Buenos Aires, April 1 (NA) – The International Booker Prize announced on March 31 the six finalist titles for its 2026 edition, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the award that recognizes works translated into English. The previous edition distinguished 'Heart Lamp' by Banu Mushtaq, consolidating the international character of the award and its bet on translation as a bridge between cultures. Each work was translated into English by renowned specialists, in line with the spirit of the prize, which distributes the £50,000 between author and translator. 'The Director,' translated by Ross Benjamin, reconstructs the life of filmmaker G.W. Pabst under Nazism. From Asia, Yáng Shuāng-zǐ proposes a story set in 1930s colonial Taiwan, previously distinguished with the Golden Tripod. For his part, Karabash addresses a coming-of-age story in a patriarchal environment, while Bazyar narrates the exile of an Iranian family. NDiaye, a finalist in 2013, competes with a novel that combines black humor and social criticism. Completing the list is the Brazilian Maia, with a short story set in an old plantation turned into a penal colony. The titles were chosen from 128 works submitted, after a pre-selection of 13 books. In addition to the main prize, each finalist will receive £5,000. The jury selected a diverse list in terms of origins and styles, made up of authors from Germany, France, Taiwan, Bulgaria, and Brazil, with five women among the nominees. The list includes Daniel Kehlmann with 'The Director,' Marie NDiaye with 'The Witch,' Yáng Shuāng-zǐ with 'Taiwan Travelogue,' René Karabash with 'The One Who Remains,' Shida Bazyar with 'The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran,' and Ana Paula Maia with 'As on Earth as Under the Earth.'
