The Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie 2025 finalists were announced on Tuesday, December 10, 2024.
Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie (English: Five Continents Prize of the Francophonie) was established by the International Organization of the Francophonie in 2001. Worth €15,000, it is aimed at highlighting literary talents reflecting the expression of cultural and editorial diversity in the French language on five continents and promoting them on the international scene. Some previous winners have been Alain Mabanckou, Wilfried N’Sondé, Yamen Manaï, Fawzia Zouari, Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse, and Eric Chacour.
From the 129 texts received for this, the 23rd edition ten were pre-selected by six reading committees: the Culture Elongo Association (Brazzaville, Congo), the Félix Literary Camp Association (Canada), the Senegalese Writers Association (Dakar, Senegal), the Passa Porta Fr Association (Brussels, Belgium), and the Young Writer’s Prize association (Muret, France) and “Vietnam”.
The committees said that ” in a chaotic and tormented world, this year’s selection reveals diverse and singular voices. Writings, mostly young and feminine, offer new imaginations to draw possible realities. An edition marked by new perspectives, nourished by the supernatural, the fantastic or dreams, which makes French-language literature shine.”
The writers of African descent whose texts made the cut are;
- Le rêve du pêcheur, Hemley Boum (Cameroon-France), Éditions Gallimard (France)
- Bientôt les vivants, Amina Damerdji (Algeria-France), Éditions Gallimard (France)
- Rapatriement, Eve Guerra (Democratic Republic of Congo-France), Éditions Grasset et Fasquelle (France)
- Ça brille encore, Bénédicte Lotoko (Belgium), Éditions Les impressions nouvelles (Belgium)
- Peau Rouge, Gyslain Ngueno (Cameroon-France), L’oiseau parleur éditions (France)
- La vie privée d’oubli, Gisèle Pineau (France), Éditions Philippe Rey (France)
- Adikou, Raphaëlle Red (France), Grasset and Fasquelle Editions (France)
- Le violon d’Adrien, Gary Victor (Haiti), Éditions Mémoires d’encrier (Canada-Quebec)
Reactions
We learn, for our greatest happiness, that Repatriement happens to be a finalist in the Five Continents Prize, a huge honor, which enters Repatriement for the 7th time in the selection of a literary prize. Of course, this book doesn’t claim to compete with all the big names on this list. The huge honor is already to be there, next to these names, these titles, and what an honor that a book that has not had the audience of any major media has paved such a beautiful path (paperbackprint, reprints, translations in Europe and Latin America): never in my wildest dreams will I have able to formulate such hopes. All this is also the fruit, the result of the perseverance of my editor and the whole Grasset team that defended and carried this text to every reader, and maybe also that the Goncourt Jurors have saved my “ass” a lot. Perhaps the book wouldn’t have been reconsidered without their precious gaze. I thank them for flying to the Repatriation rescue. Thanks to every reader, whatever its title, who, to his degree, acting as a determined passer, helped save this book from indifference. I am very proud and honored to represent Congo and France there. I wish good luck to all the writers on this list, and more especially to Raphaëlle Red, my Grasset counterpart.
Eve Guerra
Ça brille encore, finalist of the prestigious Five Continents Prize!! Thank you so much to the jury members, this is insane 🔥
Bénédicte Lotoko
My novel “Peau Rouge” is a finalist for the Prix des 5 Continents de la Francophonie. I learned the news yesterday, it took me a while to digest. And since the main literary media are talking about it, then it must be true. It has traveled the 5 continents to be read by selection committees all over the world and here it is among the 10 finalists. So I may be a writer.
Gyslain Ngueno
The winner and the special mention will be chosen by the international jury, chaired by Fawzia Zouari (Tunisia-France, President of the Parliament of Francophone Women Writers) and composed of: Monique Proulx (Canada-Quebec), Liliana Lazar (Romania), Mohamed Mbougar Sarr (Senegal), Sami Tchak (Togo), Michel Choueiri (Lebanon, for the International Association of Francophone Booksellers), Aquil Gopee (Mauritius, for the Young Writer’s Prize), Eric Chacour (Egypt-Quebec) and Khalid Lyamlahy (Morocco), respectively winner and Special Mention of the 2024 Prize on the occasion of the International Day of La Francophonie, on March 20, 2025.
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