Explore female masculinity and create manga this June

Leiden University’s Political Arts Initiative (PAI) and the Honours Academy are happy to host a series of masterclasses by PAI’s artist-in-residence Dr. Lien Fan Shen in June 2014.

A triptych of Dr. Shen's work

Lien Fan Shen, a manga artist and Assistant Professor in the division of Film Studies at the University of Utah, will share the political contexts, analytical frameworks, and artistic practices which shape her award-winning comic books and academic inquiry into gender identity, digital culture, and creative expression over three masterclasses.

The series is free of charge, with all texts and art supplies provided, and welcomes students from all disciplines. While each session can be taken separately (N.B. pre-requisites for Masterclass III), active participation in all three masterclasses and the final residency exhibition (on Monday 30 June 2014) will be recognised with 1 EC granted by the Leiden University Honours Academy.
Please register your interest before 1 May 2014 at the very latest, after which you will receive a full syllabus.

More information on the masterclasses is here: http://spotlighttaiwanleiden.weebly.com/masterclasses.html

The 48hr Flash Fiction Challenge 2014

Sci-Fi London (The London International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film) and UrbanFantasist.com are setting you an exciting challenge: a 48 hour flash fiction competition on a sci-fi or fantasy theme.



How it will work:
- Entry is free and open to anyone who writes or would like to dip a toe in the literary water.
- The story must be between 1000 and 1500 words (excluding title and author’s name and contact details).
- Entrants can take part by registering below and receiving the elements to base their story on by SMS message and email.

On Saturday 12 April (sometime between 10am -1pm) Sci-Fi London will send you:

1/ The TITLE for your story
2/ A piece of DIALOGUE that must be incorporated somewhere into the story
3/ An optional SCIENCE THEME for the story.

You then have 48 hours to write your story. The deadline for submission is Monday 14th April at 1:00pm

More information is here: sci-fi-london.com/flashfiction

GOOD LUCK!

Asiascape's Spotlight Taiwan Film Festival 11&12 April

Asiascape is delighted to host the 'Spotlight Taiwan Film Festival' on 11 and 12 April at Leiden University College The Hague.

announcement for the Spotlight Taiwan Film Festival

Over the past 30 years, Taiwan film has had an outstanding record of achievement at major film festivals, particularly those in Europe. Our Taiwan film festival under the title ‘Performing Taiwanese Identity’, to be held on 11th and 12th April 2014, follows up on this success. It has two objectives. The first objective is to introduce the Leiden University Students and the general public in the Netherlands to Taiwanese cinema. The second objective is to have these film screenings as a key platform for understanding modern Taiwan, especially the issues of Taiwanese identity.

Over the course of 2 days (actually one evening and a day) we will introduce you to 4 blockbuster films that directly and indirectly relate to the performance of identity from different standpoints. The films touch upon the triangular relationship between Taiwan, China, and Japan. Each screening will feature a follow-up Q&A session with invited scholars and film critics.
All films are free of charge.

We start the festival with a festive opening -with drinks and snacks- to which you are all invited (registration is advised)

More info and registration for the opening event is here: www.spotlighttaiwanleiden.weebly.com/film.html