As we reach the first half of 2016, at the Pontas Agency we couldn’t be happier and prouder of the authors we represent internationally as many of them were shortlisted, longlisted or either won important prizes: a celebration of talent and diversity. For instance, Eka Kurniawan and Leila S. Chudori are among the 10 shortlisted writers on the prestigious FT Oppenheimer / Funds Emerging Voices Award 2016. Speerheaded by the Financial Times, these awards aim to recognise extraordinary artistic talent in literature, film-making and art across more than 100 emerging market nations. The literature category was won in 2015 by Chigozie Obioma.
Here’s the full list:
→ One Man Booker 2015 Shortlisted author: The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma
→ One Etisalat Prize for Literature 2016 Winner: Tram 83 by Fiston Mwanza Mujila
→ Two Etisalat Prize for Literature 2016 Longlisted authors: What About Meera by ZP Dala and The Reactive by Masande Ntshanga
→ One FT Oppenheimer Emerging Voices 2015 Winner: The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma
→ Two Man Booker International 2016 Longlisted authors: Fiston Mwanza Mujila and Eka Kurniawan
→ Two FT Oppenheimer Emerging Voices 2016 Shortlisted authors: Eka Kurniawan and Leila S. Chudori
→ One Mario Vargas Llosa Award Finalist: La distancia que nos separa (The Distance That Sets Us Apart) by Renato Cisneros
→ One Deckarakademin Award for Best Debut Crime Novel 2016 Winner: Truth is a Personal Matter by Sara Lövestam
→ Two English PEN Awards: This Too Shall Pass by Milena Busquets and The Winterlings by Cristina Sánchez-Andrade
→ One IMPAC Dublin Award 2015 Longlisted author: Tales of the Metric System by Imraan Coovadia
These awards are a recognition to the talent and diversity of the authors that the agency currently works for. The Pontas Agency has been representing international literature since 1992 and looks forward to continuing to build bridges between authors and publishers across continents, for many more years to come!