Philippe Besson (born 29 January 1967) is a French writer, playwright and screenwriter.[1] Besson was born in Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire, Charente, and has written a total of 23 novels, several of which have been adapted for cinema or theater.
Philippe Besson | |
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 Besson at Radio France | |
| Born | 29 January 1967 (age 57) Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire, Charente, France |
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| Language | French |
| Nationality | French |
| Alma mater | Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Rouen |
| Subject |
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| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | |
Life
editBesson grew up the child of schoolteacher father and a notary clerk mother. Besson was often mocked by his classmates because of his appearance, his clothes and his manners. During his final school year, he fell in love with a peasant's son in his village in Charente, but they were forced to hide their relationship.[2] Besson attended l'École supérieure de commerce de Rouen, now called Neoma Business School.
In 1999, Besson, a law graduate, was inspired to write his first novel, En l'absence des hommes, while reading of accounts of ex-servicemen during the First World War.[3] The novel won the Prix Emmanuel Roblès. Besson's second novel, Son Frère was shortlisted for the Prix Femina, and adapted for cinema by Patrice Chéreau in 2003.[4] The film was well received and won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.[5]
Besson's novel Arrête avec tes mensonges (published in English under the title Lie with Me) received critical acclaim, became a bestseller in France, and won several awards including the Prix Maison de la Presse and Prix Psychologies du roman inspirant.[6][7][8] The book was adapted in 2022 into a movie of the same name, which premiered in the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival on August 27, 2022.[9][10] The novel was also adapted into a play performed in January 2023 at the Théâtre de la Tempête in Paris.[11]
Major works
edit- En l'absence des hommes, Éditions Julliard, 2001, ISBN 9782260015642
- In the Absence of Men, Heinemann 2003, translated by Frank Wynne, Carroll & Graf, 2003, ISBN 978-0-7867-1161-1
- Son frère, Julliard, 2001, ISBN 978-2-260-01586-4
- His Brother translated by Frank Wynne, Heinemann, 2004, ISBN 978-0-434-01211-4
- L'arrière saison, Julliard, 2002, ISBN 978-2-260-01610-6 (inspired by Edward Hopper's painting Nighthawks)
- Un garçon d'Italie, Julliard, 2003, ISBN 978-2-260-01642-7 (which was shortlisted for both the Prix Goncourt and the Prix Médicis.)
- Les Jours fragiles, Julliard, 2004, ISBN 978-2-260-01641-0 (focussing on the last days of Rimbaud, it has been optioned by François Dupeyron for the cinema.)
- Un instant d'abandon: roman, Julliard, 2005, ISBN 978-2-260-01681-6
- Se résoudre aux adieux: roman, Julliard, 2007, ISBN 978-2-260-01726-4
- The Accidental Man
- Arrête avec tes mensonges, Éditions Julliard, 2017, ISBN 9782260029885
- Lie with Me translated by Molly Ringwald, Scribner, 2019, ISBN 9781501197871
- Un Personnage de Roman - Macron par Besson, French and European Publications Inc, 2017, ISBN 978-1547902231
References
edit- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-01-07. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ ""Arrête avec tes mensonges", le roman autobiographique de Philippe Besson". rts.ch (in French). 2017-08-07. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ "Contemporary writers - The world according to Philippe Besson - Ministère des Affaires étrangères". www.diplomatie.gouv.fr. Archived from the original on 2007-10-15.
- ^ "Philippe Besson Filmography". www.fandango.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15.
- ^ "Festival de Cannes - From 11 to 22 may 2011". www.festival-cannes.fr. Archived from the original on 2010-12-03.
- ^ "Le prix Maison de la presse révèle sa sélection finale 2017". Livres Hebdo (in French). Retrieved 2023-09-10.
- ^ "Prix Psychologies du Roman | Livres Hebdo". archive.wikiwix.com. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
- ^ Hadley, Tessa (2019-09-06). "Lie With Me by Philippe Besson review – a French bestseller". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
- ^ "Arrête avec tes mensonges | Festival du Film Francophone d'Angoulême". Festival du Film Francophone d’Angoulême (in French). Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ "Lie with Me (2022) - IMDb". IMDB. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ tablette, Théâtral magazine actualité et critiques du théâtre sur papier, web et. "Philippe Besson voit son roman Arrête avec tes mensonges adapté au théâtre de la Tempête - (03/01/23)". www.theatral-magazine.com (in French). Retrieved 2023-09-10.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
External links
edit- "Review: In the Absence of Men by Philippe Besson", Speak its name