French writer, journalist and filmmaker Emmanuel Carrère has been awarded this year’s Premio FIL de Literatura en Lenguas Romances, Latin America’s most important literary prize worth $US150,000.
Known for focusing on themes of identity, illusion and the direction of reality, Carrère has also been an important reference for the “autofiction” movement in English. Several of his books have been made into films, and he directed the film adaptation of his novel “La Moustache.”
In their decision, the judging panel described him as “the author of a versatile, broad and transversal body of work that has earned him vast and enthusiastic international distinction.” They added that, as “heir to Montaigne and Rousseau, autobiographies take on a critical dimension where he can describe himself without making excuses and unabashedly explore the dark areas of the contemporary human condition.” Carrère’s numerous works include La Classe de neige (1995), The Adversary (2000), A Russian Novel (2007), Lives Other than My Own (2009), Limonov (2011), and The Kingdom (2014).
The author will accept the award during FIL’s opening ceremony on Saturday, November 25, 11 a.m.
Chilean author and actress Nona Fernández will receive the coveted Premio de Literatura Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz on Wednesday, November 29, 6 p.m. The jury described her latest novel, “La dimensión desconocida,” a novel set during the Pinochet dictatorship, as “expressing the emotions of an entire nation with respect to a dark and shameful past.”