The writer Georgia Makhlouf awarded for her novel "Pays amer". (Credit: Photo Prix Méditerranée/Matthias Cheval)
Franco-Lebanese author Georgia Makhlouf has won the first-ever Mediterranean Readers’ Prize, awarded by the “Des livres et nous” (Books and Us) circle at Perpignan’s Media Library, for her novel "Pays Amer" (Bitter Country). The result was announced after a vote by readers involved in the initiative, which is organized by the city’s librarians.
The new award is a participatory offshoot of the prestigious Mediterranean Prize and honors a contemporary work that resonates widely with readers. Makhlouf’s novel was praised for the originality and depth of its writing, reflecting the tensions and cultural echoes of the Mediterranean region.
"Pays amer" is a work of fiction freely inspired by the life of Marie al-Khazen (1899-1983), the first Lebanese woman photographer.
Makhlouf will receive the prize this fall in Perpignan, alongside the other winners of the 2025 Mediterranean Prize.
This year’s laureates, announced in April, also include another Lebanese author, Carmen Boustani, who won the Mediterranean Essay Prize for "May Ziadé, la passion d’écrire" (May Ziade, a Passion of Writing). Pierre Adrian received the Mediterranean Prize for "Hôtel Roma" (Roma Hotel), Dimitris Sotakis won the Mediterranean Foreign Prize for "Demi-cœur" (Half-heart), Clara Breteau earned the First Novel Prize for "L’avenue de verre" (Glass Avenue), and Olivier Catel received the Spiritualities Prize for "Jérusalem, Un cœur de paix" (Jerusalem, A Heart of Peace).
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