The 13th edition of the
\nObservator Cultural Awards Gala was held on April 9 at the Odeon Theatre in
\nBucharest. On this occasion we talked to Ovidiu Simonca, deputy editor in chief
\nwith the Observator Cultural magazine, about the latest edition of the gala and
\ncontemporary Romanian literature. One of the novelties this year is Observator
\nUniversitas, an award bestowed by students of philology faculties to a volume
\nof poetry. The starting point for the discussion was the Observator Lyceum
\naward, which has reached its fourth edition, bestowed by students from the I.L
\nCaragiale, George Cosbuc, Iulia Hasdeu, Gheorghe Lazar, Mihai Viteazul, Sf.
\nSava, Gheorghe Sincai and Tudor Vianu high schools in Bucharest. Observator
\nLyceum is a project started in 2016 by the Observator Cultural magazine, with
\nsupport from the National Museum of Romanian Literature, similar to the
\nprestigious French award Prix Goncourt des Lyceens. The purpose of the project
\nis to create a communication platform between contemporary Romanian writers and
\nthe young readership, in an attempt to bring the latter closer to Romanian
\nliterature and encourage them to read more. Ovidiu Simonca.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
It was a very interesting
\nexperience, the students who made up the jury came to our office and together
\nwe talked about all the books nominated in the fiction award. I’m glad these
\nyoung people will become future critics and professional readers of Romanian
\nliterature. We should say the students who bestowed the Observator Lyceum award
\nare coordinated by an exceptional teacher, who encourages them to read
\ncontemporary literature. As regards the novelty of this year’s edition of the
\nObservator Cultural Awards Gala, the Observator Universitas award, we had
\nstudents from the philology sections of the University of Bucharest, the
\nBabes-Bolyai University in Cluj, the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iasi and
\nthe Lucian Blaga University in Sibiu who selected a poetry volume from the
\nshortlist. So the readership is there, the future of Romanian literature is
\nsecure and the books are there as well. The only problem is we need to be more
\nvisible at international level.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The Observator Lyceum award was
\ngiven to Cristina Andrei for her volume Matriarchate,
\nreleased by Nemira Publishers. The Observator Universitas award was bestowed to
\nRobert Gabriel Elekes for the volume A
\nDrone Just for Me, published by Max Blecher Publishing House. We talked to
\nOvidiu Simonca about the publishers’ growing propensity for Romanian
\nliterature: <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
I want to say the decision of
\nHumanitas Publishers to publish more Romanian literature books was very
\ninspired. Writer Andreea Rasuceanu, the coordinator of Romanian Writers collection,
\nselected good titles last year and continues to publish high-quality
\nliterature. At any rate, the competition between Humanitas, Nemira and Polirom
\npublishers in this respect is most welcome, it means publishers are relying on
\nRomanian literature more and more. Based on the books released so far, I
\nbelieve we will have a very good year, with lots of books bought and discussed.
\nIn fact, 2018 was good year as well in that respect. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Romanian literature is increasingly
\ndiverse, and readers and publishers alike appreciate it more and more. Yet the
\nimportant thing is to promote and translate it, Ovidiu Simonca believes. In
\nother words, Romanian publishers need to get involved more to find professional
\ntranslators of Romanian literature. It is the only way we can make a difference
\nat international level, Ovidiu Simonca believes:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
In recent years we had translations
<\/p>\n
At the 13th edition of
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The 13th edition of the Observator Cultural Awards Gala was held on April 9 at the Odeon Theatre in Bucharest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":135,"featured_media":162313,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44685],"tags":[34505,35810],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-162497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-of-culture","tag-award","tag-literature"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nof Romanian works in German and Spanish, which were very well received by
\ninternational critics. And I refer to the volume Lost Morning<\/em>, translated in
\nGerman by Eva Ruth Wemme and published by Aufbau publishers, and the success of
\nMircea Cartarescu’s volumes Orbitor<\/em> and Solenoid<\/em> published in Latin America
\nand Spain. Orbitor <\/em>was actually declared Book of the Year 2017 in Spain. I would
\nalso like to mention the success enjoyed in Germany by Nora Iuga’s books, proof
\nof which are the numerous eulogies her books have received. More often than
\nnot, however, we don’t manage to reach the big publishing houses, which after
\nall give an author his prestige, to the extent to which that author is part of
\nuniversal literature. Before 2007, before our EU accession, there was a growing
\ninterest for Romanian literature. It was then that the Romanian Cultural
\nInstitute implemented a translation programme, by means of which 20 volumes
\nreached the big publishing houses in Europe, and Romanian authors were guests
\nin big book fairs, in Leipzig, London and Paris. Right now, my feeling is that
\nthe big European publishing houses are not publishing Romanian literature, with
\nfew exceptions.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\nthe Observator Cultural Awards Gala the Gheorghe Craciun award for Opera Omnia
\nwas granted to poet, writer, playwright and translator Constantin Abaluta. The
\naward for fiction went to Gabriela Adamesteanu for her novel Fontana di Trevi<\/em> brought out by Polirom
\nPublishers. The poetry award went ex
\naequo to Cosmin Perta, for his volume Lullaby
\nfor My Generation<\/em>, which was brought out by Paralela 45 Publishers, as well
\nas to Vasile Leac’s Monoideal<\/em>,
\nreleased by Nemira Publishers. <\/p>\n