Strike like lightning
We live in strange times. We don’t know how the world will behave in the next minute or the next decade. We can’t always count on those who are supposed to protect us. In times like these, fantastic fiction strikes as a unifying force of three necessary concepts for our survival: art, imagination and science.
In this unique moment, when all of humanity unites against a single common enemy, it’s time to increase our globalized experience. The planet’s eyes are on Brazil: a crucial player in this pandemic because of an authoritarian government that ignores constitutional duties and attacks scientific thought, dismantling research programs and destroying public agencies. Since they won’t fulfill their basic obligations, it’s our job to find a little light amid the chaos.
Thus we have Relampeio [1], an international literary flash festival. It is a festival as well as a celebration. A spark of hope and relief. Here, literary professionals donate their time and work planning, organizing, broadcasting and translating in order to share these experiences.
Relevant international fantasy and science fiction authors and publishers tell the public about their journeys and the ability to imagine new futures and realities. In this exchange, we may shine a light on the Brazilian literary scene, which still plays a little part in the global panorama.
Relampeio is born as a task force: free, trilingual and open to the public. We also aim to raise donations to civil pandemic combat initiatives, that are responsible for buying Personal protective equipment (PPE), medicine and other necessary items for health workers and the general population. We will point out projects that are receiving donations in between the interviews and encourage our public to contribute with them.
In these atypical times, put out your stories. Scream, cry, fight and resist with other voices until all this energy transforms into something stronger. Something that must be heard. Strike like lightning.
[1] Relampeio means spark of lightning in Brazilian Portuguese.
