Italo-Swiss is rewarded for his critical novel vis-à-vis Russian President Vladimir Putin, “Le Mage du Kremlin”.
Le Monde
This is the most coveted and prestigious literary prize among the many awarded by the immortals. The Italo-Suisse Giuliano Da Empoli received, Thursday, October 27, the Grand Prix of the Roman of the French Academy for the Mage du Kremlin (Gallimard, 280 p., 20 euros, digital 15 euros), a critical novel vis- Available by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Giuliano da Empoli, 49, born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, was the political advisor to the president of the Italian council Matteo Renzi.
In his novel, published in April by Gallimard editions, he draws a panorama of the mechanisms of power in Russia in the past thirty years. The long monologue he imagines in the mouth of the fictitious advisor to the Kremlin Vadim Baranov is inspired by the journey of Vladislav Sourkov, co -founder of the United Russia Party of Vladimir Putin for the 2001 presidential election.
Vadim Baranov entrusts the cynicism of a president whom he calls “Le Tsar”, the opportunity to return to the events that have shaken the history of Russia since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.
“My book is really imbued with a certain French literature, which has had its place at the Academy for a long time, and which dissects power, which observes it,” the winner told the press. Mr. Da Empoli obtained nine votes, against five to Jean Michelin, a career soldier, and three to the journalist of the Pascale World Robert-Diard. This choice has little surprised because the prize is chaired by a secretary of the Russizing French Academy, Hélène Carrère d’Encausse.
m. Da Empoli can also win the Goncourt Prize on November 3, of which he is one of the four finalists. Obtaining these two literary prizes the same year is a feat that few authors have achieved, because the two academies generally hold the independence of their choice.