
NEXT
A future worth shaping starts with a present we want to grow.
From June 19 to 29, our NEXT program put some weight behind that bit of wisdom. For this latter celebration of the 2021 edition of the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival, we presented 4 events from Montreal’s burgeoning literary community leaders.
A showcase of recent and upcoming releases from Metonymy Press, a revisiting of Kama La Mackerel’s Gender B(l)ender events with librairie
L’Euguélionne, a celebration of emerging talents in translation with Metatron Press, and an afro-futurism spotlight with librairie Racines. All representing a world of hybrid possibilities—an effervescent mix of refreshed digital formats and safe in-person experiences.
Big things to look forward to—brought together in the now.

BLACK FUTURE
En collaboration avec Metropolis Bleu, Racines a organisé une conversation qui consistait à valoriser les voix et la culture noire à travers le mouvement de l’afrofuturisme avec les créateurs montréalais suivants Quentin Vercetty, Lateef Martin et Léa Murat-Ingles.
Au menu :
-L’afrofuturisme 101
-Les défis des créateurs noirs
-La relation entre l’afrofuturisme et la libération des Noirs
Participants: Lateef Martin, Léa Murat-Ingles, Quentin VerCetty
TILTING OF THE EARTH: A METONYMY SOLSTICE SHOWCASE
After a long dark solitary winter and tentative spring, four writers emerge gloriously at the onset of summer: Kama La Mackerel, H Felix Chau Bradley, Eli Tareq El Bechelany-Lynch and Callum Angus are brimming with pent-up words to soothe and destroy you — in any case you’ll want to experience their effects.
METATRON PRESENTS: BRIDGING OUR DIVIDE
In Translation: Bridging Our Divide is a bilingual reading and conversation that will bring together three Montreal-based authors from francophone and anglophone writing scenes to read from and engage in a dialogue about their work and experiences in and with translation.
Host: Ashley Opheim
Participants: Daphné B., Marcela Huerta, Alex Manley
HOMMAGE À GENDER B(L)ENDER
GENDER B(L)ENDER was a queer open stage held every last Friday of the month, organized and hosted by pluridisciplinary artist and writer Kama La Mackerel. A staple of the Montreal queer scene between 2013-18, with 40+ monthly editions, GENDER B(L)ENDER was a stage that witnessed 600+ performances from members of the LGBTQ+ communities of all ages.
This summer, Blue Metropolis Festival and Librairie l’Euguélionne bring you à HOMMAGE À GENDER B(L)ENDER, where artists who had participated in the first editions back in 2013 make a comeback with an online edition of the cabaret, hosted by Kama La Mackerel!
Participants: Valérie Bah, Kai Cheng Thom, Roxane Nadeau, Kim Ninkuru, Tranna Wintour, Chris Bergeron
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS

Librairie Racines
La librairie Racines offre des livres de tous horizons ainsi qu’une juste place aux auteur.e.s racisé.e.s.
www.facebook.com/racinesmontreal
www.instagram.com/racinesmontreal/

Metonymy Press
Metonymy Press is based in Tio’tia:ke (Montreal), unceded Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) territory. We publish literary fiction and nonfiction by emerging writers. We try to reduce barriers to publishing for authors whose perspectives are underrepresented in order to produce quality materials relevant to queer, feminist, and social justice communities. We really want to keep gay book lovers satisfied.
www.facebook.com/metonymypress
www.instagram.com/metonymypress/

L’Euguélionne, librairie féministe
L’Euguélionne, librairie féministe est une coopérative de solidarité à but non-lucratif. Nous avons une large sélection de livres neufs et usagés, de zines et d’art imprimé. La librairie se spécialise dans la littérature des femmes* (roman, poésie, bande-dessinée, essai, jeunesse) et les ouvrages féministes, queer, lesbiens, gais, bisexuels, trans, intersexe, asexuel et agenre, two-spirited, anti-racistes, anti-coloniaux, etc. L’Euguélionne, librairie féministe organise également une diversité d’événements littéraires et féministes: lancements, cercles de lecture, conférences, ateliers, discussions, etc.
www.facebook.com/librairiefeministemtl/
www.instagram.com/librairieleuguelionne/

Metatron Press
Metatron Press (est. 2014) is an award-winning literary publisher that specializes in publishing contemporary books by debut authors. We focus on publishing edgy and provocative books that don’t necessarily fit into pre-existing literary canons or traditions, carving out new ones in the process. Brave and emotionally-resonant, the work we publish both challenges and informs a new direction and style of contemporary writing and publishing. Known for our iconic pocketbooks and for the platform we offer emerging writers, our publishing program also includes readings and various digital publishing projects, including ÖMËGÄ, ÄLPHÄ and #MICROMETA.
www.instagram.com/metatronpress/
www.facebook.com/metatronpress/
MERCI AUX PARTENAIRES DU PROJET/ THANKS TO THE PROJECT PARTNERS




