Created in 2008 by Akwaba Culture, an association under Ivorian law, the Ivoire Prize for African Literature of Francophone Expression is placed under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Culture and Francophonie of Côte d’Ivoire, the French embassy in Abidjan, from the Librairie de France Groupe.
The 16th Ivory Prize for African Literature of Francophone Expression, worth three thousand (3,000) euros, will be awarded on Saturday, November 23, 2024 in Abidjan (Ivory Coast).
The jury, chaired by the novelist and playwright Werewere Liking-Gnépo, decided to reward Azza Filali’s novel, describing it as a hymn to women, an excellent mirroring of the fragile lives of women engaged entirely in a quadrature of the circle all over the world. The most advanced among women think they stand out from the crowd even though they only perpetuate, in the thorn of dreams, the heavy toll due to a society built without their opinion.
Azza Filali, both novelist and doctor, is an essential voice in current Tunisian literature. She has published several works with Élyzad, including Raw time (2009), The Intranquilles (2014), which received the Zoubeida B’Chir Prize, From the front and without a hat (2016), as well as Chronicle of a shift (pocket, 2020), awarded the Grand Prix du Novel Tunisien.
They also awarded a special mention to Charline Effah (Gabon) for The Women of Bidibidi published by Emmanuel Colas (2023).
The 2023 Prize was won by Jennifer Richard (Guadeloupe), for Our kingdom is not of this worldpublished by Albin Michel in 2022. A Special Mention was awarded to Antoinette Tidjani Alou (Jamaica/Niger), for Mano from the other sidepublished by Project’îles in 2023.
Find the list of French and French-speaking literary prizes
