Jury comments

“In this undefinable yet admirably complex book, the author (in French) draws connections between writing, the absence of a voice and anorexia, in a poetic musing on disappearance. An essay-poetry-short story hybrid, this book tackles domestic violence and, with all due measure, seeks to combine feminism and ecology.”

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Photo credit: La Janvier

Jury comments

“Driven by a quest for identity, the author (in French) shapes and defines herself through this collection, which is centered on the trans body. The fragmented performance writing is in keeping with the book’s theme. A disturbing and unsettling volume that plays with the codes of femininity without ever maligning them.”

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Photo credit: Pascale Bérubé

Jury comments

“Daniel Allen Cox tells his life story with gusto, from growing up Jehovah’s Witness to coming out as a gay man and discovering art and writing. He draws parallels between his personal life and societal issues, interspersed with deep reflections on grief and forgiveness.”
 
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Photo credit: Alison Slattery

Jury comments

“An ambitious novel that portrays the ultra-rich and their many contradictions through the character of a famous architect. The author (in French) takes an acerbic view of society in this narrative tour de force woven together from long descriptions of parties told in breathtaking detail.”
 
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Photo credit: Julia Marois

Jury comments

“These five short stories deal with aging in women and the end of romantic relationships. They present strikingly different yet similar perspectives on a recurring theme: the need to feel free and shed lingering feelings of shame. The author (in French) has a spare, classic style that is deceptively simple but packs a punch.”
 
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Photo credit: Martine Dorion

Jury comments

“This comic book offers up a profound account of homosexual love and sisterhood, delivered in simple prose. This organic, complete work of art is accompanied by sensitive drawings that are a stunning interplay between light and dark. The author (in French) makes reference to groundbreaking lesbian artists and theorists.”

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Photo credit: Hamza Abouelouafaa

Jury comments 
 
“A book about solitude in the age of neoliberalism, about the despair that inhabits some of us. The author has dreamed up 10 characters, who all have one thing in common: they’re enrolled in an acting class. A realistic book that explores the existential emptiness and ordinariness of everyday life.”

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Photo credit: Chester Alamo Costello

Jury comments

“The poet (in French) explores the effects of a separation on her inner and outer selves. As the seasons pass, the same landscape is described, the same gestures tirelessly repeated. Nature takes over, guiding the author through her pain. Mourning is a ritual that gives way to resilience.”
 
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Photo credit: Violaine Germain

Jury comments

“This piece owes its remarkable originality to the playwright’s meticulous archival research. This collective work, which combines several voices, is centered on Marguerite Duplessis, an Indigenous woman who was enslaved during New France. The author (in French) employs a powerful stage device to shed light on an often overlooked chapter in Québec’s history.”

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Photo credit: Katya Konioukhova

Jury comments

“Written in clear and concise language, this essay discusses rape culture and the struggle for victims to report the crime and obtain justice; the author (in French) weaves in findings from social science research in language that’s easy for readers to understand. She gives a new voice to the African-American women behind these social movements.”

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Photo credit: Chloé Charbonnier