2018 LitFest Gala Hosts: Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, My Favorite Murder creators and authors of Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered, will host the 2018 LitFest Gala. More
2018 Award for Screenplay Excellence: Barry Jenkins
PEN America will recognize Academy Award-winning writer-director Barry Jenkins with the Award for Screenplay Excellence at the 2018 LitFest Gala in Beverly Hills. More
2018 Distinguished Leadership Award: Marvin Putnam
At the 2018 LitFest Gala, PEN America will recognize media and entertainment litigator and PEN America Trustee Marvin Putnam with the 2018 Distinguished Leadership Award. More
2018 Artistic Expression Award: Ai Weiwei
At the 2018 LitFest Gala, PEN America will honor globally lauded artist Ai Weiwei with the Artistic Expression Award. More
2018 PEN/Toni and James C. Goodale Freedom of Expression Courage Award: Cameron Kasky, Samantha Fuentes, and Zion Kelly
As part of their campaign, Kasky, Fuentes, and Kelly have forthrightly confronted the outsized impact of gun violence in black, Latino, and poor communities and the hurdles confronting communities… More
2018 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award: Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo
Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are journalists who specialize in politically sensitive subjects. When arrested they were on assignment by Reuters investigating the torching and pillage of Inn… More
2018 PEN America Publisher Honoree: Carolyn Reidy
Reidy’s commitment to diversity at Simon & Schuster has led the company to make substantial progress in creating a more diverse workforce and to publish a wider range of… More
2018 PEN America Literary Service Award: Stephen King
King is an impassioned advocate of freedom of expression, literacy, and access to information, which he and his wife Tabitha support through their philanthropy. More
2017 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award: Oleg Sentsov
Acclaimed filmmaker Oleg Sentsov was sentenced to 20 years in a Russian prison on charges of terrorism. Many international governments believe that he has been convicted on groundless charges… More
2016 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award: Ahmed Naji
Ahmed Naji is the author of three books, a journalist at literary magazine Akhbar al-Adab, and a frequent contributor to other newspapers and websites in which he has criticized… More
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