Claire Deya, Mathieu Pierloot and Giulia Vetri… The Var Book Festival opened with readers' prizes

More than 6,300 votes. A record. After welcoming the schoolchildren, the first day of the Var Book Festival began, this Friday around 3 p.m., with the presentation of prizes in the general literature, youth and comics categories, in addition to the traditional Marine Ink prize. where the French Navy rewards a novel linked to the sea (read elsewhere). These prices are becoming more and more part of the DNA of the event and are proving to be a real barometer for authors.

“A world to remake” by Claire Deya in general literature

Already crowned with the RTL-Lire magazine Grand Prize for “A world to remake” (Editions de l'Observatoire), Claire Deya has won over the Var in the general literature category. And it is clear that this award touched the author's heart. “This book is also a declaration of love to this region, to the South. I have the impression of having been heard and loved”she confided with bright eyes. In what is her first novel, the author evokes a theme that is ultimately relatively unknown, that of mine clearance on the Coast at the end of the Second World War, and in particular on the beaches of Hyères. “I wanted to show that it is as captivating to win peace as to win war. It is a feverish period, full of surprises, full of twists and turns, expectations and hope (…) The Peace is something that does not come naturally. Obviously, politicians are not interested in thinking about it, but in literature we have the possibility of offering an alternative to imagination.she revealed to us before the show. In this category, Sylvain Prudhomme was also in the running for “The Child in the Taxi” (ed. Les éditions de Minuit) as well as Julia Kerninon for “Sauvage” (ed. L'Iconoclaste)

“The Silence of Red” by Mathieu Pierloot and Giulia Vetri as children

Their train was late and they almost missed the awards ceremony, but by hurrying, Mathieu Pierloot and Giulia Vetri were able to go on stage to collect their award in the youth category for their work “Le Silence de rouge”. “It wasn't necessarily the initial intention, but I was told a lot that it spoke of the filial relationship between two beings. I started with the image of an anthropomorphic wolf in a costume on the edge of a cliff and I wondered what he was doing there, and then we unfolded”detailed the author on his stand. In the guise of the illustrator Giulia Vetri, he tells the story of the meeting of this wolf with a little girl who is also on the margins, and we discover how their relationship will be born. How they will tame each other. This is the first collaboration between the two authors. “I immediately fell in love with Mathieu's text. I also write, so to illustrate someone else's words, the text must speak to me and that was the case. I love this delicacy in the story. Then, I always wanted to draw a wolf”smiled the illustrator.

“The rabbit concert” (ed. Didier Jeunesse) by Emmanuel Trédez and Delphine Jacquot and “Moitié, Moitié” (ed. de Rouergue), by Henri Meunier and Nathalie Choux were also in the selection.

“The Quest” by Frédéric Maupome and Wauter Mannaert in BD

What is most important in a quest? The goal or the path to achieve it? Vast philosophical debate. Frédéric Maupomé and Wauter Mannaert, in their comic strip “The Quest” (ed. Le Lombard), take up the subject by revisiting Arthur's quest for the Grail in a contemporary version. “It's the story of Pelli, a young man from today who finds himself embarked on an Arthurian quest. It's beyond him. He's useless as a knight, he doesn't know how to ride a horse or fight with a sword. He finds himself involved in this because it's a family tradition.”dissects screenwriter Frédéric Maupomé. This is his first collaboration with the designer Wauter Mannaert. “We discussed several projects, and we came across “The Quest”, it was an idea that I had. It spoke to Frédéric who made it not a volume but a story in three volumes”specifies the designer. The second opus will be released for the Angoulême festival next January, still on this theme of “what we have inherited for good or bad, what we do with it and what we leave behind us. We also found it interesting to evoke the idea of ​​how we transmit a tradition in a world which changes”assure the two men with one voice.

“Le Grand Migrateur” (ed. Rue de Sèvres) by Augustin Lebon and Louise Joor as well as “Hana et Taru” (ed. Dargaud) by Léo Schilling and Moteux, were also nominated.

Var Book Festival, Place d’Armes in Toulon. From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. FREE ENTRANCE.