Deborah Cass Prize shortlist announced
The shortlist for the 2022 Deborah Cass Prize for emerging writers from migrant backgrounds has been announced. The prize committee also announced that this year will be the prize’s last.
The 11 shortlisted works and their authors are:
- ‘international roaming charges’ by Meghalee Bose
- ‘Melonshine’ by Min Chow
- ‘The Baby’ by Jing Cramb
- ‘A Bigger Splash!’ by Olivia De Zilva
- ‘International’ by Anneliz Marie Erese
- ‘To Not Be Forgotten’ by Sevim Dogan Ozkan
- ‘Girl on the Move’ by Binh Pham
- ‘Ashes’ by Anne Ryden
- ‘Crack’ by Ara Sarafian
- ‘Meeting Hunter’ by Niko Satria
- ‘Kaa’ by Nilofar Zimmerman.
This year’s shortlist was chosen from 99 entries. The winner receives a cash prize of $3000 plus a three-month mentorship with an established writer, and the winning manuscript is presented to Black Inc. for consideration. There is also the opportunity for the winning entry to be published in Mascara Literary Review.
The prize winner and runners-up will be determined by the 2022 prize judges Paul Dalgarno, Lee Kofman and Sisonke Msimang.
The Deborah Cass Prize committee also announced that this year will be the the prize’s last. Established in 2015 in memory of academic and writer Deborah Cass, the prize was the first for migrant writing in Australia.
Cass’s brother, Dan Cass, said in a note to prize partner Writers Victoria: ‘It is the eighth year of the prize and the committee has decided to put down the pen … Since the prize began, the context for Australian writing has changed. It’s wonderful to see the introduction of other exciting opportunities, such as the Liminal & Pantera Press prize for nonfiction writing and SBS’s prize for emerging writers.’
Bryant Apolonio was the winner of the 2021 prize for his story ‘Independencia’.
The winner of the final Deborah Cass Prize will be announced during a free online event on Wednesday, 16 November. For more information, see the prize’s website.
Category: Awards Local news
