The São Paulo Prize for Literature (Portuguese: Prêmio São Paulo de Literatura) is a Brazilian award given to novels written in Portuguese and published in Brazil. It was created in 2008 by the Secretary of Culture for the State of São Paulo. While it is not as old as other Brazilian literary awards, such as the Machado de Assis Prize, the São Paulo Prize has gained respect quickly. For example, in 2011, there were 221 entries for the prize. This increase in interest is partly due to the large cash prize. Each year, two awards of R$200,000 are given—one for the best novel of the year by an experienced author, and the other for the best novel of the year by a new author. This makes the São Paulo Prize the largest award for a published work in Brazil and one of the largest literary prizes globally. Ten finalists are named for each award during the Festival da Mantiqueira, and the winners are announced on the first Monday of August at the Museum of the Portuguese Language.
Detailed Summary by Year
The first jury for the first year of the São Paulo Prize for Literature reviewed 146 novels submitted by 55 publishers and 19 independent authors. The first jury picked five finalists for each category. Then, the final jury chose one winner from each category. The awards ceremony happened on 1 December 2008, and the presenter was MTV VJ Cazé Peçanha. All entries were first published in Brazil in 2007.
Shortlist for Best Book of the Year
Shortlist for Best Book of the Year – Debut Author
The 2009 São Paulo Prize for Literature received 217 novel submissions from 75 publishers and 13 independent authors (an increase of 48% from the previous year). From these submissions, the first jury selected ten finalists for each category (an increase from five the previous year). These finalists were announced on 30 May 2009 at the Second Festival da Mantiqueira. One of the finalists was a book written by two authors. All entries were first published in Brazil in 2008.
The winners chosen by the final jury were announced on 3 August 2009 at a ceremony at the Museum of the Portuguese Language. The announcement was made by the Governor of São Paulo, José Serra, and the Secretary of Culture of the State of São Paulo, João Sayad. The ceremony was also attended by the Mayor of São Paulo, Gilberto Kassab, the São Paulo State Secretary of Education, Paulo Renato Souza, the São Paulo State Secretary of Institutional Relations, José Henrique Reis Lobo, the Coordinator of the Unit for Promotion and Diffusion of Cultural Production of the SEC, André Sturm, and several prominent literary figures, in addition to the 20 finalists.
Shortlist for Best Book of the Year
Shortlist for Best Book of the Year – Debut Author
The list of ten finalists for each category, chosen by the first jury for the 2010 São Paulo Prize for Literature, was officially announced at the Festival da Mantiqueira in São Francisco Xavier, São Paulo, on 29 May 2010 by Governor Alberto Goldman. The finalists included Bernardo Carvalho, who returned for his second appearance after previously being on the list in 2008, and Ivana Arruda Leite, who had served on the first jury for the 2008 prize.
There were originally 217 entries considered by the first jury. All entries were first published in Brazil in 2009. The winners selected by the final jury received their awards from the Secretary of Culture of the State of São Paulo, Andrea Matarazzo, on behalf of the Governor of São Paulo, at a ceremony at the Museum of the Portuguese Language on 2 August 2010.
Shortlist for Best Book of the Year
Shortlist for Best Book of the Year – Debut Author
The first jury for the 2011 São Paulo Prize for Literature reviewed 221 novels—104 for the main prize and 117 for the debut author prize. The list of ten finalists for each category was officially announced at the 4th Festival da Mantiqueira in São Francisco Xavier on 28 May 2011. Among the finalists were Evandro Affonso Ferreira, who had been on the first jury for the 2008 prize, Menalton Braff, who had been a finalist for the 2008 prize and on the first jury for the 2009 prize, and Carola Saavedra, who had been a finalist in 2009. The winners selected by the final jury were announced on 1 August 2011 at a ceremony at the Museum of the Portuguese Language. All entries were first published in Brazil in 2010.
Shortlist for Best Book of the Year
Shortlist for Best Book of the Year – Debut Author
The first jury for the 2012 São Paulo Prize for Literature reviewed 209 novels, 90 from established authors and 119 from debut authors. On 2 August 2012, the Secretary of Culture for the State of São Paulo announced the ten finalists for each category. Among the finalists was Tatiana Salem Levy, who had won the 2008 São Paulo Prize for Literature for debut authors, Luiz Ruffato, who had been a finalist for the 2010 main prize, and Hélio Pólvora, who had been a finalist for the 2011 debut author prize. Bartolomeu Campos de Queirós died in January 2012 but was still chosen as a finalist and allowed to compete after his death. His novel ultimately won the prize. Bartolomeu Campos de Queirós was represented at the awards ceremony by his publisher, Isabel Coelho, who accepted the prize on his behalf and stated the prize money would go to his family. The winners selected by the final jury were announced by Governor Geraldo Alckmin on 24 September 2012 at the Museum of the Portuguese Language. All entries were first published in Brazil in 2011.
Shortlist for Best Book of the Year
Shortlist for Best Book of the Year – Debut Author
The submission period for the 2013 edition of the prize opened on 5 June 2013, along with a notice about changes to the prize structure. Under the new structure, the 2013 prize for the best book of the year would remain at R$200,000, while the prize for the best book of the year by a debut author would be split into two categories: R$100,000 for the best book by a debut author 40 and under, and R$100,000 for the best book by a debut author over 40. An author who has previously published books in another genre is still considered a debut author if the book under consideration is their first novel.
Out of 187 entries, 168 were eligible for the competition, including 80 by established authors, 38 by debut authors aged 40 and under, and 50 by debut authors over 40. The 20 finalists were announced on 10 October 2013, with four finalists in the Debut Authors 40 and Under category, six finalists in the Debut Authors Over