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Guy Gunaratne (born 1984) is a British journalist, filmmaker and novelist.[1] Gunaratne identifies as non-binary and uses he/they/them pronouns.[2]
In 2019, their first novel, In Our Mad and Furious City, won the Dylan Thomas Prize, the Jhalak Prize and the Authors' Club Best First Novel Award. They are based between London, England, and Malmö, Sweden.
Gunaratne was born and grew up in Neasden, north-west London.[1] Their father had immigrated from Sri Lanka in 1951.[3] They studied for a film and television degree at Brunel University London in London, then studied current affairs journalism at City, University of London.[1]
With fellow student and girlfriend, Heidi Lindvall, they set up a film production company. They made a film about the suppression of the media in Sri Lanka a week after the civil war ended, the success of which allowed them to work in television.[1] Though based in London, the couple followed their work in post-conflict areas around the world, living in several places, including Berlin.[1]
During this period of making work for television, Gunaratne wrote their first novel, In Our Mad and Furious City.[1] Its story is set in and around a north west London council estate,[4] in the 48 hours following a killing reminiscent of the 2013 murder of Lee Rigby.[5][6] It is narrated by five main characters in turn, in first-person voices.[7][8] In Our Mad and Furious City deals with "questions about Britain’s divided society and capturing the nuances of urban life".[9]
As of 2019, they are based between London and Malmö, Sweden.[1]
- —— (2018). In Our Mad and Furious City. London: Hachette. ISBN 9781472250193. [10]
- —— (2023). Mister, Mister. Hachette. ISBN 9781472250261. [11]
- 2018: Shortlisted, Goldsmiths Prize[12]
- 2018: Shortlisted, Gordon Burn Prize[13]
- 2018: Longlisted, Man Booker Prize[12]
- 2018: Longlisted, Orwell Prize for Political Fiction[14]
- 2019: Winner, Authors' Club Best First Novel Award[15]
- 2019: Winner, Dylan Thomas Prize[16][17]
- 2019: Winner, Jhalak Prize[18]
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