We are excited to reveal 55 authors and books from 14 participating countries nominated for the 2021 European Union Prize for Literature
The European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) recognises emerging fiction writers from across Europe. The award includes 41 countries which are part of the Creative Europe programme – an initiative aiming to strengthen Europe’s cultural and creative sectors. The EUPL was launched in 2009, and since then recognised 135 winning authors through 12 editions. Each year, the EUPL awards one winner per country from a third of participating countries. This year's edition will award winners from 14 countries: Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Iceland, Latvia, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Tunisia.
The winners of the EUPL 2021 edition will be announced on 18 May in a digital event.
EUPL 2021 shortlist
We are proud to present the 2021 shortlist for the European Union Prize for Literature (the list below is in alphabetical order):
Albania
Ana Kove, Kambanat e së dielës (Bells on Sunday), publisher: Toena
Brajan Sukaj, Viti i Elefantit (The Year of the Elephant), publisher: Ombra GVG
Liridon Mulaj, Mos harro të më kujtosh (Don't forget to remember me), publisher: Onufri
Loer Kume, Amygdala Mandala (Amygdala Mandala), publisher: UET Press
Tom Kuka, Flama (Calamity), publisher: Pegi
Armenia
Արամ Ավետիս (Аram Avetis), Երբ առնետները կարդալ գիտեին (When Rats Could Read), publisher: Actual Art Publishing House
Արամ Պաչյան (Aram Pachyan), P/F, Publisher: Edge Publishing House
Անուշ Սարգսյան (Anoush Sargsyan), Անոն (Ano), publisher: Antares Publishing House
Հովիկ Աֆյան (Hovik Afyan), Կարմիր (Red), publisher: Antares Publishing House
Լուսինե Խառատյան (Lusine Kharatyan), Անմոռուկի փակուղի (The Dead End Forget-me-not), publisher: Granish
Bulgaria
Георги Бърдаров (Georgi Bardarov), Absolvo te (Absolvo te), publisher: Musagena
Стефан Коспартов (Stefan Kospartov), Гълъбария (Pigeonland), publisher: Ciela Norma
Владислав Кацарски (Vladislav Katsarski), Загърбената земя (The Abandoned Land), publisher: Vessela Ljutzkanova
Зорница Гъркова (Zornitsa Garkova), Те никога не казват (They Never Say), publisher: Fama
Czech Republic
Anna Bolavá, Před povodní (Before The Flood), publisher: Odeon
Daniel Hradecký, Tři kapitoly (Three Chapters), publisher: Listen
Lucie Faulerová, Smrtholka (Deathmaiden), publisher: Torst
Matěj Hořava, Mezipřistání (Stopover), publisher: Host
Miřenka Čechová, Baletky (Ballerinas), publisher: Paseka
Iceland
Benný Sif Ísleifsdóttir, Hansdætur (Hansdaughters), publisher: Mál og menning
Bergþóra Snæbjörnsdóttir, Svínshöfuð (Pighead), publisher: Benedikt
Jónas Reynir Gunnarsson, Dauði skógar (Death of a Forest), publisher: JPV útgáfa
Sigrún Pálsdóttir, Delluferðin (Runaround), publisher: JPV útgáfa
Yrsa Þöll Gylfadóttir, Strendingar (Prisms), publisher: Bjartur
Latvia
Jana Egle, Dzimšanas diena (Birthday), publisher: Latvijas Mediji
Laura Vinogradova, Upe (The River), publisher: Zvaigzne ABC Publishers
Rasa Bugavičute-Pēce, Puika, kurš redzēja tumsā (The Boy Who Could See in the Dark), publisher: Latvijas Mediji
Svens Kuzmins, Hohma (Hokhmah), publisher: Dienas Grāmata
Malta
Joe Pace, Papa Aħmed (Pope Ahmed), publisher: Merlin Publishers
Lara Calleja, Kissirtu Kullimkien (You’ve Destroyed Everywhere), publisher: Merlin Publishers
Moldova
Lucreția Bârlădeanu, Misterul de Est (The Eastern Mistery), publisher: Arc
Nicolae Spătaru, Măștile lui Brejnev (Brezhnev's Masks), publisher: Paralela 45 Publishing House
the Netherlands
Gerda Blees, Wij zijn licht (We are light), publisher: Podium
Jente Posthuma, Waar ik liever niet aan denk (Which I rather not think about), publisher: Uitgeverij Pluim
Raoul de Jong, Jaguarman (Jaguarman), publisher: De Bezige Bij
Portugal
Ana Margarida de Carvalho, O gesto que fazemos para proteger a cabeça (The gesture we make to protect the head), publisher: Relógio D’Água
Frederico Pedreira, A lição do Sonâmbulo (The Sleepwalker's Lesson), publisher: Companhia das Ilhas
Isabel Rio Novo, Rua de Paris em dia de Chuva (Paris street in rainy day), publisher: D Quixote
João Pinto Coelho, Um tempo a fingir (A time to pretend), publisher: D Quixote
Serbia
Dejan Tiago Stanković, Zamalek (Zamalek), publisher: Laguna
Filip Grujić, Podstanar (Tenant), publisher: Lom
Savo Stijepović, Prekrasne ruševine (Beautiful ruins), publisher: Dereta
Zvonka Gazivoda, Hostel Kalifornija (Hotel California), publisher: Geopoetika
Slovenia
Anja Mugerli, Čebelja družina (Bee Family), publisher: Cankarjeva založba
Davorin Lenko, Psihoporn (Psychoporn), publisher: Cankarjeva založba
Gašper Kralj, Škrbine (Stubs), publisher: Založba /*cf.
Jernej Županič, Behemot (The Behemoth), publisher: Beletrina
Sweden
Balsam Karam, Singulariteten (Singularity), publisher: Norstedts
Johanne Lykke Holm, Strega (Strega), publisher: Albert Bonniers förlag
Maxim Grigoriev, Europa (Europe), publisher: Albert Bonniers förlag
Pooneh Rohi, Hölje (Schroud), publisher: Ordfront
Tone Schunnesson, Dagarna, dagarna, dagarna (Days, Days, Days), publisher: Norstedts
Tunisia
Amin Al-Ghazzi, زندالي.. ليلة 14 جانفي 2011 (Zindali, the night of 14 january 2011), publisher: Zeineb éditions
Béchir Garbouj, L’Emirat (The Emirate), publisher: Déméter
Saber Mansouri, Sept morts audacieux et un poète assis (Seven daring deaths and a seated poet), publisher: Elyzad
The shortlist for each country has been selected by a national jury of literary experts. More information about jury composition and 2021 members can be found here.
