Literary season: Philippe Torreton awarded for his third novel, “Une certain raison de vivre” – Franceinfo

The actor and writer Philippe Torreton was awarded for his third novel, the best of the literary re-entry according to the jury of the Writers at Gonzague Saint Bris festival (ex-La Forêt des livres), the jury said on Saturday.

This jury distinguished A certain reason to live (Robert Laffont), fiction which tells the torments of Jean Fournier, returned from the Great War without apparent injury, but durably traumatized.

Philippe Torreton, 55, member of the Comédie-Française and film star, signs his first fiction there, after novels in tribute to his grandmother (Same) and his father (Jacques at war).

The first novel prize went to Pierre Darkanian for The Chinese Report (Anne Carrière), a tragic farce on the absurdity of the modern world.

The jury must also present the prize for the first novel 2020, late due to the cancellation of this edition, to Alex Lutz for The auxiliary radiator (Flammarion), and the 2021 revelation award to Céline Laurens for Where the caravan goes (Albin Michel) and Thomas Louis for Earthenware Dogs (La Martinière).

Formerly called The Forest of Books, the festival is held in Chanceaux-près-Loches (Indre-et-Loire) during the weekend, for its 25th edition. Writer Gonzague Saint Bris, its founder, died in 2017.