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The winners of the 2026 Attila Ilhan Literature Awards have been announced after juries reviewed 52 poetry, 99 novel and 24 screenplay entries.
The Attila Ilhan Science, Art and Culture Foundation organizes the awards with support from Türkiye Is Bank Cultural Publications. Selection panels met under the honorary chairmanship of Dogan Hizlan.
The awards aim to keep alive Attila Ilhan’s mission of a “national cultural synthesis” and to support young writers.
Ebru Ojen won the 2026 Attila Ilhan Novel Award for “Belgrade Canon” (Belgrad Kanon), published by Iletisim Yayinlari.
The jury, chaired by Mehmet Eroglu, said the book makes violence visible without reducing its characters to one dimension, blends tension with psychological depth, and succeeds in creating atmosphere.
Ilgi Erpelit received the First Novel Foundation Special Encouragement Award for “A Place of Our Own” (Bize Ait Bir Yer), published by Alakarga Sanat Yayinlari.
The jury cited the book’s portrayal of a way of life lost to urban renewal and of the quiet tragedies of daily life, told through a child’s perspective that mixes sadness with humor.
The poetry jury, chaired by Metin Celal, named Ersun Ciplak the winner of the 2026 Attila Ilhan Poetry Award for “Everyone Into Themselves” (Herkes Kendi Icine), published by A7 Kitap Yayinlari.
The panel said the collection reflects the tension between an individual’s inner world and social reality in a poetic language it described as new and consistent.
Huseyin Sonmez won the First Poetry Book Foundation Special Encouragement Award for “Things Before Dying” (Olmeden Onceki Seyler), published by Vapur Yayinlari.
The jury said the book approaches memory, time, and death with lyrical sensitivity and careful attention to language.
Rasel Meseri received the 2026 Attila Ilhan Screenplay Award for “Broken City” (Kirik Sehir). Biket Ilhan chaired the screenplay jury.
The winners will receive their awards at a ceremony during the 43rd Istanbul International Book Fair on Dec. 17 at the TUYAP Fair and Congress Center in Istanbul’s western Buyukcekmece district.
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