The “Zija Dizdarević” award for the best short story, which is awarded in honor of the prominent Bosnian writer Zija Dizdarević, was presented yesterday in Fojnica for the 41st time. 106 stories were submitted to the contest, and the expert jury consisting of Magdalena Blažević (president), Edin Pobrić (member) and Izet Perviz (member) unanimously declared the story “Wire” by Melida Travančić from Tešnj as the best.
The second prize went to Vahid Duraković from Bugojno, while the third prize went to Faris Rastoder from Sarajevo.
On the occasion of the recognition, laureate Melida Travančić said:
“I am happy because my name was included in the list of winners of this important award, which bears the name of the prominent writer Zija Dizdarevic. On the other hand, the award is a confirmation that I have built a very successful narrative, opened up the themes of war that still have their place and that such stories do not go unnoticed. I feel that not only the story is recognized, but also the courage to speak about a topic that is not easy to write about.”
In the explanation of the jury, which was read by the president Magdalena Blažević, it is stated that the story “Wire” is “an extremely mature and emotionally complex prose text that deals in a subtle way with the consequences of war, trauma and the impossibility of complete liberation from the past. The author builds an intimate space between two survivors — a man and a woman — and in that space explores the boundaries of love, body and memory.”
The “Zija Dizdarević” award traditionally brings together authors from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region, and remains one of the most significant recognitions for short stories in the country.
