Anthony Passeron Wins for Jacky

The Femina des cégépien(ne)s held its first intercollegiate deliberations at the John Abbott College library. Approximately 50 CEGEP students from John Abbott, Dawson, Vanier, Heritage, and Champlain (Saint-Lambert)voted for Anthony Passeron’s Jacky (Éditions Grasset) as the winner of this inaugural edition. The jury was particularly moved by Passeron's writing style, his sensitive and humane reflection on father-son relationships, and the complex psychological development of the father character.

Jacky tells the story of two brothers who, at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, discover video games—a passion passed on to them by their father, Jacky. From Space Invaders to Zelda, from Nintendo to Sega, their understanding of the world evolves alongside the technical capabilities of these machines—until their father’s sudden departure.

For the 2025 edition of Femina, the nine other finalists were: Au grand jamais (Jakuta Alikavazovic), Un frère (David Thomas), Tressaillir (Maria Pourchet), La maison vide (Laurent Mauvignier), Paranoïa (Lise Charles), Le monde est fatigué (Joseph Incardona), Voyage voyage (Victor Pouchet), Vertu et Rosalinde (Anne Serre), and Aimer (Sarah Chiche).

As part of the Femina des cégépien(ne)s, students immersed themselves in an intense reading marathon to explore ten French-language works selected by the prestigious jury of the Femina Prize in France.

Guided by their teachers, these passionate readers exchanged ideas, debated, and ultimately chose the novel that moved them the most. Beyond a love of literature, the Femina des cégépien(ne)s is a major reading challenge that fosters dialogue between Francophone literature and cultures from around the world, as well as among students from diverse backgrounds. This literary adventure will return next year, much to the delight of literature enthusiasts.

About John Abbott College
John Abbott College is a public Anglophone college serving students since 1971. Today, the increasingly diverse student body includes 6500 fulltime day students per semester and an additional 2000 continuing education students per year. John Abbott is situated on the western tip of the Island of Montreal.

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Philippe Look

Communications Counsellor & Media Relations

John Abbott College

Work: 514-457-6610 ext: 5354

Cell: 438-865-5726