On the afternoon December 22nd the UNEAC Literature Awards - called this year in the genres of testimony, drama and poetry - the event counted with the presence of national literature award César López and UNEAC´s vice president Pedro de la Hoz. Margarita Reyes, specialist from the writer´s association said that in this occasion 64 works were received, 18 in drama and 39 in poetry. Starting from the jury´s decision from November 24th to December 4th the following awards were presented:
In the case of the Pablo de la Torriente Brau Award, the jury was composed by Miguel Terry Valdespino, Danerys Fernández Fonseca, and Alfredo Prieto. This jury agreed to give the award to the book "Los 12: sorpresas de la memoria" by Esther Suárez Durán. The jury said that the text " illuminates with a literary sustainability a little explored side of Cuban theater, especially the group of the 12 and the work done by Vicente Revuelta as an intellectual, director and cultural promoter". They also considered that "...it is a work that favors discussions and controversies around our past and history".
In the case of the José Antonio Ramos Drama Award, the jury was composed by Fernando Quiñones,Frank Padrón and Ulises Rodríguez Febles. The jury decided to give the award to the work Mecánica, by Abel González Melo...because it is a metaphor about Cuba from a subtle and intelligent intellectual game with A Doll´s House. Rediscovering this 19th century classic is an authentical way to build a new thematic universe in Cuban theater. "An efficient and symbolic door slam". The jury also decided to present a mention to the text "Corre y después pregunta" by Roberto D.M Yeras.
The "Julián del Casal" Poetry Award was composed by poets Waldo Leyva, Basilia Papastamatíu and Ricardo Riverón. This jury decided to present by consensus the award to the book "El humano ejercicio de las conversaciones" by poet Nelson Simón, for being a poem collection with a unique beauty and a deep humanist content which at the same time helps to discover - with a penetrating sensibility and a purified - essential aspects of human beings that are usually hidden from reality".
In addition, they agreed to present a mention to the following works: "Telones de acero" by Ileana Álvarez González, "Una manada" by Rito Ramón Aroche, "Los hemisferios contrarios" by Carlos Alberto Esquivel and "Los días contados" by Pedro Antonio López Cerviño. The president of the jury, Waldo Leyva, highlighted the difficult task the had because, fortunately "...it was very rewarding to have such a high quality poetry, well written" within a very prestigious award in which at least 15 books could have been published.
El presidente de la Asociación de Escritores, el poeta Alex Pausides, expresó su satisfacción porque con estos resultados se han cumplido las expectativas de elegir obras relevantes. The president of the Writer´s Association, poet Alex Pausides, said he was very satisfied because their expectations of selecting high quality works had being achieved to honor this award which on of the oldest in the country and which has "given so many names and works to the history of our poetry". He also said that for next year they also have the expectation of improving the diffusion of the winners. For this purpose, a national promotional tour across the country is expected as well as including the winners in the international book fairs in which Cuba participates.
A new information announced that in this occasion the calling for the UNEAC and David Awards 2015 have being opened as well as the Cintio Vitier creation scholarship, which the purpose that the writers could begin the year having all the information required regarding these contests and at the same time to avoid that there is no coincidence with other major contests like Carpentier´s, Nicolás Guillén´s and Casa de las Américas´.
It was also known that the works to be presented at the David Award 2015 can be delivered at the headquarters of the Writer´s Association until June 5th in the genres of novel, poetry and literary-artistic essay, and the rewarding will take place on July 30th. The UNEAC Award 2015 has been called in the genres of children and youth literature, socio-historical essay, stories and novels, which can be delivered until June 26th and the rewarding date will be September 11th.
On the other hand, the rules to the Cintio Vitier creation scholarship indicate that it will accept the competitors to participate with two kind of projects: critical studies and fiction works, which should be presented starting from January 28th until June 26th at the same headquarters and the results of both genres will be presented on July 24th. The presentation should include the basis, the work´s plan and a chapter of fragment of it. There will be a 10 thousand Cuban pesos financing to each of the awarded projects.
About the awarded authors, UNEAC´s Literature Award 2014:
Testimony: Esther Suárez Durán (Havana, 1955) Playwright, narrator, essayist, theater critic, radio and television script-writer. B.A Sociology 1978 University of Havana. Researcher at the National Center of Performing Arts Research, Assistant Professor at the History, Sociology and Phylosophy Faculty of the University of Havana. She has obtained several awards in national radio events and in national and international literary contests. She also has several titles that have been published in the genres of theater (for adults and children), narration, testimony and essay. Her works have been presented in Cuba, the United States, Argentina, Italy, Spain and Venezuela. She is a member of the Expert Committee at the National Council of Performing Arts, the Cuban section of the International Association of Theater Critics, the Cuban Section of Latin American Studies Association and she is the president of the Cuban section of the International Association of Children and Youth Theater. (ASSITEJ) She has received several awards and recognitions like the Distinction for the National Culture, the Majadahonda Medal, the Romance de la Niña Mala Award and the Special Award La Rosa Blanca.
Dramatics: Abel González Melo (Havana, 1980) B.A Theater Studies at the Cuban Higher Institute of Arts and Theater MSc at Universidad Complutense de Madrid. He took a course in the International Scholarship of the London Royal Court Theatre in 2005. He also studies dramatics and direction at Berlin´s Maxim Gorki Theater and has complemented his studies at Panorama Sur in Bueno Aires and Universidad Carlos III of Madrid. Among his dramatic works stand "Chamaco" - which was presented an award by the Spanish Embassy in Cuba and AECI, 2005), "Por Gusto", "Adentro", "El Hábito y la Virtud" and "Cádiz en mi corazón". His theater works have been translated to several languages an has been published in several countries by companies like Repertorio Español (New York), Aguijón Theater (Chicago), Albanta Teatro (Cádiz), Semaver Kumpanta (Istambul), Argos Teatro and Rita Montaner (Havana), El Portazo and Icarón (Matanzas), Rumbo (Pinar del Río), etc. He also have dozens of story, poetry and theater essay books. He has also worked as a teacher and editor. As cinema script-writer his latest film is La Partida (Antonio Hens, Spain) He won the First Cuban-German Award in Theater Works (2009) given by the Goethe Institute. As an essayist he has won the Alejo Carpentier and the Cuban Literary Critic Awards with the book "Festín de los patíbulos". Theater poems and social tension. He received the Cultura Viva award in 2012 in Madrid due to his whole literary work. In 2014 he was presented the Honor Mention at Casa de las Américas with his work "Sistema".
Poetry: Nelson Simón (Pinar del Rio, 1965) He is a poet, children writer and editor. He is a founding member of the Cauce publishing house and the children literature magazine Chinchila He has won several literary awards like UNEAC´s Julián del Casal 2000, the Oriente Literature Award 2002, La Edad de Oro 2002 (poetry) and 2007 (story) and the Poetry First Mention 2008 at Casa de las Américas. His work has been recognized in five occasions with the Literary Critic Award: in 2001 with the poem collection "A la sombra de los muchachos en flor" Ediciones Unión; in 2004 with the children story book " Brujar, hechizos y otros disparates" Oriente Publishing House; in 2009 with "Cuentos del buen y mal amor" Gente Nueva Publishing House; in 2011 with the story book As de corazones, by Cauce Publishing House and in 2013 he received an award with his poem collection "Finas Hebras", Cauce Publishing House. In 2002 he was presented the National Culture Award.
(Taken from UNEAC´s website)
Translated by: Osmany Ortiz González (Azurina)