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Immanuel Mifsud

イマヌエル・ミフスド

Immanuel Mifsud

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1967-09-12 （Paola, Malta）
Nationality
Maltese
Languages
Maltese, English
Residence History
Paola (place of birth) → Valletta (base of activity) → Washington, D.C. (invited residency/visit)

Career

Occupations
novelist, poet, playwright, children's author, university lecturer
Active Years
1991-

Education

University of Malta
Literature
Degree: PhD
Year of Graduation: 2012
Country: Malta
Awarded a doctorate in literature in 2012. Teaches literature and literary theory at the University of Malta.

Awards

European Union Prize for Literature
2011
Work: In the Name of the Father (and of the Son)
Organization: European Union Prize for Literature
Result: winner
National Book Prize (Malta)
2014
Work: Penelope Waits
Organization: National Book Prize (organisers)
Result: winner
National Book Prize (Malta)
2015
Work: Jutta Heim
Organization: National Book Prize (organisers)
Result: winner
National Book Prize (Malta)
2016
Work: Fish
Organization: National Book Prize (organisers)
Result: winner
National Book Prize (Malta)
2021
Work: Jien-Noti-Jien (co-winner, with Toni Sant)
Organization: National Book Prize (organisers)
Result: co-winner
Premio Strega Europa (shortlist)
2008
Work: L-Istejjer Strambi ta' Sara Sue Sammut
Organization: Premio Strega Europa
Result: shortlist
National Book Prize (Malta) - second place
2005
Work: Kimika
Organization: National Book Prize (organisers)
Result: second place
National Book Prize (Malta)
2002
Work: Sara Sue Sammut's Strange Stories
Organization: National Book Prize (organisers)
Result: winner
Member of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Malta
2014
Organization: Republic of Malta
Result: appointed

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Stories of Ugly People

1991 short stories

An early collection of short stories focusing on marginal characters and human flaws.

marginalityhuman relationshipsabsence

Sara Sue Sammut's Strange Stories

2002 short stories

A collection of stories blending humour and unease; shortlisted for an Italian prize.

strangenesshumourhuman absurdity

Chemistry

2005 novel/short fiction

Works using metaphors of chemical reactions to explore relationships; placed second in national prize.

relationshipstransformation

In the Name of the Father (and of the Son)

2010 novel/short fiction

Explores family, faith and identity; winner of the European Union Prize for Literature.

familyfaithidentity

Jutta Heim

2014 novel

Winner of the National Book Prize in 2015; a novel that closely examines characters' inner lives.

interioritymemory

Fish

2016 poetry

A poetry collection awarded the National Book Prize in 2016, focusing on body and existence.

bodyexistence

Two and a Half Hours Away from Heaven

2019 poetry

2019 poetry collection addressing time and nostalgia.

timenostalgia

My Dear Body

2023 poetry

A recent collection of poems exploring body and self.

bodyself

Bibliography

  • Stejjer ta' Nies Koroh (1991)
  • Il-Ktieb tas-Sibt Filgħaxija (1993)
  • Il-Ktieb tal-Maħbubin Midruba (1999)
  • L-Istejjer Strambi ta' Sara Sue Sammut (2002)
  • Kimika (2005)
  • Happy Weekend (2006, English)
  • Fl-Isem tal-Missier (u tal-Iben) (2010)
  • Jutta Heim (2014)
  • Ħuta (2016)
  • Two and a Half Hours Away from Heaven (2019)
  • My Dear Body (2023)

Adaptations

  • 2013: Translation of Molière's Don Juan for the Valletta International Baroque Festival
  • 2014: Translated and adapted Nicholas Monsarrat's The Kappillan of Malta for stage (Malta International Arts Festival)
  • 2015: Wrote Faith, Hope u Charity (Stagun Teatrali Malti)
  • 2016: Translated Anders Lustgarten's Lampedusa for Unifaun Theatre
  • 2023: Wrote the verse play Dik is-Siġra f'Nofs ta' Triq for Theatre Anon. and co-produced with Teatru Malta

Translations by Author

  • Translation of Molière's Don Juan (2013)
  • Translated/adapted Nicholas Monsarrat's The Kappillan of Malta (2014)
  • Translation of Anders Lustgarten's Lampedusa (2016)

Translations of Works

  • Polska-Slovensko (bilingual Maltese-English)
  • km (bilingual Maltese-English)
  • Happy Weekend (in English)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
lyrical and experimental stylenarrative introspectionmultilingual expression
Recurring Motifs
memoryfamilythe bodyidentitymovement/borders

Legacy

Immanuel Mifsud is one of Malta's leading contemporary writers; in 2011 he became the first Maltese author to win the European Union Prize for Literature. He works across poetry, fiction, theatre and children's literature, teaches at the University of Malta and was appointed Member of the Order of Merit in 2014. He has been presented internationally and has participated in readings and commissions abroad.

Archives

  • Library of Congress (hosted reading and interview; holds materials)

In Popular Culture

  • 2017: Reading and interview at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
  • 2017: Read a commissioned poem for Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey

Trivia

  • First Maltese writer to win the European Union Prize for Literature in 2011.
  • Appointed Member of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Malta in 2014.
  • Hosted at the Library of Congress in 2017 and commissioned to write a poem for Commonwealth Day the same year.
  • Publishes in both Maltese and English and works across poetry, prose and theatre.