Mandrake d'Or is a French award presented to international magicians as part of the Les Mandrakes d'Or magic festival. Each edition brings together a selection of invited performers from different countries, each of whom receives a Mandrake d'Or statuette. The ceremony has been described in the French press as the "Oscars of magic".
The festival was created in 1990 by a team led by French magician Gilles Arthur. The name of the award refers to Mandrake the Magician, the comic-strip character who performs as a magician.
Academy and festival
According to the organizers, the Académie Française des Illusionnistes gathers proposals for acts through voting among French magicians' associations. The organizing committee selects the performers invited to take part in the festival, and each selected artist or act receives a Mandrake d'Or statuette during the ceremony. The Mandrake d'Or is not awarded through a first-, second- and third-place ranking; multiple invited performers receive the distinction at each edition. In its coverage of the 2020 ceremony, Le Parisien reported that all ten selected magicians would receive a Mandrake d'Or.
The festival combines the presentation of the awards with performances by international magicians. It was broadcast on France 3 and, in 2000, appeared on TF1 under the title Toute la magie du monde. The commemorative book Les plus grands magiciens du monde, published in 2019, marked three decades of the festival and documented its presence on television. Venues that have hosted the festival include the theatre of the Casino d'Enghien-les-Bains and the Casino de Paris.
In addition to the regular awards, the organization has presented honorary Mandrakes (Mandrakes d'honneur) to figures including David Copperfield, Siegfried & Roy, Penn & Teller and Criss Angel.
Recipients The following list reproduces the recipients given in the organizers' historical record through 2025. Special distinctions identified in that record are shown in parentheses.
Year Recipients 2025 Trigg Watson · Ramo & Alegria · Nikolai Striebel · Celia Muñoz · Gaël Brinet · Francesco Della Bona · Mathieu Stepson 2024 Solange Kardinaly · Sangsoon Kim · Jaana Felicitas · Markobi · Ben Rose · Laurent Piron 2023 Henry & Klauss · JunWoo Park · Ding Yang · Nicolas Ribs · Eric Chien 2022 Hollie England · Raymond Crowe · Mag Marin · Fabien Olicard (Special Mandrake) · Artem Shchukin 2021 Winston Fuenmayor · Darcy Oake · Sabine Van Diemen · Aaron Crow · Léo Brière 2020 Léa Kyle · The Clairvoyants · Kevin Micoud · Diego & Elena · Florian Sainvet 2019 Chloé Crawford · Topas · Kevin James · Yu Ho-Jin · Doki Moon 2018 Joséphine Lee · Caroline Marx · Gus · Young-Min Kim · Miguel Muñoz 2017 Moulla · Fabien Olicard · Magus Utopia · Yu Ho-Jin 2016 Enzo Weyne · Luca & Tino · Vincent C (Mandrake "Bad Boy") · Parenthèse Cubique 2015 Alexis Arts · Viktor Vincent · Sos et Victoria Petrosyan · Luc Langevin · Jaime Figueroa · Jerry Pilar · Olivier Heloir 2014 Erick Lantin et Valérie · Doble Mandoble · Lukas · Rémi Larrousse · Erix Logan · Les Chapeaux Blancs · Vincent C 2013 Leon Etienne & Romy Low · Disguido · Charlie Mag · Antoine et Val · Otto Wessely · Fred Compagnie Poc 2012 Dolly Kent · Les Kamyleon · Luca Bono · Kim Hyun Joon · Tony Chapek 2011 Ta na manga · Miguel Gavilán · Charlie Caper · Julius Frack · Les Black Fingers · Pilou (Grand Prix Mandrakes) · Michel Fages 2010 David Goldrake · Laurent Beretta · Rocco Silano · Xavier Mortimer · David Kaplan · Timo Marc 2009 Sebastian Nicolas · Ricardo Harada · David Sousa · Richard Forget · Soma 2008 Christian Farla · Arno · Shimshi · Danny Colle · Alberto Giorgi 2007 Gaetano Triggiano · Kenji Minemura · Peplum et Othello · Marc Dosseto · Mario Berousek · Xavier Tapias 2006 Arkadio · Dion · Éric Antoine · Jan Rouven · Jérome Helfenstein · Mikael Szanyiel · Roxanne 2005 Prince Of Illusion · Carlos Vaquera · Jane · Simon Pierro · Les Alciati · Max · Latko · Bertrand Loth 2004 Double Fantasy · Sergi Buka · Elisabeth Amato · Magic Wave · Sylvia Gaffurini · The Majestix 2003 Sos et Victoria Petrosyan · Les Kamyleon · Aaron Crow · Ruiz De Retes · Peter Marvey · Lee Eun-gyeol · Le Mime Daniel 2002 Norbert Ferré · Rafael · Mirko · Phil Keller · James Brandon · Nathan Burton 2001 Robert Gallup · Winfried et Angélique · Dominique et Alexandra Duvivier · Ayala · Erix Logan · Jérôme Murat · New Absolon 2000 Marko Karvo · Magic Unlimited · Yunke · Mickael Vladimi · Mickael et Betty Ross · Omar Pasha · Mask 1999 Luis de Matos · Sudarchikov · Les Black Fingers · Jade · Victor Voitko · Socrate 1998 Falkenstein · Les Philippart · Galina · Junge Junge · Jorgos · Gérald Le Guilloux 1997 Netcheporenko · Yogano · Greg Frewin · Buka · Bertrand Loth · Christopher Hart 1996 Scott Cervine · Dani Lary · Erix Logan · Connie Boyd · Jonathan David Bass · Jean-Philippe Loupi 1995 Vic et Fabrini · The WILSON'S · Tom Voss · Gilles et Blaise · Kevin James · Victor Voitko 1994 Enric Magoo · Marco Tempest · Nicholas Night · Patrick Droude · Fred Roby · Franklin 1993 Hans Moretti · Jean Madd · Juan Mayoral · Otto Wessely · Les Blackwitt · Jeff McBride 1992 Alpha · Dominique · Rudy Coby · Finn Jon · Al Carthy · Jorgen Samson 1991 Topper Martyn · Norm Nielsen · Yuka · Vladimir Danilin · Jean Merlin 1990 Tina Lenert · Gaëtan Bloom · Juan Tamariz · Jean Regil · Pierre Brahma
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