Disclaimer: This talk was conducted in French, all quotes used have been provided English translation by the article’s author

On April 23, the French House hosted a talk by the acclaimed author, playwright and screenwriter Marie NDiaye. With the support of Villa Albertine, the cultural institution connected to the French Embassy, the event was part of her North American tour, on which she discussed and promoted the latest English translation of her novel “The Witch.” Over the span of four decades, NDiaye has distinguished herself as one of the most recognized and singular voices of French contemporary literature. 

Born in Pithiviers, in central France, NDiaye grew up in Bourg-la-Reine with her single mom and brother. She started writing in the ’80s, around the age of 12. Living in the Parisian suburbs with proximity to the main city facilitated her ability to give her manuscripts to French publishing house Les Éditions de Minuit while she was still a high school student. She signed a contract right after finishing high school, setting her on the path of becoming a writer. 

Since then, NDiaye has gone on to win France’s most prestigious literary award — the Prix Goncourt in 2009 for her novel “Three Strong Women.” Her accomplishments in screenwriting also include co-writing for director Alice Diop’s “Saint Omer,” which earned the Grand Jury Prize at the 2022 Venice Film Festival. Her play “Papa doit manger” entered the repertoire of the Comédie-Française, a rare distinction for a living writer. Her works have explored themes from exclusion to humiliation and the strangeness of everyday life while centering female characters within complex power dynamics and the often invisible nature of human relationships.

The event centered around the recent English translation of her novel “La sorcière” (1996), translated by Jordan Stump as “The Witch” (Vintage, 2026), which has been shortlisted for this year’s International Booker Prize.

In her interview at the French House with Etienne Farreyre, the Director of Villa Albertine in Boston, NDiaye spoke about her preference for writing novels over theatre, as she finds character development easier in that form. She explained how her characters evolve throughout the writing process, often allowing her to give them a second chance, even enabling the “villain” to explain himself. Emphasizing the form’s flexibility, she noted, « C’est plus simple dans le roman. On a des centaines de pages pour donner leur chance a chacun. » (It’s simpler in a novel. We have hundreds of pages to give everyone a chance.)

Farreyre also asked her about her connection to the United States, and NDiaye expressed her fascination with American writers such as William Faulkner and Carson McCullers. 

« Y’a Proust qui restera l’écrivain qui m’a appris le plus sur la langue française, »(There is Proust who will remain the author that taught me the most about the French language) NDiaye said. « Mais à côté de Proust, pour la manière de concevoir un roman, la liberté aussi avec une trame narrative, (…) vraiment, la littérature américaine reste celle qui m’a inspiré le plus. » (But alongside Proust, in terms of how to conceive a novel and the freedom to work with a narrative structure, (…) American literature truly remains what has inspired me the most). She also spoke about the trust and respect she has for the translators of her novels, highlighting her close collaboration with them. Noting that the French language is highly polysemous, she explained that its many layers of meaning often require careful reflection when translated into English, prompting her to think more deeply about her choice of words.

NDiaye also addressed how her literary works relate to broader world issues. She said that what motivates her is the ability to write about a “harsh,” even “criminal” and “troubling” world without taking sides. « Quand on écrit, on ne veut pas faire du bien, on veut pas faire du mal non plus, »(When you write, you don’t set out to do good or evil) NDiaye explained, but rather aim at « essayer de comprendre ce qui nous amène au plus profond et sans le juger » (trying to understand what moves us most deeply, without judging it). She added that, in her own writing, she seeks to avoid moral judgment altogether.

Through humorous anecdotes and thoughtful reflections, NDiaye’s presence drew the curiosity of a diverse audience of students, guests and professors, all intrigued by her unique approach to literature and her perspective on the role of the writer. Her talk captured the beauty and complexity of the creative process behind her work. 

« C’est difficile d’écrire parce que c’est assez mystérieux, c’est assez énigmatique et la manière dont le fait même d’écrire transforme ce que vous avez vaguement en tête. »(It’s hard to write because it’s quite mysterious, quite enigmatic, and the very act of writing transforms what you have vaguely in mind.)