Ann-Helén Laestadius Shortlisted for Pennskaftspriset 2023

Ann-Helén Laestadius is one of three finalists for the prestigious Pennskaftspriset (the Pennskaft’s Award) 2023.

The jury’s nomination reads as follows:

“Ann-Helén Laestadius is the journalist and author whose books Stolen and Punished, centering around the Sami’s struggle for the right to live by their traditions, plumped down in the 2020s industrial explosion in Norrbotten. The books are written in the form of crime novels in which the author, in both a poetic and meticulous way, provides an insider’s perspective on the judiciary system, racism and reindeer herding – and describes a majority society that has failed its own indigenous population. The Sami heritage runs through the stories like a blood-red vein, leaving no one untouched. Ann-Helén does not shy away from violence or the difficult issues of mental illness, but lets the main character face all the problems that the Sami population has had to endure. In addition, she sees the women’s vulnerability in this, without losing the reader’s attention. The books have been praised by critics and sold to 24 territories.”

Pennskaftspriset was established in 1989 and honors female journalists who have done exemplary journalistic work in the past year. The winner will be announced on November 22nd.