Helsingin Sanomat Literature Prize goes to Pajtim Statovci
14.11.2014
The Helsingin Sanomat Literature Prize has been won by Pajtim Statovci for his debut novel Kissani Jugoslavia (My Cat Yugoslavia).
Statovci studies screenwriting at Aalto University and comparative literature at the University of Helsinki. The winner's family moved from Kosovo to Finland when Pajtim was two years old.
Kissani Jugoslavia tells about a family that moved from Kosovo to Finland and their complex relationships. The novel tells about the identity problems brought on by immigration, homosexuality, and confronting the past and the present.
The prize is worth EUR 15 000. Kissani Jugoslavia was selected as the winner from among 65 debut novels written in Finnish. Helsingin Sanomat gave the annual award to the best debut work for the 20th time.