RIYADH: Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority Turki Al-Sheikh has announced that Arabic-speaking writers can start submitting their works to compete for the Golden Pen Award, granted for the most influential literary work.
The winning scripts may be made into movies by the authority, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
Applications for the award, sponsored by Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, will be accepted until Sept. 30.
A longlist will be announced on Nov. 30, followed by the shortlist on Dec. 30. The awards will be presented at a ceremony scheduled to take place in February 2025, which is expected to draw an elite group of writers, intellectuals, filmmakers and actors.
The six award categories are — the grand prize, the novel, the screenplay, the best translated novel, the best Arab publisher, and the audience award, with a total prize value of $740,000.
For both the grand prize and the screenplay categories, the first-place prizes will be $100,000 and the production of a movie, the second-place prizes will be $50,000 and the production of a movie, while the third-place prizes will be $30,000.
In the novel category, there will be eight prizes worth $25,000 each, including the best suspense and thriller novel, the best mystery and crime novel, the best romance novel, the best fantasy novel, the best comedy novel, the best historical novel, the best horror novel, and the best realistic novel.
The best translated novel will receive $100,000, while the best Arab publisher will be awarded $50,000, and the audience award will be $30,000, with public voting to open on the award website at a later date.
Last week, at the inauguration of the Golden Pen Award website, Al-Sheikh said that the website would serve as a comprehensive repository of Arabic novels, screenplays and related content, aligning with large-scale productions underway across the Arab world, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Sheikh said the Golden Pen Forum would be a special gathering place for writers with free membership. He added that there would be specific criteria for selecting beneficiary members, making it a vibrant focal point throughout the year in the Arab world.
Chairman of the Golden Pen Award Saad Al-Bazei encouraged all Arab writers and authors to participate in the competition, which aims to enrich Arabic content with high-value works.
