Sophie Castille Award in Slovenian hosted by

TINTA - Festival Stripa LJUBLJANA

The International TINTA Comics Festival, which takes place every October at Kino Šiška and other venues in Ljubljana and elsewhere in Slovenia, is the central comics event in Slovenia. Founded in 2013, the Tinta Festival (formerly Stripolisfest) brings together various actors of the domestic comics, cultural and art scene in order to popularize comics creativity, and presents the highlights and diversity of domestic comics production and projects that go beyond comics and enter into a lively dialogue with other artistic genres. By hosting established foreign comics creators and experts, it provides insight into the lively international scene and trends in the field of contemporary comics in the world, and with an educational program in the form of lectures, masterclasses, workshops and debates, it aims to develop, expand and deepen the domestic comics creativity and scene.

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Previous Awards

2025 Edition

Nominated for the Children and Youth Award:

Jedrt Maležič for Supervikend ob oceanu by Gaëlle Almeras, published by Morfemplus. Original title: Le Super week-end de l'océan Published by Maison Georges.
Jaka Bulc for Astrobučman, by David Walliams, published by Mladinska knjiga. Original title: Astrochimp, published by HarperCollins.
Katja Šaponjić, Anja Zag Golob for Ariol - Račji ples, story by Emmanuel Guibert & Rémi Chaurand, art by Mark Boutavant; published by VigeVageKnjige. Original title: Ariol - Le canard calé, published by Bayard BD Kids.

Nominated for the adults' Award:

Julija Potrč Šavli for Oksi, by Mari Ahokoivu published by VigeVageKnjige. Original title: Oksi published by LevineQuerido.
Polona Mertelj for Sapiens v stripu 2: Stebri civilizacije, by Yuval Noah Harari, adaptation by David Vandermeulen, Daniel Casanave, published by Mladinska knjiga. Original title: Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 2: The Pillars of Civilization, published by Harper Perrenial.
Jedrt Maležič for Berlinska trilogija 1: Kristalno poletje by Pierre Boisserie, François Warzala, published by Morfemplus. Original title: La trilogie berlinoise: L’été de cristal, published by Edition by Les Arènes.

SOPHIE CASTILLE AWARD 2025 - Best Translation for Children and Young Adults

Jedrt Maležič – for the translation: Supervikend ob oceanu, Gaelle Almeras (Morfemplus, 2024)

When translating didactic comics such as Supervikend ob oceanu (Super Ocean Weekend), it is essential to take into account both the life-like aspects of the comic dialogues and the established scientific vocabulary, which in this case covers the marine world above and below the surface. Translator Jedrt Maležič, supported by expert consultant Prof. Dr. Lovrenc Lipej and copy editor Andreja Jezernik, has brilliantly maintained the balance between these two aspects, a balance already suggested by the visual layer of the comic itself. A work of all-round high quality, the comic softens its wealth of information through the adventures of four animal friends and has been carefully adapted to our context, where we are somewhat more familiar with the “sea” than the “ocean.”

SOPHIE CASTILLE AWARD 2025 - Best Translation for Adults

Julija Potrč Šavli – for the translation: Oksi, Mari Ahokoivu (VigeVageKnjige, 2024)

Oksi is an extensive and complex comic in the way it introduces and intertwines national cultural heritage with contemporary perspectives on the psychological development of its characters and the creation of fictional worlds. Thoughtful dialogues and unique poetic passages evoke the mystical atmosphere and mythological backdrop of a story rooted in Finnish tradition. The translator has newly rendered a song from the Finnish national epic Kalevala, while the translation as a whole delicately reflects the distinctiveness of the speakers and their modes of expression. The work carefully relies on the layering of meanings enabled by the comic form, and through strong symbolism supports themes of nature and spirituality, motherhood, death, belonging, and exile.