Sabrina Marthendal
is the winner of the 5th Edition
of the New Playwriting Prize
for Female Authors
with the Pedral piece
Created to recognize and encourage female-authored dramaturgical creation in the Portuguese language, the New Female Dramaturgy Award is aimed at authors with or without works already published or publicly presented and annually awards an unpublished work.
Between January 1st and March 31st, we received an impressive 133 entries for the 5th edition of the New Playwriting Award for Female Authors. Our panel of judges had the difficult task of selecting the three finalists:
Sabrina Marthendal , with Pedral
Click on the links above to learn more about the finalist authors and their works.
The finalist authors then developed their texts in dialogue with the jury, in a process of creative monitoring that preceded the final decision. In this edition, the jury recognized Pedral, by Sabrina Marthendal, for its "uniqueness and sensitivity, highlighting the quality of her refined and singular writing, as emotional as it is poignant, and in which language and the universe distinguish the playwright with a unique signature" - in the words of the jury.
In addition to the distinction for Pedral, the jury awarded honorable mentions: On Board, by Marta Prieto, for its formal boldness and critical perspective on the relationship with animal ecology, explored through irony and humor; Imigrantes, by Ema Fonseca, for its thematic relevance and stripped-down language that highlights the richness of family and social relationships in everyday life.
The winner will receive a prize of €1,000 and will see their text published by Companhia Cepa Torta in partnership with Douda Correria, in addition to being included in the programming of the 9th season of Festim Esta Noite Grita-se. Read the Jury's Declaration for the 5th edition of the PNDAF here.
Commitment to female authorship
The New Playwriting Prize for Female Authors aims to strengthen the presence of female-authored plays, in a context where gender inequalities persist in the theatrical field. By recognizing new works annually, the award reaffirms the commitment to giving visibility, space, and value to the creations of contemporary female authors.
Previous winners
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2024 — Luz Ribeiro, Gap
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2023 — Sofia Perpetua, Tank
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2022 — Maria Giulia Pinheiro, This Is Not Relevant
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2021 — Lara Mesquita, Whenever I Wake Up
Meet our Jury
In this 5th edition of the New Playwriting Prize for Female Authors, we once again have an excellent panel of judges, made up of leading professionals in the field of drama. Find out more about each of them by exploring their biographies!
Some relevant data
The New Playwriting Prize for Female Authors aims to promote, recognize and publicize female-authored dramaturgy in Portuguese and is aimed at all natural persons, of legal age, who identify with the female gender, whether cisgender or transgender.
This award aims to promote, recognize and disseminate drama written by women in Portuguese. The competition is open to all natural persons, of legal age, who identify as female, whether cisgender or transgender, and who want to propose a Unpublished and never performed dramaturgical work.
According to the International Center for Women Playwrights, an NGO dedicated to encouraging the work of women playwrights, 70% of the plays produced annually in the world are by men. When it comes to publishing works, the number drops even further - in Portugal we estimate that less than 15% of the texts edited are by women. This panorama in no way favors the diversity and richness of artistic production, hindering the innovation brought by the female gaze of female creators who, without adequate stimulus, continue to be far from the circuits necessary for the dissemination of their works. In the artistic direction of Esta Noite Scream, we have had difficulty balancing the authorial genre because the choice options are very limited when it comes to female playwrights. Only by encouraging creation will it be possible to change this reality and ensure that more women artists take risks and publish their work.
Here are some useful links for those who want to delve a little deeper into this topic:
https://www.womenarts.org/not-even/not-even-impact-of-playwrights-gender/
https://lafpi.com/the-facts/#10
https://www.womenplaywrights.org/The-Challenge
Consulting the Frequently Asked Questions does not replace careful reading of the Regulations.
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Companhia Cepa Torta and the Festival of interpreted readings of theater texts - Esta noite grita-se are supported by the Portuguese Republic – Culture / Directorate-General for the Arts