Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs

Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs (born 1974) is a Faroese poet, playwright and novelist.

She is the author of fourteen works in different genres. Among these are her three collections of poems: "Karmageitin," (2022) Rót Tripp (2012) and Opna (2016). Her two stage plays "Gentukamarið" (2022) and "Tóm Rúm" (2014) both premiered on the Faroese national scene. In 2016 the play "Tóm rúm" was chosen to be a part of the Nordic Drama Train. Her novel Skriva í sandin is a contemporary book for young adults, taking place in Kjelnæs's hometown of Tórshavn.

She wrote lyrics and cooperated with singer Eivør Pálsdóttir and DR Big Band on the musical composition At the Heart of a Selkie. (2016) Lyrics for Eivør include among others: Verð mín, Salt, Slør, Mánasegl, Gullspunnin, Stirdur saknur, The Swing.

Recent work includes the novel Óendaliga vera, published in 2016, and the script for the film Dreams by the sea, directed by Sakaris Stórá and released in 2017. In 2020 she published the contemporary novel Sum rótskot, which is a novel for young adults. It is about four young people from Tórshavn, who are environmental activists. They arrange a School strike for climate in front of the Faroese parliament, Løgtingið. The story is told by the two girls Fríða and Miriam. They take the matter into their own hands, but it has unforeseen consequences.

Kjelnæs has been nominated for and has received both national and international awards, and some of her work has been translated into the other Nordic languages, as well as into English, German and French.

Recognition

 * 2000 Award in Dimmalætting short story competition
 * 2001 Listastevna Føroya, 2. prize
 * 2002 Listastevna Føroya, 1. prize
 * 2004 Grant from the Faroese fond Grunnur Thorvalds Poulsen av Steinum
 * 2008 Barnabókaheiðursløn Tórshavnar býráðs
 * 2008 Award in a YA short story competition
 * 2011 White Raven Deutsche Jugendbibliothek for her book Skriva í sandin
 * 2011 Nordic Children's Book Prize from the Nordic School Librarian Association for her book Skriva í sandin
 * 2012 West Nordic Council's Children and Youth Literature Prize (nominated)
 * 2013 Nordic Council Children and Young People's Literature Prize (nominated)
 * 2015 Tann føroyska bókhandlaravirðislønin (The Faroese Book Shop Award)
 * 2017 FMA, The Faroese Music Award for best lyrics.
 * 2020 Barnamentanarheiðursløn Tórshavnar Býráðs
 * 2021 Nordic Council Children and Young People's Literature Prize (nominated)