The jury of the Grand Prix RTL de la comic strip, organized in partnership with Cultura, crowned this year Ulysse & Cyrano by Xavier Dorison, Antoine Cristau, and Stéphane Servain (Casterman). The work tells the story of Ulysse Ducerf, a young man whose destiny seems traced by the ambitions of his father, but who discovers a completely different path when he meets Cyrano, a former passionate chef. “An invitation to reflect, to seek happiness“, underlined the jurors on Tuesday, December 17, convinced by this initiatory and luminous story, which is anchored in the France of the Trente Glorieuses. “To be honest, the debates were lively“, they added.
While titles like The Road by Manu Larcenet, hailed for his virtuoso drawing, were also in the running and considered “graphically above the rest“according to the voters’ own admission, Ulysse & Cyrano was acclaimed for its more classic, but deeply human and optimistic approach. Between humor, gastronomy and the quest for identity, the story paints a touching portrait of characters in search of meaning and freedom in the face of social expectations.
Renowned predecessors
For 21 years, the RTL BD Grand Prix has celebrated the 9th art by selecting an album every month, outside of summer. The works are then decided by a jury made up of journalists, booksellers and experts in the field. Among the previous winners, we find titles that have become essential, such as The Arab of the future from Riad Sattouf or Musée by Christophe Chabouté, 2023 winner, who offered a poetic dive into the Orsay Museum.
With this price, Ulysse & Cyrano joins the list of comics that mark their era, addressing both the imagination and the hearts of readers.
