Montenegro chooses its Goncourt Prize winner

Montenegro will choose its own winner of the Goncourt Prize, France's highest literary award, announced the French Ambassador to Montenegro at a press conference yesterday. Anne Marie Maske.

This election, which is also practiced in certain countries around the world, is being organized for the first time this year in Montenegro, as part of the traditional Francophonie Month event.

"On that occasion we will have the honor to host Kamil Laurens", writer and Secretary General of the Goncourt Academy, who will also participate in a literary conversation at Matica Crnogorska on March 28 at 19 p.m.," the ambassador emphasized.

The first edition of the "Goncourt Selection of Montenegro" award is being implemented in partnership with the Department of French Language at the Faculty of Philology in Nikšić. Jasna Tatar Anđelić from the Department of French Language at the Faculty of Philology in Nikšić explained how everything will work.

"The Montenegrin jury consists of 10 doctoral, master's and fourth-year undergraduate students from our module. They will choose their Goncourt Prize winner, from last year's shortlist of finalists. Our students will thus choose the winner, regardless of the jury's decision in France (the award was won by Laurent Mauvin for the novel 'Empty House'). The students received the books in December, and the selection of the winner will be organized on March 27th and it will be a closed-door event, according to the propositions of a real jury," she revealed, emphasizing the importance of this event.

Tatar Anđelić also emphasized the significance of Kamil Lorans' visit itself. Montenegro, as the Secretary General of the Goncourt Academy, but also as a prolific and important contemporary writer. She further presented the program organized by the Department of French Language and emphasized that the University of Montenegro is a member of the University Agency for Francophonie.

"In addition to literary and translation meetings, the program includes various areas in which former and current students of French language and literature are professionally engaged, such as screenings of short films translated into Montenegrin by students of the Faculty of Philology, guided tours in French, and presentations on employment opportunities in the tourism industry of Montenegro," it was announced.

At the beginning of her address, Ambassador Anne-Marie Maske welcomed "Montenegro's renewed commitment to the French language" and recalled that our country has had observer status in the International Organization of La Francophonie since 2010. After recalling the importance of the French language and culture, she highlighted just some of the events that visitors throughout Montenegro will have the opportunity to enjoy during the Month of La Francophonie.

"Tomorrow, March 3, screenings of films for children and adults will begin in 17 cinemas across Montenegro, in continuation of the fruitful cooperation with the Film Center of Montenegro, with important bilateral agreements signed during the last two Cannes festivals," Maske stated.

The Director of the Film Center of Montenegro, Aleksandra Božović, pointed out that this year's event is gaining importance due to the Agreement on Film Co-production between Montenegro and France, signed during the 78th Cannes Film Festival.

"This agreement is not just an institutional document. It is a framework that opens up access to French funds for Montenegrin producers and authors and allows joint projects to have the status of national films in both countries. This means greater opportunities, but also a higher standard of responsibility. It is through partnerships like this that culture becomes one of the most subtle, but also the strongest forms of European connection, not through declarativeness, but through concrete work, co-productions, knowledge exchange and joint creation," said the FCCG director.

Announcing the program, she also recalled the development of the institution she heads.

"Three years ago, when we started celebrating Francophonie Day in Montenegrin cinemas, we had only three cities on the map, last year 15 cities, and this year 17, so we have practically covered the entire Montenegro. The program starts tomorrow at the Montenegrin Cinematheque in Podgorica and continues in the cities: Bar, Plužine, Kolašin, Žabljak, Cetinje, Plav, Berane, Tivat, Danilovgrad, Herceg Novi, Nikšić, Petrovac, Zeta, Pljevlja, Mojkovac, Bijelo Polje, Kotor - with two films, one for children and one for adults," she announced, emphasizing that a special repertoire awaits visitors to the Montenegrin Cinematheque.

"The program includes animated and educational works, contemporary auteur films and classics of French cinema. In that range between classics and modernity, between children's curiosity and mature reflection, lies the essence of Francophonie - openness to different worldviews," she stated.

Maske also highlighted the concert of the French-Montenegrin artist Nikola (Popović) in Podgorica, at the Ribnica Cultural Center on March 20 at 21 p.m., on the occasion of the International Day of Francophonie, prepared in cooperation with the Secretariat for Culture. Secretary of the Secretariat for Culture of the Capital City of Podgorica Lina Lakić added that Popović is recognizable for his combination of different genres and announced that he will also hold master classes in two schools.

Maske also pointed out that this year's "Month of Francophonie" will be an opportunity to mark the 20th anniversary of the 'Avenir' Creative Center in Herceg Novi on March 27, whose exceptional work has contributed to the creation of a generation of Francophones and Francophiles on the Montenegrin coast.