On 25 February, author Levan Berdzenishvili's historical fiction novel Sacred Darkness has been selected as one of 10 works in contention for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's (EBRD) Literature Prize, reported agenda.ge.
The novel deals with the bleak history of Soviet-era political repressions through experiences of citizens finding themselves in an “extraordinary, absurd condition.” Released last year, it sees its protagonist end up in jail on trumped-up charges familiar of the 20th century decades of political persecution in the state. Chapters of the book are dedicated to characters the protagonist encounters in the prison, combining to create an illustration of soviet society. Berdenizishvili was a recipient of literary prizes in Georgia including the 2017 SABA Award for Best Nonfiction for his collection of essays Evolution of Literacy. He is also known for his reviews of Greek and Latin comedies and teaches at universities in Georgia.
Besides Berdenizishivli’s work, the other nominated works were: Not Saying Goodbye by Boris Akunin (Russia), Zuleikha by Guzel Yakhina (Russia), Mrs Mohr Goes Missing by Maryla Szymiczkowa (Poland), Bellevue by Ivana Dobrakovová (Slovakia), ICE by Sonallah Ibrahim (Egypt), Devilspel by Grigory Kanovich (Lithuania), Every Fire You Tend by Sema Kaygusuz (Turkey), Under Pressure by Faruk Šehić (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Pixel by Krisztina Tóth (Hungary).
The EBRD Literature Prize was launched in 2017 to promote translated literary fiction from its regions of operations. The prize will be awarded to the year’s best work of literary fiction translated into English, originally written in any language of the EBRD’s 38 countries of operations and published by a UK publisher. The prize reflects and recognises the rich cultures and creativity of the region where the Bank works - a region that stretches from central Europe to central Asia as well as the southern and eastern Mediterranean and northern Africa. The first EBRD Literature Prize was won in April 2018 by the Turkish author Burhan Sönmez and his translator Ümit Hussein for the novel Istanbul, Istanbul. The second Literature Prize was won by the Uzbek writer, Hamid Ismailov and translator Donald Rayfield (with John Farndon) for The Devils’ Dance -- the first novel translated from Uzbek into English. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was established to help build a new, post-Cold War era in Central and Eastern Europe. It has since played a historic role and gained unique expertise in fostering change in the region - and beyond -, investing more than €140 billion in a total of over 5,600 projects.
