PRIX LUEUR
Initiated and organized by AFETEA, the “PRIX LUEUR” symbolizes the radiant power of theatre to bring light into people’s lives—signifying both hope and breakthrough.
While the word Lueur literally refers to a faint glimmer in the dark, the award celebrates theatre’s ability to inspire those in challenging circumstances, like a rare and precious beam of hope. The name also evokes the imagery of “light”—a tribute to our lasting impressions of Avignon, the City of Theatre: the first rays of sunlight in the July skies of southern France, the shimmering reflection on the Rhône River, the golden statue atop the Palais des Papes, and the enlightening brilliance passed on from generation to generation on stage.
Through the internationally renowned platform of the Avignon Festival, the Prix Lueur aims to recognize and encourage artists with global vision and contemporary, innovative approaches to theatrical expression. It also seeks to bring greater visibility to works that promote Euro-Asian theatrical exchange and multicultural integration.
Jury 2025
Laurent Schteiner
Jury President
Anna Cottis
Jury Member
Renato Lombardo
Jury Member
Francesca Vitale
Jury Member
Marjolaine Juste
Jury Member
Guo Jia
Jury Member
Célia DM
Jury Member
Lee Kwang-Bok
Jury Member
Crystel Galli
Jury Member
Alexis Pecharman
Jury Member
AWARD ANNOUNCMENT
In 2025, the Prix Lueur convened a distinguished jury of theatre professionals and interdisciplinary artists from France, the United Kingdom, Italy, China, South Korea, and beyond. Nearly 300 productions—spanning eight categories with a focus on physicality, visual storytelling, and intercultural expression—were submitted for consideration.
Following a rigorous process of preliminary screenings and jury deliberation, 30 productions advanced to the final round. After twelve rounds of voting, the Prix Lueur Jury is pleased to announce the official list of awarded works, selected for their outstanding artistic vision and contribution to contemporary theatre.
On the evening of July 23, 2025, at 8:30 PM, the PRIX LUEUR 2025 Award Ceremony was successfully held at the OFF Village in Avignon, France. The PRIX LUEUR jury announced the list of winners and presented certificates to representatives of the nine awarded productions.
I. Establishment of the Award
The Prix Lueur was founded on July 17, 2024, in Avignon by Association Française des Échanges Théâtraux Euro-Asiatiques (AFETEA). Rooted in the platform of the Festival OFF Avignon, the award aspires to become a prominent distinction within the international theatre landscape. It is held annually, with jury deliberations beginning in early July and award announcements released during the final days of the festival.
Mission Statement: Prix Lueur is dedicated to advancing theatrical dialogue between Europe and Asia, promoting intercultural collaboration, and championing embodied and cross-disciplinary performance practices. It upholds the guiding principles of visual innovation, artistic fusion, and creative originality.
II. Organizing Committee
Nature: The Organizing Committee is the governing body that initiates and oversees all activities related to the Prix Lueur. Members are nominated and appointed by AFETEA.
Responsibilities:
Uphold the mission and vision of the award.
Draft and enforce the award regulations.
Define eligibility and award categories.
Appoint jury members.
Recruit administrative staff and volunteers.
Coordinate all phases of the selection process.
Officially announce the final results.
Official Title: Organizing Committee of Prix Lueur at the Festival OFF Avignon, under the AFETEA. This body manages all daily operations related to nominations, adjudication, and ceremonies.
All operations are non-profit, and committee members serve on a voluntary and unpaid basis.
III. Jury Panel
The Jury is composed of distinguished figures from the fields of playwriting, directing, acting, pedagogy, criticism, curating, and production across Europe and Asia. The panel consists of no fewer than five members and includes one Chair and one Secretary-General (who does not participate in voting). All members are officially appointed by AFETEA and publicly announced.
Jury members are expected to make selections based on their professional insight and artistic discernment.
Jury members must maintain integrity and impartiality. They are required to recuse themselves from voting on any production in which they have participated creatively or administratively.
The adjudication is conducted independently and without remuneration. All decisions reflect non-commercial and merit-based considerations.
IV. Eligibility & Submission
Productions may enter the Prix Lueur via two channels: self-submission by the production company or nomination by a jury member. Eligible productions must meet the following criteria:
Officially registered and performed as part of that year’s Festival OFF Avignon.
Listed in the festival catalogue under the following genres: Théâtre (including musicals), Danse, Arts du cirque, Arts de la marionnette, or Pluridisciplinaire.
Free from content that promotes extremist political agendas, or racial, religious, or gender discrimination/conflict.
Submission Procedure:
Between January 1 and July 1 of the award year, submissions should be sent via email to [email protected] and must include:Award category(ies) being submitted for
Title, synopsis, and performance genre (aligned with the festival’s classification)
Performance schedule and venue
Company profile and press reviews
Full cast and creative team bios
Poster and at least six high-resolution production photos
A promotional trailer (optional)
Contact information of the production representative (email, phone, etc.)
V. Award Categories
A total of 10 categories will be awarded. There is no monetary prize. Awards are determined by jury vote (Categories 1–9) or Organizing Committee selection (Category 10):
Jury-Selected Awards
Grand Prize for Best Production (0–1 awarded)
Honoring a work of outstanding thematic depth, distinctive aesthetics, and unified execution across performance elements.Best Performance (0–1 awarded)
Awarded to a performer or ensemble demonstrating exceptional artistry, presence, and emotional impact.Best Direction (0–1 awarded)
Recognizing innovative directorial vision that integrates form, concept, and medium with artistic cohesion.Best Visual Design (0–1 awarded)
Celebrating excellence in scenography, lighting, multimedia, costume, or makeup artistry.Best Physical Performance (0–1 awarded)
For work in dance, physical theatre, circus, mime, puppetry, or object theatre, where the body is a central expressive medium.Best Poster Design (0–1 awarded)
For a theatre poster that exhibits originality, distinctive visual identity, and strong graphic communication.Best Musical Achievement (0–1 awarded)
For outstanding composition, arrangement, sound design, vocal or instrumental performance within a production.Best Playwriting (0–1 awarded)
Recognizing excellence in dramatic writing, structural innovation, and narrative impact.Jury Special Mention (0–1 awarded)
Given to a work or artist unanimously endorsed by the jury for exceptional artistic merit.
Committee-Selected Award
Special Award for Cultural Exchange (0–3 awarded)
Honoring individuals, institutions, or productions that significantly advance cultural dialogue between Europe and Asia through performance, research, or education.
VI. Adjudication Process
Phase I: Preliminary Selection
Over 3–15 days, each juror will attend no fewer than 15 performances within designated categories.
Each juror selects 1–2 entries per award category for consideration.
Finalist selections are pooled, and 2–3 nominees per category are shortlisted through internal vote.
Posters nominated for design awards must be submitted as image files.
Phase II: Final Deliberation
Jurors vote from among finalists to determine one winner per category.
In the event of a tie, discussion and re-voting will occur until a clear winner (or no winner) is selected.
A minimum of two-thirds of jurors must be present for votes to be valid.
No proxy or substitute voting is allowed.
Phase III: Announcement & Presentation
Winners are announced on the AFETEA official website during the final days of the Festival OFF Avignon.
If a live ceremony is held, jurors or guest presenters will confer certificates on behalf of the committee.
Each certificate includes:
Name of the awarded production
Name(s) of the awarded company and artists
City of origin
Specific vote counts and scoring details are not disclosed publicly.
VII. Final Provisions
Interpretation and final authority over this regulation rest with Association Française des Échanges Théâtraux Euro-Asiatiques (AFETEA)
Organizing Committee
Zhao Miao (Chair) | Célia Dumont Malet | Cao Lu | LEE KWANG-BOK | Rao Song
Asia Task Force
Administrative Representative
Zhao Yang
Producer
Zhen Ni
Liaison Representatives
Wang Xiaoyuan | Wang Jianqiu | Zhang Yang
Project Coordinators
Wang Xiaoxiao | Deng Ruonan | Wu Yiqian | Zhu Dan
Volunteers
Wang Sai | Lai Xueyang