1.
GV & SV EXT. RESTAURANT DROUANT
0.05

2.
GV INT. REPORTERS AWAITING RESULT
0.10

3.
SV JURY MEMBERS
0.15

4.
GV M. HERIAT JOINS REPORTERS
0.23

5.
MV REPORTERS ROUND HERIAT
0.31

6.
CU & SCU HERIAT ANNOUNCING RESULT
0.41

7.
MV HERIAT
0.44

8.
GV CROWD
0.47



Initials JGS/V/JG/K



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A FORTY-YEAR-OLD FRENCH TEACHER, MR JACQUES BOREL, WAS TODAY (MONDAY) AWARDED THE PRIX GONCOURT, FRANCE'S TOP LITERARY PRIZE, FOR HIS NOVEL "L'ADORATION".

MR BOREL'S 600 PAGE WORK TAKES THE FORM OF A BIOGRAPHY OF AN OLD MAN WHO DESCRIBES HIS LIFE IN GREAT PSYCHOLOGICAL DETAIL. IT DEALS AT LENGTH WITH THE CENTRAL CHARACTER'S EARLY LIFE IN THE PROVINCES AND PARIS AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS MOTHER. HE THEN GOES ON TO AN AFFAIR WITH A WOMAN ALMOST TWICE HIS AGE AND FINALLY TO MARRIAGE BUT THROUGHOUT THE CENTRAL CHARACTER'S LIFE IS DOMINATED BY THE FIGURE OF HIS WIDOWED MOTHER.

MR BOREL, WHO TEACHES ENGLISH IN A PARIS SCHOOL WAS FAVOURED TO WIN THE GONCOURT PRIX - THE PRIZE IS WORTH ONLY 50 FRANCS TO THE WINNER BUT ITS PRESTIGE ENSURES THAT HIS BOOK WILL BECOME ONE OF THE YEAR'S MOST WIDELY READ.

THE OTHER LEADING FRENCH LITERARY AWARD, THE PRIX RENAUDOT, WAS ALSO ANNOUNCED TO DAY. IT WENT TO MR GEORGES PEREC, A 29 YEAR OLD LIBRARIAN FOR HIS NOVEL "LES CHOSES".