raybearer« series and the Disney-Marvel comics »Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur«. Accolades in her name include being a Nebula Award, Ignyte Award, Audie Award, and Hugo Lodestar finalist. Noteworthy features of her work have
Jennifer W. Neal, born in the United States, is an author, producer, visual artist, standup comedian, and occasional musician, now residing in Berlin. Her diverse work has been internationally recognized in various publications, and her debut book, »Notes on Her Color« was published by Catapult (US) and Penguin Random House
Born in 1993, in Mombasa, Kenya, Idza Luhumyo is a rising star in African literature. Her journey began with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Nairobi (2016), followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from Kenya School of Law (2019), grounding her narratives in legal realities and societal
Jamaica Kincaid was born Elaine Potter Richardson on the Caribbean island of Antigua in 1949. Her mother had married for the second time and had three half-brothers to support, so at 17, she went as an au pair to New York, where she soon became a writer: Jamaica Kincaid. Her
Francis Fukuyama, born in Chicago in 1952, read political science at Harvard University. His bestseller »The End of History«, published in 1992, gained him international renown. Fukuyama is one of the most important political theorists of our time. He has taught at John Hopkins University, received the Johan Skytte Prize
Poet, critic, translator, and poetry professor Ilya Kaminsky was born in Odessa, then Soviet Union, in 1977. After contracting mumps at the age of four, he became hard of hearing. In 1993, he immigrated to the United States with his family and settled in Rochester, New York. There, at the
Lauren Groff was born in Cooperstown, New York, in 1978. She made her debut in 2008 with »The Monsters of Templeton«. The troubled archaeology student Willie Upton returns to her hometown of Templeton, New York, where her family has been for centuries. But the question of her father’s identity remains
born in Berlin in 1982, studied biology with a focus on zoology, botany, ecology, and genetics at the Humboldt University in Berlin and subsequently worked as a research assistant, focusing on the genetics of plants. As a guide at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, he gives guided tours and workshops.
