Cameroonian Hermine Yollo wins the 2026 RFI Theatre Prize

Cameroonian artist Hermine Yollo has won the 2026 RFI Theatre Prize for her play titled "Ima Maryam: The Judgment of Mary." According to RFI, the award is officially presented on Sunday, September 27, 2026, in Limoges, France, during the Les Zébrures festival of Francophone writing and creation. Her text boldly explores the biblical figure of the Virgin Mary while denouncing religious dogmas and the violence suffered by women.

Born in 1981 in Douala into a family of artists, Hermine Yollo was introduced to the performing arts at a very young age by her late parents, both of whom were actors and directors. Before making theatre her profession, she first pursued higher education, obtaining a master's degree in translation, an academic path negotiated with her mother. Her passion then guided her toward writing and directing, which she has developed through numerous continental collaborations.

In this winning play, the protagonist Maryam speaks out after two thousand years of frozen existence to challenge the weight of the prayers and dogmas built around her. This rupture awakens two symbolic alter egos: a miracle-working entity and a passive virginal image. For the creator, who runs the NGOTI Company in Yaoundé, the title of "word-setter" fits her work better than author, reflecting a scenic and playful relationship with writing.

Hermine Yollo's artistic journey has been nourished by notable stages in Douala, the El Hamra Center in Tunis, and the Récréâtrales in Ouagadougou. Influenced by major artistic figures such as Werewere Liking and Dieudonné Niangouna, the creator had already affirmed her committed poetic approach in 2016 with her monologue "La Femme-Iset," which already highlighted feminine strengths.

Our perspective

This recognition illustrates the vitality of contemporary African writing that freely questions universal myths. By reinventing the figure of Mary, Hermine Yollo places the dignity of women and the liberation of their voices at the heart of creation. Pan-African theatre thus confirms its essential role as a vehicle for emancipation and the reappropriation of our own narratives.