French writer Hélène Cixous, awarded the 2025 Formentor Prize for Literature

Writer, poet, playwright, philosopher, literary critic, and rhetoric specialist Hélène Cixous has been awarded the 2025 Formentor Prize for Literature. This prestigious accolade, which highlights an exceptional contribution to the world of letters, has been granted by a jury composed of distinguished figures from literature and culture, including Claudia Casanova, Víctor Gómez Pin, Marta Rebón, Marta Segarra, and jury president Basilio Baltasar.

Hélène Cixous. Photo: Francesca Mantovani © Éditions Gallimard.

The jury, convened in Valencia, awarded this prize to Cixous for the “personality of her style and her bold sense of creative sovereignty”, and for a body of work that has successfully integrated “a broad range of intellectual disciplines”, from philosophy and psychoanalysis to history, linguistics, and intimate memory. In its official statement, the jury highlights how the writer has created “a literary work that has expanded the most illustrious heritage of European culture”.

Influential figure in feminism

Hélène Cixous, born in Oran in 1937 and of Franco-Algerian descent, is one of the most influential figures in postmodernism and feminist criticism. With a body of work exceeding one hundred books, spanning fiction, theatre, and essays, her work has transcended the boundaries of conventional literature. Her ability to “challenge a language tainted by indolence and imitation” and her way of “shaping unprecedented expressive discoveries that have enriched literary language” make her one of the most revolutionary voices of our time.

The author of Laugh of the Medusa and The Perjured City, among other essential works, is also known for her unique approach to writing. Over more than six decades of career, Cixous has been a leading figure in reflections on femininity, identity, and cultural history. According to the jury, her writing has been crucial in “shaping the consciousness of the feminine, its place in the transformations of our century, and its emancipation from the blind inertia of history”.

Beyond her literary work, Cixous has made a profound academic contribution, pioneering the creation of study programmes dedicated to feminist theory. As the founder of the Centre d’Études Féminines et d’Études de Genre at the University of Paris 8, Cixous has been fundamental in institutionalising gender studies in Europe. Her influence extends not only to academia but also to theatre and contemporary philosophy, through her collaborations with major intellectual figures such as Derrida, Foucault, and Deleuze.

2025 Formentor Prize awarded for tackling “wounds opened by exile, misfortune, and the enigma of adversity”

The 2025 Formentor Prize for Literature not only recognises her outstanding literary career but also her ability to confront “wounds opened by exile, misfortune, and the enigma of adversity”, recurring themes in her work. According to the jury, Cixous has provided “an account of the most hidden sorrows of human experience” with a “sensitivity and narrative expertise” that place her among the most significant voices in contemporary literature. The award ceremony will take place in October at Madrid’s Teatro Real.

More information at this link.