Writing in the Coloniser’s Tongue

Dana Dajani is an award-winning Palestinian-American actress, poet, and filmmaker whose work combines theatre, spoken word, and cinematic storytelling. Known for her powerful performances on themes of justice, identity, and belonging, she has appeared on global stages from the Sydney Opera House to the Guggenheim Museum. Her poetry films, including the multi-award-winning Caged Bird, co-created with her husband Rami Kanso, pair verse with striking visual art. Recognized as Emirates Woman’s Artist of the Year and recipient of the Young Arab Award for Entertainment, Dana uses her craft to inspire change, amplify underrepresented voices, and create art that resonates across cultures and causes.

Dana Dajani adalah aktris, penyair, dan pembuat film Palestina-Amerika peraih berbagai penghargaan. Karyanya memadukan teater, puisi lisan, dan seni bercerita sinematik. Ia dikenal lewat penampilan memukau bertema keadilan, identitas, dan rasa memiliki, serta telah tampil di panggung-panggung dunia mulai dari Sydney Opera House hingga Museum Guggenheim. Film-film puisinya, termasuk Caged Bird yang meraih banyak penghargaan dan ia ciptakan bersama suaminya, Rami Kanso, memadukan sajak dengan visual yang kuat. Diakui sebagai Artist of the Year versi Emirates Woman dan penerima Young Arab Award untuk kategori Entertainment, Dana menggunakan karyanya untuk menginspirasi perubahan, mengangkat suara-suara yang kurang terwakili, dan menciptakan seni yang menggema lintas budaya dan isu sosial.

Ray Shabir is an Indonesian poet and writer. His first book, Public Feelings & Other Acts, was published in 2018 and followed the next year by his art show Gallery of Anxiety. In 2021, he released his second book, KINK, his first poetry collection. He has also worked as a model, artist, writer, graphic designer, and interior decorator. He is currently working on his next book.

Ray Shabir adalah penyair dan penulis asal Indonesia. Buku pertamanya, Public Feelings & Other Acts, diterbitkan pada 2018 dan setahun kemudian diikuti oleh pameran seni Gallery of Anxiety. Pada 2021, ia merilis buku keduanya, KINK, yang merupakan kumpulan puisi pertamanya. Selain itu, ia juga pernah bekerja sebagai model, seniman, penulis, desainer grafis, dan dekorator interior. Saat ini, ia tengah mengerjakan buku barunya.

S. Shakthidharan is an Australian writer, director, and producer across theatre, film, and music, with Sri Lankan roots and Tamil ancestry. His Belvoir credits include The Jungle and the Sea co-written with Eamon Flack and Counting and Cracking with Eamon Flack as associate writer. Other stage work includes Zana Fraillon’s The Bone Sparrow with Pilot Theatre in York UK and 宿Stay for Sydney Festival. He is currently developing a new play with Belvoir, his first novel, a feature film with Felix Media, and a television series. His debut play Counting and Cracking earned widespread acclaim, winning the Victorian Premier’s Literature Prize, the NSW Premier’s Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting, seven Helpmann Awards, and three Sydney Theatre Awards. His most recent work The Jungle and the Sea also drew glowing reviews and resonated deeply with the Sri Lankan community, winning the 2024 Victorian Premier’s Literature Prize and four Sydney Theatre Awards including Best Mainstage Production. Shakthi is also the Director of Kurinji, and was formerly Founder and Artistic Lead of Co-Curious, as well as Founder and Artistic Director of CuriousWorks.

S. Shakthidharan adalah penulis, sutradara, dan produser teater, film, dan musik asal Australia, berdarah Sri Lanka dan keturunan Tamil. Di Belvoir, ia menulis The Jungle and the Sea bersama Eamon Flack, serta Counting and Cracking dengan Eamon Flack sebagai penulis pendamping. Karya panggung lainnya termasuk The Bone Sparrow karya Zana Fraillon bersama Pilot Theatre di York, Inggris, serta 宿Stay untuk Sydney Festival. Saat ini, ia tengah mengembangkan drama baru bersama Belvoir, menulis novel pertamanya, menggarap film panjang bersama Felix Media, dan mempersiapkan sebuah serial televisi. Drama debutnya, Counting and Cracking, mendapat banyak pujian dan meraih berbagai penghargaan, termasuk Victorian Premier's Literature Prize, NSW Premier's Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting, tujuh Helpmann Awards, dan tiga Sydney Theatre Awards. Karya terbarunya, The Jungle and the Sea, juga menuai pujian dan sangat menyentuh hati banyak orang, khususnya komunitas Sri Lanka. Drama ini memenangkan Victorian Premier's Literature Prize 2024 dan empat Sydney Theatre Awards, termasuk kategori Best Mainstage Production. Selain itu, Shakthi adalah Direktur Kurinji. Sebelumnya, ia merupakan Pendiri dan Pemimpin Artistik Co-Curious, serta Pendiri sekaligus Direktur Artistik CuriousWorks.