The Cooler Lumpur Festival is back to spark creativity and explore ideas. The three day multi-arts festival will take place from 12-14 June. Poskod.MY is a festival partner and we will be part of the festival with our annual Poskod Journalism Campus.
Here are some of the top events not to miss for book worms, creative writers, film fanatics, poetry junkies, foodies and many more.
Panel: What Would You Write if You Weren’t Afraid?
Saturday 13 June: 10am – 11am at Black Box
Ever had a story you wanted to tell but buried it away in fear? This panel discusses how we might be censoring ourselves and the stories that are not being told, with speakers Marina Mahathir, Letyar Tun and Ira Trivedi.
Panel: Everything I Know I Learned from Science Fiction
Saturday 13 June: 11.30am – 12.30pm at Black Box
For all of you dreamers who believe in new worlds: hear from four science fiction authors giving their two scents on the genre. The panelists are Ian McDonald, James Smythe, Ian Doescher and Zen Cho.
Troll-Slayer: A Conversation with Lindy West
Saturday 13 June: 12pm – 1pm at Hope City
Meet Lindy West, Seattle-based writer, editor and performer who experienced death threats, verbal abuse and sexual harassment – and decided to fight back. [Part of Poskod Journalism Campus].
Panel: Rojak: Crossing the Cultural Boundaries of Food
Saturday 13 June: 1.30pm – 2.30pm at Black Box
Join this session to find out more on the future of Malaysian cuisine, how it’s a big part of Malaysia’s culture and heritage and the best ways to preserve it yet share it.
Kapow! Fighting Violence Against Women in Pop Culture
Saturday 13 June: 3pm – 4pm at Black Box
Ram Devineni is one of the creators of a comic book that deals with gender discrimination and violence in India. Join him for a discussion on his work and the way that pop culture can influence social change.
My Most Dangerous Idea: A Conversation with Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
Saturday 13 June: 5pm – 6pm at Black Box
Malaysia’s former and longest-serving Prime Minister joins the Cooler Lumpur Festival, embracing the theme of “Dangerous Ideas” in his speech. Attendance is limited, register at http://mahathir.eventbrite.com
EnglishJer Extreme Razor Wordsmith
Saturday June: 3pm – 6pm at The Bee
Put your English to the test with EnglishJer’s Razor Wordsmith quiz covering topics including spelling, grammar, word usage, idioms, and expressions all incorporated with a Malaysian twist.
Panel: Boys and Girls Together: Sex and Sexuality in the 21st Century
Saturday 13 June: 6.30pm – 7.30pm at Black Box
We live in a country where questions about sex are still taboo. Now’s the chance to talk about sex, all the dos and don’ts and much more, with Ira Trivedi, Pang Khee Teik, Suri Kempe and Juana Jaafar.
Screening: Citizenfour
Saturday 13 June: 8pm – 10pm at Black Box
An Oscar-winning film that will be screened in Malaysia for the first time. Follow filmmaker Laura Poitras and journalist Glenn Greenwald’s encounters with Edward Snowden in Hong Kong, as he hands over classified documents providing evidence of mass indiscriminate and illegal invasions of privacy by the National Security Agency (NSA). [Part of Poskod Journalism Campus].
Star Wars and Shakespeare: A Conversation with Ian Doescher
Sunday 14 June: 10am – 11am at Black Box
Sit down for a chat with Ian Doescher, an American fiction writer who re-wrote Star Wars in the style of Shakespeare.
Workshop: Do the Doodle
Sunday 14 June: 12pm – 1pm at The Bee
Calling all artists of the ages 4-12 years old to grab a pen and doodle with illustrator Arif Rafhan Othman. Learn how to create objects from squiggly lines, and learn how to generate awesome ideas for comics. E-mail [email protected] to reserve a spot.
Migrant Poetry Competition
Sunday 14 June: 3pm – 5pm at White Box
From construction sites to those in the service industry, all these poem submissions are from migrant workers in Malaysia sharing poems of love, life, obstacles, success and more.
Where is the great Malaysian movie? A Conversation with Kamil Othman
Sunday 14 June: 7pm – 8pm at Black Box
Frustrated with Malaysian films? Discuss your opinions with Director General of FINAS, Kamil Othman, and find out what he wants for the future of the Malaysian film industry.
Screening: The Look of Silence
Sunday 14 June: 4pm – 6.30pm at Black Box
A screening of Joshua Oppenheimer’s Oscar-nominated hair-raising follow up to The Act of Killing. The screening will be followed by a live video interview with Oppenheimer.
Keep an eye on The Cooler Lumpur Festival Facebook page for updates.
Kathryn Rao
