The countdown to Riyadh Season 2024 continues.
And as the launch date creeps closer, we are learning more about the new and exciting events, zones and competitions that are coming with the fifth edition of Riyadh Season. One such competition is The Golden Pen Award.
The Golden Pen Award is set to be one of the most prestigious literary competitions in the region. Launched by the Saudi General Entertainment Authority (GEA) as part of the Riyadh Season festivities, this exciting initiative aims to recognise and celebrate exceptional Arabic fiction writing.
In July, Dr. Saad Al-Bazei was announced as the Chairman of the Golden Pen Award. Al-Bazei is a prolific author and researcher, with numerous publications in both Arabic and English. He has also been a prominent figure at conferences and symposiums throughout the region and internationally.
About The Golden Pen Award
The competition is open to writers of all nationalities, providing a platform for international recognition. The Golden Pen Award will have a substantial prize pool of a whopping $690,000, making way for it to become one of the largest literary competitions in the region.
The Golden Pen Award is a significant initiative that fosters creativity, talent, and innovation in the Arab literary and film industries. It's a great opportunity for aspiring writers to submit their work and receive recognition for their literary achievements.
Winners of the Golden Pen Award have the unique opportunity to see their work adapted into a film, opening doors to new possibilities in the literary and film industries.
The competition features various categories, including romance, thriller/mystery, comedy, action, fantasy, detective, historical, and screenplay adapted from a literary work. This diverse range of categories ensures that writers of all genres will have a chance to showcase their talents and win this competition.
Prize and Category Details
Although the total prize pot is approximately $690,000, it will be split between winners with first place receiving a prize of $100,000, and their work will be turned into a movie. The second place winner will receive an impressive prize of $50,000 and their script or writing will also be turned into a film. And finally, the third place runner up will take $30,000 home as a prize.
Of course, there are several other categories where winners will be awarded cash prizes.
One such category being The Novel Awards. A cash prize of $25,000 will be awarded to authors for their works in the novel genres of Best Comedy, Best Thriller and Mystery, Best Action, Best Historical, Best Fantasy, Best Horror, and Best Romance for example.
There will also be a People's Choice Award where the public can vote for their favourite submission online, and the prize for this has been set at $30,000. Other categories include the Best Translated Novel will receive a $100,000 prize and the Best Arab Publisher, where the winner will be awarded $50,000.
Although there will be an initial committee of experts involved in the first screening stages, the final judging panel is expected to consist of three novelists, three screenwriters, and three producers from the Arab creative world. Chairman of the GEA, Turki Alalshikh has said that the winner will be announced on a live television broadcast following the judgement of works by this panel of independent creatives and industry experts.
Submission Deadline: From September 15 - 30, 2024
Long List Announcement: November 30, 2024
Short List Announcement: December 30, 2024
Winners Announced: February 2025
