On November 22, Berlin will host a discussion entitled “Contemporary Women's* Prose in Search of Home, Language, and Empathy.” The meeting will bring together female writers whose books were published in 2025 and became notable events in contemporary Russian-language literature.
Participants:
• Yegana Jabbarova — author of the novel Terra Nullus (New Literary Review)
• Evgenia Zakharchuk — Three stories at my wake (NoAge, series “It Makes Sense”)
• Dinara Rasulova — traumagochy (shell (f))
• Natasha Podlyzhnyak — writer and founder of the creative writing school “I Have Something to Say”
Moderator — Yulia Petropavlovskaya, editor of the NoAge book series “There is meaning.”
The participants will discuss what it means for a contemporary Russian-speaking author to live between cultures, experience trauma and emigration, work with themes of the body and language, and why women's voices are becoming so influential in today's prose. They will also talk about trends in literature and what creative writing courses teach.
The authors' books will be available for purchase.
Date: Saturday, November 22, 7:00 p.m.
Location: Library at the Water Tower, Prenzlauer Allee 227–228, Berlin
Admission is free.
Organizers:
Berlin Book Fair for Russian-Language Literature “Berlin Bebelplatz”
and the online bookstore “Muravey.”
With the support of Bibliothek am Wasserturm.
What Are the Objectives of the Award?
The primary goal of the Award is to support authors and promote Russian-language literature worldwide. We welcome all who write and read in Russian, regardless of citizenship or place of residence. We aim to foster a Russian-language culture free from political and imperial influences.
How Is the Award Process Conducted?
The Prize is awarded annually. The Jury holds a vote in which each member selects between one and three works. The author whose work receives the highest number of votes becomes the winner.
What Awards Are Provided?
The Prize winner receives a grant for the translation of their work into English, French, and German.
When Does the Submission Period for the Competition Start and End?
Submissions for the third season of the prize will open on July 15, 2026, and close on October 15, 2026.
When will the list of finalists and winners be announced?
On January 20, 2027, the Council of Experts will announce the shortlist. The Independent Jury will announce the winner on May 25, 2027.
What are the conditions for the nomination of a book for the award
Works published in 2025 are eligible for the third season of the competition. Eligible works (novels, novellas, short story and essay collections, documentary prose) may have been published either as standalone editions or in literary magazines. Nominations may be submitted by publishing houses and magazine editorial boards, as well as by the authors themselves or third parties (with the author's consent and written confirmation). Texts must be submitted for consideration in electronic format. The DAR Prize is open to all authors. Given the prize's main goals — promoting contemporary Russian-language literature outside of Russia — and the nature of the award itself (a translation grant), priority will be given to authors whose works have not previously been translated into English, French, or German.
