This year, the MWF went online and pulled-off a literary line-up guaranteed to keep our lock-down blues at bay.
Unlike past festivals, the 2020 program saw local and international facilitators and guests telecast interviews from their lounge rooms, dining tables and home offices. It felt strangely intimate, and comforting, to witness these domestic realms and to experience the odd digital glitch and background sound.
Watching these interviews was not only informative and entertaining, as MWF events are, but also incredibly heartening. Despite COVID and all its ensuing chaos, guests and patrons showed up, tuned in and took part in the exchange of ideas, creating hope for a better future.
My personal highlights this year were A Touch of Magic with Robbie Arnott, Jan Carson and Angela Meyer, as well as listening to international superstars, Anne Enright and Elizabeth Strout discuss their latest books.
So, farewell MWF 2020… I\’m already looking forward to attending your 2021 events, IN THE FLESH!
