By Syma Sayyah, Tehran
 

The 7^th Golshiri Literary Award ceremony took place end of last month at the NGO centre at the corner of Warsaw Street and Villa Avenue, Tehran in front of a large number of guests, who were mainly lovers and supporters of literature and writing in Iran.  Many well known names in Iran's literary world were present including Ms Simin Behbahani, Mahmud Doulatabadi, Yaghoub Yadali, Lily Golestan, Bahman Farmanara, Zia Movahed, Babak Ahmadi, Goli Emami, Mahin Khadivi, M.R. Okhovat, Mojdeh Daghighi, Saeed Abbaspour and of course many of the candidates, all the winners except one who was abroad, and many more.
 

Opening the ceremony, Mrs. Farzaneh Taheri-Golshiri, the president and founder of the Houshang Golshiri Cultural Foundation gave a short but comprehensive report of the foundation's activities during the year, including the news of translation of Golshiri's famous book Shazdeh Ehtejab ( Prince Ehtejab) into Dutch, the problems that the foundation has had for publishing the Nagshes (the collection of the judges selections for the best short stories each year) for 1383 and 1384, the changes that have been made in the judging procedures and of course all the trouble the foundation has had in finding a place to have the ceremony just for a couple of hours.  She paid tribute to Mr Darvishian who was unable to join the ceremony due to his illness.  She thanked the awarding committee for their hard work and dedication.
 

Next, Ms. Nastaran Moossavi, a member of the board³ who was the Awarding Committee Chair, made a speech about the changes that have been made in the selection process from this year. The most important of these were that each final judging committee will consist of five judges.  The judges may not award a prize in any category if at least 4 out of the 5 judges agree.  For further information please see www.Golshirifoundation.org.  She went on to state that the selection process was done, like last year, in two phases.  She also spoke about problems and restrictions in publishing in Iran and that the foundation is resolved to continue its work despite all the shortcomings for as long as it is possible.
 

Ms. Simin Behbahani, Mr Bahman Farmanara, Ms Nahid Tavasoli and Mr Shoulevar

A list of well known books which were published in 1385 had been drawn up and the list was sent to many literary people, chosen for their expertise in fiction including authors and critics.  37 out of 60 responded by returning the form selecting the books as well as adding - by request - any books which they thought deserved to be considered. The committee drew up a shortlist based on these evaluations and announced it in a press conference in late October and published it on the foundation's website.
 

Mr Doulatabadi and Ms Taheri-Golshiri

The awarding work group members were: Ms Nastaran Moossavi (the chair), Mr. Hossein Sanapour and Mr. Younes Tarakameh.  

The judges in the Novel category were: Lili Golestan, Kamran Bozorgnia, Mahmoud Hosseini-zad, Mahnaz Karimi, and Hamidreza Najafi.

The Judges in the Short Story category were: Ali Khodayi, Nahid Tabatabayi, Mahmoud Falaki, Yaghoub Yadali, and Mohammad Yaghouby.

The awards were divided as always into 4 categories. The winners each received a cheque for 10,000,000 Rials and the special trophy designed by Ms Farideh Lashai.
 

Houshang Golshiri by Irene Lowkig

To announce the winner in each of the four categories, first the audience watched a film of each of the shortlisted writers reading a short passage from their nominated work. Once all the candidates read their short pieces then a member of the jury came on the podium and read the verdict enumerating the merits of the selected work. The winners received their awards each from one of Iran's prominent art and literary figures, such as the renowned scholar and critic Dr. Babak Ahmadi, the famous author and translator Dr. Bahman Showleh-var and the philosopher and poet Dr. Zia Movahed.
 

The winning books

The Winners of the Year 1386 (2007)

·         The Best Novel:

Death Anniversary by Asghar Elahi

·         The Best Collection of Short Stories:

            Askar the Absconder by Mohammad-Asef Soltanzadeh

·         The Best First Collection of Short Stories:

Life Goes on to Your Liking written by Amir-Hossein Khorshidfar

·         The Best First Novel:

A Scorpion on the Steps of Andimeshk Railroad Station by Hossein Mortezaian Abkenar
 

 
The award winners

Afterwards the guests went outside the NGO Center for refreshments and to have a look at the books exhibited there for the occasion and to buy them.

Jaye shoma khali! (we missed you)
 

The Foundation Board takes this opportunity to express its sincere and deep thanks to all the judges for their great work and enthusiasm, care and concern for our contemporary fiction. It is only through the hard work and trustworthy judgment of the judges that the Hooshang Golshiri Award has gained such high respect and credit among writers and scholars alike. Our sincere thanks go to the judges, supporters, those who helped us video the reading and many of the book lovers who made this event happen. 

You may read a full text of the 7^th award in Persian at: http://www.golshirifoundation.org/award07.htm

You may contact them via:     info@golshirifoundation.org

The Foundation Address is: P.O.BOX 15875-1773, Tehran, Iran,   

Fax only: 0098 21-44658015
 

¹ http://www.golshirifoundation.org/english/golshiri.asp 

About Houshang Golshiri – http://www.golshirifoundation.org/english/golshiri/works.asp 

A list of some of his work - http://www.golshirifoundation.org/english/golshiri/works2.asp 

² Houshang Golshiri Cultural Foundation was established in 2000 as a non-governmental organization. It was the first NGO in Iran which focused on the promotion of contemporary fiction, and was named after the prominent Iranian modern writer, critic, scholar and teacher. The HGCF aspires to resume Golshiri's lifelong effort to provide young fiction writers with knowledge and encouragement to reach new possibilities.

³ List of Founders and Board members of the Foundation http://www.golshirifoundation.org/english/About/aboutus.asp 

⁴ Books published in Persian and in Iran
 

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