Celebrating Arabic Literature in Translation and Francophone Voices.

Five Translations and Three Original French Works Compete for Prestigious Prize

Yesterday, the eight finalists for the 2025 Prix de la littérature arabe were unveiled, showcasing a vibrant selection of contemporary Arabic literature. The shortlist features five translated works and three originally written in French by Arab authors.

The 2025 Shortlist

Je suis ma liberté (I Am My Freedom) – Palestinian author Nasser Abu Srour, translated by Stéphanie Dujols (Gallimard).

Also available in English as The Tale of a Wall, translated by Luke Leafgren.

Un goût de thé amer (A Bitter Taste of Tea) – Libyan author Mohammed Alnaas, translated by Sarah Rolfo (Le bruit du monde).

The same duo was shortlisted in 2024 for Alnaas’s Bread on Uncle Milad’s Table.

La Naturalisation (Naturalisation) – Tunisian author Zied Bakir (Grasset).

Je me regarderai dans les yeux (I Will Look Myself in the Eyes) – Moroccan author Rim Battal (Bayard).

La Danse du paon (The Peacock’s Dance) – Lebanese author Hanan al-Shaykh, translated by Khaled Osman (Sindbad/Actes Sud).

La fin du Sahara (The End of the Sahara) – Algerian author Said Khatibi, translated by Lotfi Nia (Gallimard).

Forthcoming in English in March 2026, translated by Alex Elinson.

Brève histoire de la Création et de l’Est du Caire (A Brief History of Creation and East Cairo) – Egyptian author Shady Lewis, translated by Sophie Pommier and May Rostom (Sindbad/Actes Sud).

Pays amer (Bitter Country) – Lebanese author Georgia Makhlouf (Les Presses de la Cité).

A Spotlight on Translators

In addition to the €8,000 main prize, organisers have confirmed a special mention will be awarded to one of the five translators on the shortlist. This recognition highlights the crucial role of translators in bridging literary cultures.

A Prestigious Award for Arabic Literature

Established in 2013, the Prix de la littérature arabe is one of the few French literary prizes dedicated to works from the Maghreb and Mashreq. The jury, chaired by acclaimed author Alexandre Najjar, will convene in autumn to select the winner. The announcement will take place at a ceremony in Paris on 18 November 2025.

Past laureates include:

Jabbour Douaihy (Lebanon, inaugural winner)

Mohammed Hasan Alwan (Saudi Arabia)

Inaam Kachachi (Iraq)

Mohammed Abdelnabi (Egypt)

Jokha Alharthi (Oman)

Amira Ghenim (Tunisia)

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.