David Awards in Fiction, Poetry, and Drama Honor Young Cuban Writers

The David Awards, presented annually by the Writers and Artists Union of Cuba (UNEAC), were awarded on Thursday to emerging young Cuban authors during a ceremony held in the institution's Villena Hall.

Fiction writer Dazra Novak, president of the Writers Association, noted that over time, the award has served as an entry point for prominent creators on the island, including Delfín Prats, Lina de Feria, Luis Lorente, and other celebrated voices of Cuban literature.

She recalled that the award bears the pseudonym used by young revolutionary Frank País García (1934–1957) during the underground insurrectional struggle against the Batista dictatorship, honoring a figure who left a profound mark on Cuban history.

In this edition of the David Awards, entries included 11 novels, 15 poetry manuscripts, and 5 plays, evaluated by juries of recognized prestige: in the novel category, Pedro Juan Gutiérrez, Ulises Rodríguez Febles, and Martha Acosta; in poetry, Laura Ruíz Montes, Víctor Fowler, and Milho Montenegro; and in theater, Rubén Sicilia, Blanca Felipe Romero, and Reinaldo Montero.

"Dominó entre sombras" by Havana author Ariel Hernández Reyes captured the award in the Novel category. In poetry, the top honor went to "Canción del cuerpo a rastras" by Jessica Chabeli González Smith (Las Tunas), with an honorable mention awarded to "Instrucciones para mantener un cuerpo" by Manuel Eduardo Jiménez Mendoza (Villa Clara).

"Autorretrato, de Juana B" by Varela Leyva, a recent playwriting graduate from the University of the Arts, received the David Award in the theater category. The jury highlighted that writing about figures of proven historical record requires indispensable research, particularly when addressing an essential personality of Cuban culture such as the eternal adolescent poet Juana Borrero (1877–1896).

Additionally in theater, the jury awarded an honorable mention to "La era del hombre pendejo" by Jorge Vázquez Castro (Havana). Vázquez Castro noted that his approach to theater is recent and that he prefers exploring how classical themes can dialogue with contemporary society, particularly through the reinterpretation of myths and their projection in modern phenomena such as social media.

Upon concluding the presentation of awards across the convened categories, Novak congratulated the winners, expressed gratitude to the writers who served on the jury, and acknowledged the support of the Onelio Jorge Cardoso Literary Formation Center, from which many of the day's David Award recipients graduated.

Martha Bonet de la Cruz, president of the Cuban artistic vanguard organization, presented the honors to the winning writers. Meanwhile, the Ébanos quartet from Havana, directed by Yanexy Machado and belonging to the catalog of the National Center for Concert Music, performed selections of Cuban music during the gathering.

Since 1967, the competition has accompanied the emergence of literary voices that today form an essential part of the national literary landscape. What began as an award for poetry and short stories expanded over time to include theater, science fiction, and essays, always backed by the editorial support of Ediciones Unión, which guarantees the publication of the winning works.