by BK Munn
The nominees for this year’s Bedeis Causa prizes have been announced. The prizes, recognizing French-language comics from Quebec, will be handed out during the Festival of Quebec BD at the Musée de la civilization in Quebec City on Friday, April 12 at 7 pm.
Selected by a jury of booksellers, teachers, and journalists, the 8 awards include the Jacques Hurtubise Prize for young cartoonists that comes with  a $1,000 scholarship. Also, the Bedeis Causa uniquely have a kids award (the Prix Yvette-Lapointe) chosen by students at École des Jeunes-du-Monde in Quebec City. As well, the Prix Albert-Chartier is awarded at the ceremony to a person or organization that has made a lasting mark in Quebec BD.
Here are the nominees:
Grand prix de la ville de Québec
(Best French language album published in Quebec by Canadian authors)
La petite Russie, by Francis Desharnais (Pow Pow)
De concert, by Jimmy Beaulieu, Sophie Bédard, Singeon & Vincent Giard (La Mauvaise tête)
L’Esprit du camp T. 2, by Axelle Lenoir et Cab (Lounak)
13 e Avenue T. 1, by Geneviève Pettersen et François Vigneault (La Pastèque)
Les ananas de la colère, by Cathon (Pow Pow)
Réal-Fillion Award
(Best first book in French by a Canadian writer and/or cartoonist)
Geneviève Pettersen, for 13 e Avenue T. 1 (La Pastèque)
Rémy Bourdillon, for Faire campagne (La Pastèque)
Jean-François Laliberté and Sacha Lefebvre, for U-Merlin T1 (Michel Quintin)
Yvette-Lapointe Award
(Best French-language comic for kids by a Canadian)
Aventurosaure T. 1, by Julien Paré-Sorel (Presses Aventure)
Les Laborats T. 2, by Richard Vallerand (Michel Quintin)
AST T. 5, by Jean-Philippe Morin and Ced (Sarbacane)
Albéric-Bourgeois Award
(Best French-language album published abroad by a Canadian)
Arale, by Tristan Roulot and Denis Rodier (Dargaud)
Giant T. 2, by Mickaël (Dargaud)
Les Nombrils T. 8, by Delaf and Dubuc (Dupuis)
Maurice-Petitdidier Award
(Jury’s favourite for a best foreign French-language album)
L’Âge d’or T. 1, by Cyril Pedrosa and Roxane Moreil (Aire Libre)
Cinq branches de coton noir, by Steve Cuzor and Yves Sente (Aire Libre)
Ceux qui restent, by Joseph Busquet and Alex Xoül (Delcourt)
Translation prize
(Jury’s favourite for an album translated into French)
Moi ce que j’aime, c’est les monstres, by Emil Ferris (Alto)
Royal City T. 1, by Jeff Lemire (Urban Comics)
Black Monday Murders T. 1, by Jonathan Hickman and Tomm Coker (Urban Comics)