France Prize Information has announced the 10 finalists. The award, which has been running since 1994, offers a fascinating glimpse into documentary, non-fiction and news-based fiction comics published in France. The winners will be announced on January 18, 2026, as determined by a jury of nine journalists from the France Info newsroom and Editor-in-Chief Richard Place.
The award is sponsored by the 24-hour news station France Info. Before the winners are chosen, they will be given a special spot on France Info’s TV and radio channels to explore the theme of each book.
Previous winners include Joe Sacco (Palestine, 1999; Gaza Footnotes, 2011), Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis, 2002), Joe Kubert (Fax from Sarajevo, 1998), and Rutu Modern (Exit Wounds, 2008). Last year’s winner was Lou Lubie’s “Racine”, which will be released in English as “The Roots of My Hair” (Helvetiq) in May 2026. Laurent Hopman and Renaud Roche’s Lucas Wars, in collaboration with Abrams Comic Arts, debuted in English this year and won in 2024.
Of course, the nominees are just as interesting as the winners, and we hope many of them get the localization treatment soon. This year’s themes include incest, the marine biodiversity crisis, living with HIV, the experiences of healthcare workers with dementia, and interviews with Triad members.
Check it out below.
“On ne par pas de ses choices la” (tr. “We Don’t Talk About Such Things”) by Marine Courtet and Alexandra Petit (Casterman) — Courtet investigates the taboo of incest by questioning her own family.
“Nous sommes la voix de celles qui n’en ont plus” (tr. “We speak for those who have lost their voice”) by Paola Guzzo and Cécile Roussette (Actes Sud) — An investigation into the 2019 activist movement to raise awareness of the femicide rate in France.
‘Là où tu vas, voyage au pays de la memoire qui flanche (tr. ‘Wherever You Go, a journey into the land of fading memories’)’ by Etienne Davodeau (Futuropolis) – We follow Etienne’s partner, a healthcare worker who treats patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
*Many of Davodeau’s previous works have been released in English by NBM.
Mon ami Kim Jong-Un (My Friend Kim Jong-Un) by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, French translator Loïc Gendry and Young Joo Lee (Futuropolis) — An exploration of the life and mythology surrounding the North Korean leader.
*My Friend Kim Jong Un will be published by Drawn & Quarterly in February 2026, translated by Janet Hong
On a mangé la mer (tr. ‘We Ate The Sea’) (Futuropolis) by Maxime de Lille and Olivier Martin — about the fishing crisis on the French coast that has dramatically affected marine populations.
Blanche, by Maëlle Reat (Glénat) — Reportage based on a true story. Mother reveals story of life with HIV infection to daughter
Shadi by Mana & Touka Neestani & Shaghayestani, French translator Masoumeh Lahizi (çà et là)—A personal account of the accident of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 in which Iran’s Revolutionary Guards accidentally shot down a passenger plane, the ensuing state cover-up, and the Neestani family’s own personal loss. Co-author Mana Neestani is the author of An Iranian Metamorphosis (released in English by Uncivilized Books in 2015).
Triades, quand la mafia chinoise parle (tr. ‘The Triads: When the Chinese Mafia Speaks’) by Antoine Vitkine & Christophe Girard (Steinks) — Based on conversations between journalist Antoine Vitkine and various members of the Triads, it examines their impact on the global economy and geopolitics, including France. The journalist also published a book on the same subject in France earlier this year.
Journal inquiet d’Istanbul – tome 2 by Ersin Karabulut (Dargaud) – About a Turkish cartoonist who enters the world of satire against the backdrop of rising conservatism.
*The first book was released digitally in 2022 by Europa Comics as Drawing on the Edge.
Brigade Babylone (tr. ‘Babylon Brigade’) (Denoël Graphic) by Pauline Guéna & Mahi Grand, a sensitive record of a troubled neighborhood in France
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