Maggie O’Farrell, Alejandro Zambra, and the Galician Antón Riveiring gathered on Tuesday, March 25th to receive the XXVIII Juan de San Clemente Award. They unanimously described the award as «perfect» due to the unbiased and fresh perspective of the teenage jury.
The authors expressed their thoughts during a press conference attended by Rosalía de Castro, who is the director of the contest -Fedes, and Lois Docampo, the representative of the jury comprising nine centers: six from Galicia, one from Madrid (Ramiro de Maeztu), and three international (one French, one German, and one British).
For the British author Maggie O’Farrell, the winning work was «retrato casado,» a book that narrates the story of a young Spanish woman who dies at the age of 15 at the hands of her husband. O’Farrell expressed her delight that young readers have connected with this story.
During her speech, the author apologized for only knowing how to say «una cerveza, por favor» in Spanish, a phrase common among Brits living in Spain. She also shared her excitement about being in Santiago and meeting so many young readers. O’Farrell admitted to feeling nervous upon hearing the news of the award but now feels proud of it.
She emphasized the importance of listening to the opinions of young people, highlighting that teenagers are often underestimated. O’Farrell praised the initiative for encouraging young readers to disconnect from screens and engage with books.
The Chilean author Alejandro Zambra won the award in the foreign literature category for his work in children’s literature. He explained that he wrote with a specific and young reader in mind: his seven-year-old son.
Zambra expressed his unexpected gratitude for an award that allowed teenagers to evaluate a work that explores fatherhood. He reflected on the importance of fostering discussions on such topics during adolescence.
Antón Riveiro received the award for Galician literature for his work «Hotel Carioca.» He described the award as «special and perfect,» attributing it to a jury that is unspoiled and innocent, reminiscent of the unrestrained reading habits of youth.
The three authors will now join the prestigious list of past winners, including renowned names like Paul Auster, Haruki Murakami, Antonio Tabhechi, Almudena Grande, Manuel Rivas, Sica Romero, Brenda Navarro, María Reimóndez, and Mario Vargas Los Clementos in 2018.
Following the award ceremony and traditional dinner with students and authors, the activities will continue on Wednesday, March 26th. Alejandro Zambra will engage in two meetings with high school and middle school students.
The San Clemente Award marks its 30th anniversary in 2025, having first taken place in 1995.
