Ibrahim Farghali wins Sawiris Cultural Awards

Egyptian writer Ibrahim Farghali won the Sawiris Cultural Award for best novel in the branch of Established Writers on his latest work “Maabad Anamel Al-Harir” (Temple of Silk Fingertips), published by Difaf and Al-Ikhtilaf. Farghali received the award in a ceremony held at the Cairo Opera House a few days ago, in the presence of Egyptian Culture Minister Helmi El-Namnam, a number of ministers and ambassadors of Arab and foreign countries, public figures, intellectuals and Cinema and television Stars as well as members of the jury of the Awards.

The Jury of the prize described Farghali’s novel as it draws attention to both style and form, “the writing style of this novel is humanized and steps above other narrative elements. It shows vitality of writing and its unique features. This work of fiction presents at the same time an interesting world that takes some elements of reality to create a fictional world, an imaginary one that has several fantasy paths and diverse entanglements of destinies.”

This is the second Sawiris award for Farghali in the same branch as his famous novel “Abnaa’ Al-Jabalawy” (Sons of Jabalawy) received the award of best novel for Established Writers in 2013.
Ibrahim Farghali is an Egyptian novelist who belongs to the generation of writers of the nighties. He published his first collection of short stories “Bitijah Al-ma’aaki” (Toward the lacrimal bay) in 1997. His second novel “Ibtisamat Al-Qidissine” (The Smiles of the Saints), published in 2004 and translated into English, depicts the relations between Copts and Muslims in Egypt nowadays in a sensitive distinctive style which offers an appealing mix between fantasy and reality. He also has other fiction works, described as full of imagination and magical realism such as his first novel “Kahf Al-Farashat” (Butterflies Cave), published in 1998. His other work includes two novels “Jeneyah in Qaroura” (Genie in a bottle), 2006, and “Abnaa’ Al-Jabalawy” (Sons of Jabalawy), 2009. He wrote also two novels for youth (age 11-14 years), the first “Moghamra fi Madinet Al-Mawta” (Adventure in the City of the Dead), 2014, and the second “Massassou Al-Hebr” (Ink Vampires), 2015.

The Sawiris Cultural Award is a prestigious Egyptian prize established in 2005 by the Sawiris Foundation, a human development organisation set up by the wealthy Sawiris family. The Awards is handed to artists in six different fields: best novel and story collection for established writers; best novel and short story collection for emerging writers; best film script for established writers, best film script for emerging writers; best theatre script; and best work of literary criticism.