The 15th Macau Literary Festival – also known as The Script Road – kicks off today featuring a lineup of local and international writers and artists. Running until March 15, the nearly two-week long programme begins at 5 pm tonight at Casa Garden. The opening ceremony will be followed by a photo exhibition and outdoor concert.
Among the presentations and activities, Veiga Jardim, author of Watching the Band Go By: Religious Faith and Military Defence in the Musical Life of Colonial Macau, 1818-1935, will discuss his book and also conduct tonight’s recital. (For a full list and updated details, visit here),
Jardim’s hefty text details Macao’s rich musical tapestry within the city’s broader historical context. “I hope this literature can be used by local schools as a guide to study our unique musical heritage,” he told The Bay.
[See more: Macao’s inclusive arts festival Todos Fest returns for sixth edition]
On Friday, artist Konstantin Bessmertny unveils his latest book, The Art Collector’s Manifesto, an exploration into the business side of art which serves as practical guidance on how to assess and acquire sought-after pieces.
“My goal is to empower anyone interested in leaving a cultural footprint while curbing the excesses of overindulgence,” the Macao-based artist comments, describing his book as one that can be read from any page as soon as it is opened.
Afterwards, musician Tim Yiu is set to perform poetry and songs from his 2024 album “Canton Cantoned, Shanghai Shanghai.”
Films and Documentaries
On Saturday, British-born writer Lawrence Osborne, whose novel Ballad of a Small Player was adapted into a film last year, will take part in the festival.
Appearing alongside will be film producer Mike Goodridge in a panel discussion titled “High Stakes in Macau: Adapting The Ballad of a Small Player From Page to Screen.” The event will be followed by a screening of the 2025 Netflix film at Cinema Alegria (Wing Lok Cinema).
On Sunday evening, the Casa Garden Auditorium will present the Portuguese language film Mulheres do Mar – Açores (Women from the Sea – Azores), a UNESCO-endorsed documentary that celebrates conservation, sustainable practices, and marine protection.
In conversation with The Bay, director Raquel Clemente Martin describes the film as an emotional relationship with the ocean, told through the voice of women who live and work by the sea. “It’s not only about conservation, it’s about connections,” she explains.
Sustainability advocate Tanja Wessels, a Hong Kong and Macao chapter lead for the Mulheres do Ma project, and social media editor at The Bay, will discuss the group’s work and hold a question and answer session as part of the lecture.
[See more: UNESCO-endorsed documentary project ‘Women from the Sea’ launches in Macao and Hong Kong]
Next Thursday, musician Rodrigo Leão will lead an acclaimed ensemble to compose songs from O Rapaz da Montanha (The Boy From The Mountain) at the Macao Cultural Centre (tickets available here). The following Friday, Portuguese director Tiago Guedes will showcase A Herdade (The Domain) at Cineteatro.
Walks and Tributes
Author Jason Wordie of Macao: People and Places, Past and Present returns for a Saturday discussion that features a morning walk. That afternoon, Rui Leão, Luís Sales Marques, and Jorge Neto Valente will lead a tribute to local architect José Maneiras, whose memorable works include the São Francisco Complex on Rua da Praia Grande and several residential buildings along Estrada do Visconde de São Januário.
On Sunday, The Bay contributor Mark O’Neil will recount Europe’s role in Hong Kong’s history with two books, Europeans in Hong Kong and The Irish in Hong Kong. Saturday and Sunday night will showcase À Primeira Vista (Prima Facie) starring Margarida Vila-Nova, which is also directed by Tiago Guedes at the Macao Culture Centre (tickets available here).
Although the Macau Literary Festival opens today, literary activities actually began this past Sunday to mark the 100th anniversary of Camilo Pessanha’s passing. The Coimbra-born author of Clepsydra was honoured with a second event held Tuesday evening at the Instituto Português no Oriente (IPOR). The poet’s brick mural stands in front of the Portuguese Consulate.
[See more: Architect José Maneiras, influential figure in Macao’s built environment, dies aged 90]
As part of the celebration, a panel of academics, journalists, and writers recited poems from the famed symbolist. Christopher Chu, an editor at The Bay, and his wife Maggie Hoi – co-authors of Camilo Pessanha’s Macau Stories – led a presentation about the poet’s life in China, discussing their book, which combines third- and first-person narration to explore the writer’s relationships with close associates throughout Macao.
The schedule reflects the information as of today and is subject to change.
