Longlists of Emerging-Market Writers, Filmmakers, Artists Announced for 2016 FT/OppenheimerFunds Emerging Voices Awards

The competition was open to artists from emerging-market nations for awards in the following categories:

1. Africa and the Middle East – painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, mixed media – 393 entries received from 35 countries;
2. Asia-Pacific – works of fiction published in English – 156 entries, 14 countries;
3. Latin America and the Caribbean – films in any language with English subtitles – 248 entries; 15 countries.

A shortlist will be announced on August 5, and winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony in New York City on September 26, which all shortlisted artists will be invited to attend. Winners will receive a $40,000 prize, and two runners-up per category will receive $5,000.

"I am once again humbled by the quality of submissions we received from these outstanding artists around the globe," said Justin Leverenz, Director of Emerging Market Equities at OppenheimerFunds and Founder of the Emerging Voices Awards. "I am honored to be a part of something that highlights their work and showcases this talent."

The 2015 winners were Cristina Planas for her works Vultures, Table of Negotiations, Mass Grave, Coloured Christ (Art, Peru), Chigozie Obioma for The Fishermen (Fiction, Nigeria), and Yuhang Ho for Trespassed (Film, Malaysia).

The longlists are:

Art – Africa and the Middle East:
Noor Abuarafeh (Jordan)
Victor Ehikhamenor (Nigeria)
Aicha Filali (Tunisia)
Naomi Wanjiku Gakunga (Kenya)
Ilan Godfrey (South Africa)
Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga (Congo Dem. Rep.)
Syowia Kyambi (Kenya)
Emo de Medeiros (Benin)
Gareth Nyandoro (Zimbabwe)
Abel Tilahun (Ethiopia)

Fiction – Asia-Pacific:
The Bones of Grace by Tahmima Anam, Canongate Books (Bangladesh / UK)
Home by Leila S. Chudori, Deep Vellum Publishing (Indonesia)
The Seventh Day by Yu Hua, Pantheon Books (China)
The Tusk That Did the Damage by Tania James, Harvill Secker (India / USA)
Man Tiger by Eka Kurniawan, Verso Books (Indonesia)
The Four Books by Yan Lianke, Chatto & Windus (China)
The Association of Small Bombs by Karan Mahajan, Chatto & Windus (India / USA)
Sleeping on Jupiter by Anuradha Roy, MacLehose Press (India)
Reckless by Hasan Ali Toptas, Bloomsbury Publishing (Turkey)
Crystal Wedding by Xu Xiaobin, Balestier Press (China)

Film – Latin America and the Caribbean:
Wifi by Douglas Alonzo (Honduras)
Solon by Clarissa Campolina (Brazil)
Olia by Tania Cattebeke (Paraguay)
History of Abraim by Otavio Cury (Brazil)
When the Sun Rises by Santiago Eguia (Paraguay)
3:14 by Patricio Marin (Mexico)
The Tailor by Diego Pino (Bolivia)
Impressions of War by Camilo Restrepo (Colombia)
Dionisio by Isabel Vaca (Mexico)
Zerch by J. Xavier Velasco (Mexico)

Panels of judges are reviewing the submissions to find the artists whose work best demonstrates outstanding talent and exemplifies their art form and the voice of their region. The judges include:

Chair: Michael Skapinker, Associate Editor, Financial Times

Art Panel: Africa and the Middle East
El Anatsui, Sculptor
Iwona Blazwick, Director at Whitechapel Gallery
Antonia Carver, Director of Art Jameel
Jan Dalley, Arts Editor, Financial Times
Koyo Kouoh, Art Director

Fiction Panel: Asia-Pacific
Xiaolu Guo, Novelist and Filmmaker
Sunil Khlinani, Director of the India Institute at King's College, London
Lorien Kite, Book Editor, Financial Times
Justin Leverenz, CFA, Director of Emerging Markets Equities, OppenheimerFunds
Yiyun Li, Author
Elif Shafak, Novelist, Political Scientist and Commentator

Film Panel: Latin America and the Caribbean
Nigel Andrews, Film Critic, Financial Times
Yuhang Ho, Film Director
Claudia Llosa, Film Director
Mira Nair, Film Director
Pablo Trapero, Filmmaker

For more information, visit ft.com/emerging-voices or follow the conversation on Twitter at #EmergingVoices.

* Gross National Income of less than $12,746 per capita.

For more information please contact:

Financial Times:
Christopher Chafin
christopher.chafin@ft.com
+1 917.551.5093

OppenheimerFunds:
Kimberly Weinrick
kweinrick@ofiglobal.com
+1 212.323.0729

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