La Closerie de Lilas prize – 2019

by Abdon FLORES

Tuesday night the Notre Dame fire was still present in the minds of people attending the Closerie de Lilas prize. But its shadow didn’t overcast the 13th edition ceremony -which usually is indeed a party to celebrate literature expressed through the words of women. Writers were there, celebrities attended to the call –Nicolas Bedos for instance-, but above all the spirit was there, the will to overcome any adversity, that attitude which has made of Paris one of the capitals of the world.

This year the president of the jury was Goncourt’s winner Leïla Slimani, who was joined by a panoply of guest juries from different backgrounds like Pauline Lefevre, Jeanne Damas, Anna Fulda or even French actress Françoise Fabian. Four books made it to the final selection. At the end, the winner was French writer Sarah Chiche with her novel Les enténébrés (Ed. Seuil), a powerful story of a bunch of Austrian children killed during the Second World War.

 

 

Carole Chrétienot, whose parents rule La Closerie de Lilas, revealed the winner’s name of the prize given by L’Académie Lilas. The so called woman of the year was the choreographer, director and dancer Andréa Bescond. As in previous years, a writing instrument by Montblanc, a Duval-Leroy present and an open invitation by the Closerie restaurant were the honors given. Let’s wait that the Muses Marilyn Monroe Special Edition Pearl fountain pens by Montblanc inspire both ladies so we can have further stories to read and parties to celebrate.