Roman and Essai France Télévisions 2026 Prize Winners Honor Lolita Pille and Manal Salamé

French broadcaster France Télévisions has announced the winners of its 2026 literary prizes after the twenty-two readers serving on the Roman and Essai juries met under the guidance of Augustin Trapenard. The Essai France Télévisions 2026 prize was awarded to Lolita Pille for Antigone reine, published by Le Cherche Midi, while the Roman France Télévisions 2026 prize went to Manal Salamé for Habibi Beyrouth, published by La Tribu.

Antigone reine, released in January 2026, explores the act of reading and writing through references to ancient Greek authors as well as Virginia Woolf, Friedrich Nietzsche and Simone Weil. The book is presented as a reflection on literature, thought and the relationship between the author and the reader.

In the fiction category, Habibi Beyrouth, published in March 2026, follows Amal as she returns to Beirut 17 years after leaving Lebanon, on the occasion of renewing her identity card. The journey forces her to confront memories of home, displacement and exile, placing personal history at the center of the novel.

The 2026 selection was drawn up by a committee of journalists and literary specialists made up of Olivia de Lamberterie, Inès de la Motte Saint-Pierre, Anne-Marie Revol, Karim Rissouli, Thomas Snégaroff and Augustin Trapenard. Their shortlist helped determine the finalists before the juries made their final decision.

The new winners succeed Adèle Yon, who won the Essai prize in 2025 for Mon vrai nom est Élisabeth published by Éditions du Sous-Sol, and Philippe Manevy, who received the Roman France Télévisions 2025 prize for La colline qui travaille published by Le Bruit du monde.

With these awards, France Télévisions continues its annual recognition of French-language literary works that stand out for their style, themes and cultural significance. The 2026 prizes highlight two books that approach identity, memory and intellectual inquiry from different angles, one through essay and philosophical reflection, the other through fiction rooted in exile and return.