Gathered at the headquarters of the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF), the representatives of five reading committees of the Prix des 5 Continents of the Francophonie have chosen the 10 finalists among the 122 works proposed. 8 countries of the French-speaking world are represented in this 16th edition of the Prize.

Created in 2001, the Prix des cinq continents, worth €10,000 annually rewards a text narrative of fiction of French expression and places in the spotlight literary talents reflecting the expression of cultural and editorial diversity in French on all five continents.

This year the Prize the Prize will be awarded by the Secretary General of La Francophonie, on October 11, 2017, at the "Francfort en français" as part of the Frankfurt International Book Fair in the presence of the prestigious international jury, chaired by Paula Jacques (France-Egypt).

In the opinion of the Reading Committees, "the 2017 harvest invites us to read the journeys of women and men who, through their strength of character, courage or determination, are able to build, at the heart of violence of ur societies. They are tragedies that reveal the complexity of human nature and open horizons beyond time and frontiers."

List of finalists :

• "L’Amas Ardent" by Yamen Manai (Tunisie) to the Editions Elyzad (Tunisia) ;

• "Apatride" by Shumona Sinha (Inde) to the Editions de l’Olivier (France) ;

  "Avant que les ombres s’effacent" by Louis Philippe Dalembert (Haïti) to the Editions Sabine Wespieser (France) ;

• "Bled" by Tierno Monénembo (Guinée) to the Editions Seuil (France) ;

• "Palace café" by Anne Defraiteur Nicoleau (Belgium) to the Editions Tamyras (Liban) ;

• "Rapatriés" by Nehemy Pierre-Dahomey (Haiti) to the éditions Seuil (France) ;

• "La Sonate à Bridgetower" by Emmanuel Dongala (Congo) to the Editions Actes Sud (France) ;

• "Les Temps de la cruauté" by Gary Victor (Haiti) to the Philippe Rey (France) ;

• "Le Testament de nos corps" by Catherine Lune Grayson (Canada-Québec) to the Editions Mémoire d’encrier (Canada) ;

• "Le Venin du Papillon" by Anna Moï (France-Vietnam) to the Editions Gallimard (France).

IH/ iciHaiti