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Emmanuel Carrère

エマニュエル・カレール

Emmanuel Carrère

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1957-12-09 （Paris, France）
Nationality
French
Languages
French
Residence History
Paris (born, long-term residence) → Surabaya, Indonesia (taught French)

Career

Occupations
Author, Screenwriter, Film director, Journalist
Active Years
1982-
Memberships
Cannes Film Festival, International Jury member (2010), Cannes Film Festival, Cinéfondation & Short Films Jury (2012), Venice Film Festival, Main Competition Jury (2015)
Influenced By
Werner Herzog, Philip K. Dick
Influenced

Education

Lycée Janson-de-Sailly
Country: France
Attended secondary school
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po)
Country: France
Studied at Sciences Po (Paris)

Awards

Prix Passion
1984
Organization: Prix Passion
Result: Winner
Prix littéraire de la vocation
1985
Organization: Prix littéraire de la vocation
Result: Winner
Prix Femina
1995
Work: Class Trip (La Classe de neige)
Organization: Prix Femina
Result: Winner
Grand Prix de littérature Henri Gal
2010
Organization: Académie française
Result: Winner
Prix Renaudot
2011
Organization: Prix Renaudot
Result: Winner
Mondello Prize
2015
Organization: Premio Mondello
Result: Winner
Princess of Asturias Award (Literature)
2021
Organization: Princess of Asturias Foundation
Result: Winner
Prix Aujourd'hui
2022
Work: V13
Organization: Prix Aujourd'hui
Result: Winner
Prix Médicis
2025
Work: Kolkhoze
Organization: Prix Médicis
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Moustache

1986 Novel

A novel exploring the collapse of the protagonist's identity and perception of reality. Later adapted into a film directed by Carrère.

IdentityReality vs. illusion
Adaptations
  • [Film] The Moustache (film) / Emmanuel Carrère (2005)
Translations
  • English translation available (The Moustache)

Class Trip

1995 Novel

Depicts childhood anxiety and fear during a school ski trip. Winner of the Prix Femina.

ChildhoodFearMemory
Adaptations
  • [Film] Class Trip (film) / Claude Miller (1998)
Translations
  • English translation available (Class Trip)

The Adversary

2000 Non-fiction / Literary true crime

A reportage-style book about the Jean-Claude Romand case, tracing the life of deception and crime. A bestseller translated widely.

DeceptionIdentityCrime
Adaptations
  • [Film] The Adversary (film) / Nicole Garcia (2002)
Translations
  • English translation available (The Adversary)

A Russian Novel

2007 Non-fiction / Memoir

A book about a visit to Russia and exploring the author's Russian maternal roots and family history.

RootsFamily historyMemory
Translations
  • English translation available (A Russian Novel / My Life as a Russian Novel)

Other Lives But Mine

2009 Non-fiction

Reflects on life and loss inspired in part by the author's experience of the 2004 tsunami; adapted into film.

LossEmpathyFamily
Adaptations
  • [Film] All Our Desires / ニコール・ガルシア他 (2011)
Translations
  • English translation available (Other Lives But Mine)

Limonov

2011 Biographical novel

A biographical novel about Russian writer and dissident Eduard Limonov, depicting his contradictions and turbulent times.

PoliticsOutsiderIdentity
Translations
  • English translation available (Limonov)

The Kingdom

2014 Non-fiction / Historical-religious study

Explores the origins of early Christianity intertwined with the author's reflections on faith and narrative; provoked controversy.

Origins of religionFaithHistory and narrative
Translations
  • English translation available (The Kingdom)

Yoga

2020 Memoir / Non-fiction

A candid personal account of depression, bipolar diagnosis, hospitalization and treatments experienced by the author.

Mental illnessRecoveryAutobiographical elements
Translations
  • English translation available (Yoga)

V13

2022 Reporting / Trial chronicles (Non-fiction)

A collection of chronicles covering the 2015 Paris attacks trial, portraying society through courtroom and field reporting.

TerrorismJusticeDocumentation

Kolkhoze

2025 Novel

(Published in 2025) Details limited; known as a recent work.

Bibliography

  • Werner Herzog (1982)
  • L'Amie du jaguar (1983)
  • Bravoure (1984)
  • The Moustache (1986)
  • Hors d'atteinte (1988)
  • I Am Alive and You Are Dead (1993)
  • Class Trip (1995)
  • The Adversary (2000)
  • A Russian Novel (2007)
  • Other Lives But Mine (2009)
  • Limonov (2011)
  • The Kingdom (2014)
  • 97,196 Words: Essays (2016)
  • Yoga (2020)
  • V13 (2022)
  • Kolkhoze (2025)

Adaptations

  • The Moustache (2005) - director: Emmanuel Carrère
  • Class Trip (1998) - director: Claude Miller (based on Carrère's novel)
  • The Adversary (2002) - director: Nicole Garcia (screenplay contribution)

Translations of Works

  • L'Adversaire → The Adversary (English translation)
  • Le Royaume → The Kingdom (English translation)
  • Yoga (English translation)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Genre-crossing style (blurring lines between fiction and non-fiction)Spare, supple prose
Recurring Motifs
IdentityBoundary between reality and illusionFamily and rootsGuilt and redemption

Health

  • Bipolar II disorder
    2020（公表・入院と治療）
    Hospitalization and treatment experiences were integrated into his writing; described in his memoir 'Yoga'.

Legacy

Emmanuel Carrère is a celebrated French writer known for blurring the lines between fiction and non-fiction. He has won multiple major literary prizes and many of his works have been translated and adapted for film.

In Popular Culture

  • Multiple film adaptations of his works (e.g., The Moustache, Class Trip, The Adversary)

Quotes

  • His prose has been described as spare and supple.
    Source: Critical commentary

Trivia

  • His mother Hélène Carrère d'Encausse was a historian and perpetual secretary of the Académie française.
  • As an alternative to military service he taught French in Surabaya, Indonesia.
  • Many of his works have been translated into multiple languages, including English.