Jean-Philippe Toussaint facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean-Philippe Toussaint
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Jean-Philippe Toussaint in 2013
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| Born | 29 November 1957 Brussels, Belgium |
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| Nationality | Belgian |
| Alma mater | Sciences Po (1978) |
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Jean-Philippe Toussaint (born November 29, 1957, in Brussels) is a Belgian novelist, photographer, and filmmaker. His books have been translated into over twenty languages. He has also shown his photographs in Brussels and Japan. Toussaint won the Prix Médicis in 2005 for his novel Fuir (Running Away). This book was part of a four-book series called the « Cycle of Marie ». This series explored the separation of Marie and her lover. His 2009 novel La Vérité sur Marie (The Truth about Marie), also from this series, won the Prix Décembre.
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About Jean-Philippe Toussaint's Family
Jean-Philippe Toussaint was born in Brussels, Belgium. His father, Yvon Toussaint, was a journalist and writer. His mother, Monique Toussaint, was a bookseller. She had Lithuanian family roots. Jean-Philippe grew up mostly in Paris. His father worked there for a Belgian newspaper called Le Soir. His sister, Anne-Dominique Toussaint, is a film producer.
Today, Jean-Philippe Toussaint lives in Brussels and Corsica. His wife, Madeleine Santandrea, is from Bastia. They have two children together.
His Early Life and Education
Jean-Philippe Toussaint grew up in a very creative home in Brussels. After 1970, his family moved to Paris. There, he went to high school. He later graduated from the Institut d'études politiques de Paris in 1979. He also earned a master's degree in history from the Sorbonne in 1980.
After finishing his studies, he taught French for two years. This was in Médéa, Algeria. It was an alternative to joining the army. After this, he decided to become a writer. He felt that making movies was too difficult and expensive at the time.
His Career as a Writer
Jean-Philippe Toussaint's first writings were not published. These included two plays and a short novel. In 1985, he wrote his first published novel, La Salle de bain (The Bathroom). He sent it to Jérôme Lindon, a famous publisher in Paris. Lindon accepted the book. He became Toussaint's only publisher.
The novel was very popular. It made Jean-Philippe Toussaint known as a promising new author. He then published Monsieur and L'Appareil-photo in the late 1980s. These books made him even more famous. They also allowed him to start making movies. He directed two films: Monsieur (1990) and La Sévillane (1992). Monsieur even won an award called the André Cavens Award.
In 1997, he wrote La Télévision while living in Berlin. This book was known for its funny and clever style. It won the Prix Victor-Rossel in Belgium. After writing an essay about living abroad, he started a series of novels. This series is called the « Cycle of Marie ». It tells the story of a long and difficult breakup between two lovers, Marie and the narrator. The story unfolds over four books and covers a year's time.
In 2006, he wrote La Mélancolie de Zidane. This essay was about the famous French football player Zinedine Zidane. It focused on a specific moment in the 2006 World Cup final. Toussaint was in Berlin and watched the game. An English version of this essay was published in 2007.
Jean-Philippe Toussaint is part of a group of writers. They are known for a special writing style from their publisher, Minuit.
Selected Books by Jean-Philippe Toussaint
- La Salle de bain (1985)
- The Bathroom (English translation, 2008)
- Monsieur (1986)
- Monsieur (English translation, 2008)
- L'Appareil-photo (1989)
- Camera (English translation, 2008)
- La Réticence (1991)
- Reticence (English translation, 2012)
- La Télévision (1997); won the Prix Victor-Rossel
- Television (English translation, 2007)
- Autoportrait (à l'étranger) (2000)
- Self-Portrait Abroad (English translation, 2010)
- La Mélancolie de Zidane (2006), an essay
- "Zidane's Melancholy" (English translation, 2009)
- L'Urgence et la Patience (2012), an essay
- Urgency and Patience (English translation, 2013)
- Football (2015)
- Football (English translation, 2016)
The « Cycle of Marie » Series
- Fuir (2005); won the Prix Médicis
- Running Away (English translation, 2009)
- La Vérité sur Marie (2009); won the Prix Décembre
- The Truth about Marie (English translation, 2011)
His Work in Films
Jean-Philippe Toussaint has worked on several films:
- La Salle de bain (1989) - He was the screenwriter for this film.
- Monsieur (1990) - He was the director and screenwriter.
- La Sévillane (1992) - He was the director and screenwriter.
- La Patinoire (1999) - He was the director and screenwriter.
- Trois fragments de "Fuir" : Louvre/Chine/Elbe (2011) - He directed these short films.
His Photography Exhibitions
Jean-Philippe Toussaint is also a talented photographer. His first big photo exhibition was in 2001 in Osaka, Japan. In 2006, he worked in Toulouse, France. There, he created art that mixed neon lights, films, photos, and books.
This work led to a larger exhibition in 2009 in Canton, China. In 2012, he was invited to create an important exhibition. It was called "Livre/Louvre" and took place at the Musée du Louvre in Paris. This show included his photographs, short films, and other art. It also featured a part of the original manuscript of En attendant Godot by Samuel Beckett. A copy of an old edition of Dante's Divina Commedia was also on display.
Awards and Honors
In 2014, Jean-Philippe Toussaint was chosen as a member of the Académie royale de langue et de littérature françaises de Belgique. This is a special honor for writers and literary figures in Belgium.
See also
In Spanish: Jean-Philippe Toussaint para niños
