Born in Iraq, Hassan Blasim is a Finnish author, scriptwriter and film director known for his strong and surrealist short stories. He worked in his native country as a film director but had to flee due to political persecution. After a long and dangerous journey, he settled in Finland, where he has been building his career as a writer. He is considered one of the most significant and radical voices in new Arabic literature, and his works have been translated into numerous languages. Blasim’s prose combines violent war experiences, black humour and absurdly grotesque imagery. His exceptionally recognisable and multi-layered style breaks the traditional limits of narration. Blasim has received several international and Finnish awards for his work. He is also a frequent guest at international literature festivals. His work has brought international attention to Iraqi literature and refugee experiences in Europe. The Guardian has dubbed Hassan Blasim “perhaps the best writer of Arabic fiction alive.”

Has­san Bla­sim on Ira­kis­sa syn­ty­nyt suo­ma­lai­nen kir­jai­li­ja, kä­si­kir­joit­ta­ja ja elo­ku­vaoh­jaa­ja, joka tun­ne­taan eri­tyi­ses­ti voi­mak­kais­ta ja sur­rea­lis­ti­sis­ta no­vel­leis­taan. Hän työs­ken­te­li syn­nyin­maas­saan elo­ku­vaoh­jaa­ja­na, mutta jou­tui pa­ke­ne­maan siel­tä po­liit­ti­sen vai­non vuok­si. Pit­kän ja vaa­ral­li­sen pa­ko­mat­kan­sa jäl­keen Bla­sim aset­tui Suo­meen, missä hän on ra­ken­ta­nut uran­sa kir­jai­li­ja­na. Häntä pi­de­tään yh­te­nä uuden ara­bi­kir­jal­li­suu­den mer­kit­tä­vim­mis­tä ja ra­di­kaa­leim­mis­ta ää­nis­tä, ja hänen teok­si­aan on kään­net­ty lu­kui­sil­le kie­lil­le. Bla­si­min proo­sas­sa yh­dis­ty­vät sodan vä­ki­val­tai­set ko­ke­muk­set, musta huu­mo­ri sekä ab­sur­din gro­tes­ki ku­vas­to. Hänen poik­keuk­sel­li­sen tun­nis­tet­ta­va ja mo­ni­ker­rok­si­nen tyy­lin­sä rik­koo pe­rin­tei­siä ker­ron­nan ra­jo­ja. Bla­si­mil­le on myön­net­ty lu­kui­sia kan­sain­vä­li­siä tun­nus­tuk­sia kir­jal­li­ses­ta työs­tään ja hänet on pal­kit­tu Suo­mi-pal­kin­nol­la. Hän on myös tuttu vie­ras kan­sain­vä­li­sil­lä kir­jal­li­suus­fes­ti­vaa­leil­la. The Guar­dian -leh­ti on ku­van­nut Has­san Bla­si­mia ken­ties suu­rim­mak­si elä­väk­si ara­bian­kie­li­sen fik­tion kir­joit­ta­jak­si. J. K. Ihalainen lukee Sampsa Peltosen suomennoksen. Juontajana Päivi Haanpää.

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