Ian De Toffoli wins the Servais Prize
The Servais Prize, one of Luxembourg's most prestigious literary awards, has been won in 2026 by Ian De Toffoli for "Léa ou la théorie des systèmes complexes". His book blends non-fiction and fiction to trace the history of an American oil dynasty. It also follows Léa, a fictional character grappling with climate change and its adverse effects.
When fiction sheds light on reality
In "Léa ou la théorie des systèmes complexes", Ian De Toffoli tells two intertwining stories. On the one hand, we follow Léa, a young environmental activist who, faced with the climate emergency, gradually drifts towards increasingly radical action. On the other, the book traces the rise of the Koch family, who head an oil empire with significant influence in American politics. By interweaving past and present, from Luxembourg to the United States, the narrative shows how powerful systems can go astray and shape our lives.
With its distinctive narrative and stylistic choices, this work blends documentary, theatre, fiction, poetry and oral storytelling. The author’s research into power relations within our capitalist societies and the challenges of political ecology gives rise to a powerful and compelling text. The pace, the sequence of events and the shifting perspectives quickly plunge the reader into the heart of fates that seem inevitable. Faced with the complexity of these systems, the book invites everyone to become an attentive observer, guided by empathy and critical clarity. The author thus carries on an ancient literary tradition, portraying heroes who embody human contradictions and whose life paths are impossible to reconcile.
Ian De Toffoli, born in Luxembourg in 1981 to an Italian-Luxembourgish family, is a writer, playwright and researcher. The author of essays and numerous award-winning plays, he explores social and political themes by blending narrative, documentary and myth. His works are performed, published and translated in several European countries. He writes mainly in French and has been an associate artist with the Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg since the 2022/23 season. Alongside his work as an author, he co-directs the publishing house Hydre Editions and teaches literature at the University of Luxembourg.
3 questions to Ian De Toffoli
What was your source of inspiration for the book?
I would speak not so much of a "source of inspiration" as of a "sense of urgency". Thanks to articles in The Guardian and the LuxLeaks, I’d heard rumours of subsidiaries of the multinational Koch Industries – a sprawling oil company known for its lack of environmental scruples and its interference in global political affairs – operating in Luxembourg, and I wanted to tell the full story of this company, from the great-grandfather who, at the end of the 19th century, crossed the Atlantic by ship from the Netherlands, right up to the present day. At the same time, as the theatre is also a space that invites reflection on our contemporary societies, I created a character of an activist (she embodies a mythical force rather than a real individual), whose anger at the inescapable presence of fossil fuels in our lives leads to radicalisation. We see the urgency of this text every day, in the current wars over oil or in the erosion of democracy that we are experiencing more acutely with each passing day, where the interests of private groups often take precedence over human well-being and where political authorities are either powerless or in league with these private interests.
What does the prize mean to you personally?
This prize means two things above all: first, that one receives some recognition for the years of work that writing a book can sometimes require; and second, that the book gains a bit of visibility, which is always important – quite simply – for its sales. And that is all one can hope for, as a writer: that books sell well and find their audience.
Do you have any projects in the pipeline or are you already working on another book?
In April 2027, my next play will have its premiere at the Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. It's a story that blends a gothic road trip with documentary theatre to explore the cruel ambitions of billionaires who are setting the world ablaze to realise their mad dreams of longevity.
We would like to thank Ian De Toffoli for this interview.
Thirty years of awards
The Servais Prize, awarded by the eponymous Foundation, is a literary prize and includes € 7,500 in prize money that has been granted every year since 1992 for works of poetry or prose published in Luxembourg, irrespective of the language of publication. Its winners include many famous Luxembourg authors such as Francis Kirps (2020), Elise Schmit (2019), Nico Helminger (2014 and 2018), Nora Wagener (2017), Ulrike Bail (2021) and Jérôme Quiqueret (2023). The Servais Prize is awarded by an independent jury.
The Servais Prize was presented at the National Literature Centre in Mersch on 24 June 2026.
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