Galician writer Ángela Banzas has become a finalist for the 2025 Planeta Prize, receiving €200,000 for her novel ‘Cuando el viento hable’. The jury announced the decision on Wednesday during a literary dinner at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. Submitted under the title ‘El color de la lluvia’ and pseudonym Sofía García, the work follows a woman born in postwar Spain and raised by grandparents in rural Galicia.
The Winning Work
Banzas described the novel as ‘very intimate’ during her acceptance speech. She explained it originated from a childhood memory of hospitalization at age seven. Another girl of similar age occupied the adjacent bed with a comparable name and fatal diagnosis. ‘At that age, it impacted me enormously,’ Banzas recalled. ‘I didn’t understand that a child could die.’
The author read books from the hospital library to her fellow patient. This brought smiles during difficult moments, leaving a profound impression. Banzas emphasized the importance of hospital libraries specifically. ‘They don’t just entertain, they sustain,’ she noted. ‘They offer another form of life when the main one fades.’
Literary Context
The novel’s protagonist enters hospital with a rare illness. There she uncovers horrors of human experimentation and discovers a lost twin sister. Banzas holds a Political Science degree from Santiago University and an MBA from European Business School. Her debut novel ‘El silencio de las olas’ appeared in 2021.
Subsequent works include ‘La conjura de la niebla’, ‘La sombra de la rosa’ and ‘El aliento de las llamas’. The 2025 Planeta Prize received 1,320 submissions according to organisers. This represents a participation record for the prestigious literary award. Additionally, this year introduced online submission through the award’s website.
The ceremony at MNAC highlighted Barcelona’s continuing significance as a literary hub. Meanwhile, cultural events maintain their importance in the city’s calendar. For additional cultural coverage, see our recent feature on Cobla Sant Jordi.
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