MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –
Source: Switzerland – Canton Government of Geneva in French
A prolific and multifaceted author, Winshluss – Vincent Paronnaud by his real name – is rewarded for his entire body of work in drawing. The six authors nominated respectively for the Töpffer Prize Geneva and the Töpffer Prize for Young Comics are now known. The Töpffer Prizes will be awarded during a public ceremony at HEAD – Geneva on Thursday, November 28.
Since 2018, the Grand Prix Töpffer has distinguished a French-speaking author or author translated into French for the importance of their contribution to contemporary comics. On the proposal of a jury made up of experts in the field, the canton and the City of Geneva have decided to award the Grand Prix Töpffer 2024, with a prize of 10,000 francs, to the French comic book author and filmmaker Winshluss.
Born in 1970, Winshluss is a self-taught artist and jack-of-all-trades with a unique trajectory. He started out in comics in the mid-1990s by publishing his drawings in fanzines. At the turn of the 2000s, he established himself as a leading author for Requins Marteaux, an underground publishing house. His biting and often dark style, his scathing humor and the critical look he takes at our society in its dehumanizing aspects hit the mark.
It was in 2009 that he became known to the general public by winning the Fauve d’or at the Angoulême festival with Pinocchio, a pop and trashy reinterpretation of the tale of the same name. Acclaimed by the public and critics alike and translated into a dozen countries, the album has become a classic of independent comics. In 2016, Winshluss received the Pépite d’or at the Montreuil Youth Book Fair for Dans la forêt sombre et mystérieuse, a book which – unusually for the author – ends well. In addition to his rich work in drawing, Winshluss is also a musician, visual artist and filmmaker. He notably co-directed the animated film Persepolis with Marjane Satrapi, which won the Jury Prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
Six authors in the running in other categories
Increasingly recognized in the world of comics, the Töpffer Awards have been awarded since 1997 in tribute to the Genevan Rodolphe Töpffer, considered the inventor of the 9th art. The ceremony on November 28 will also be an opportunity to recognize the 2024 winners of the Töpffer Geneva Prize, worth 10,000 francs, and the Young Comics Prize, worth 5,000 francs.
For the Prix Töpffer Genève, which rewards a confirmed Geneva comic strip personality for an album published less than a year ago, the three nominated authors are Alex Baladi (1969) for Un monde en pleine mutation (Atrabile editions), Ibn Al Rabin (1975) for De la ductilité du sbrinz (Atrabile editions), and Juliette Mancini (1989) for La haine du poil (Cambourakis editions).
Concerning the Young Comic Strip Prize, which rewards a project in progress by an author aged 15 to 30 and living or studying in Geneva, the three nominees are Jano (2002) for La Dragonne, Fanny Rose (2002) for On dit que c’est une étamine libre, and Stanyslas Leray (2000) for La Gwerz de l’ajonc. The first two works mentioned were produced as part of the diploma projects of the Geneva School of Comics and Illustration (ESBDI), while the third is the result of a bachelor’s thesis at HEAD – Geneva.
For this 2024 edition, the selection jury is composed as follows: Hélène Becquelin (comic book author), Patrick Fuchs (dean of ESBDI), Yannis La Macchia (Töpffer Prize Geneva 2023), Clément Paurd (head of the illustration orientation at HEAD – Geneva), Emmanuèle Payen (director of the cultural development and cinema department at the Centre Pompidou), and Leticia Ramos (head of the Cumulus specialist bookstore).
Festive evening to celebrate comics
The 2024 Töpffer Comic Strip Awards will be presented on Thursday, November 28, during a ceremony attended by Thierry Apothéloz, State Councilor in charge of the Department of Social Cohesion, and Sami Kanaan, Administrative Councilor of the City of Geneva in charge of the Department of Culture and Digital Transition. This festive event, with public and free admission, will be held at the Cube on the HEAD – Geneva campus. The precise program will be announced soon.
Artist biographies and press images are available at http://www.prixtopffer.ch.
Please note that Winshluss, Grand Prix Töpffer 2024, will be in Geneva during the week of November 25, where he will give a workshop at the ESBDI. Media interested in an interview or a report can register at the contact details below.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.