Biography
Georges Conchon (9 May 1925, St. Avitus, Puy-de-Dôme – 29 July 1990) was a French writer and screenwriter.
Raised in a family of educators, he graduated in philosophy before entering parliamentary service, working at the French Union Assembly where he was division head from 1952 to 1958. While traveling extensively, especially in Africa, he began writing. In 1960, he became secretary of debates in the Senate, a position he held until 1980. Alongside his work as a journalist and novelist, he started his screenwriting career in 1967.
His first novel, Les Grandes Lessives, was published in 1953, followed by Chemins écartés. He was then recruited by Pierre Lazareff as a journalist for France-Soir. This experience inspired L'État sauvage, which won him the Prix Goncourt in 1964.
Prior to the Goncourt, he received the Fénéon Prize in 1956 and the Booksellers Prize in 1960 for La Corrida de la victoire.
Conchon's screenwriting achievements include notable films such as L'Horizon (directed by Jacques Rouffio, 1967), Sept Morts sur ordonnance (Jacques Rouffio, 1976), La Victoire en chantant (Jean-Jacques Annaud, 1976), Judith Therpauve (Patrice Chéreau, 1978), and La Banquière (Francis Girod, 1980). He also worked in television, directing for A2 on a film collection and launching the series Châteauvallon. Several of his books, including The Savage State and Le Sucre, were adapted into films by Jacques Rouffio.
His final film project was a screenplay about the infamous 19th-century assassin Lacenaire, directed by Francis Girod and released in 1990.
Conchon was a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, an Officer of the Order of Merit, and a member of the Order of Arts and Letters. Politically, he was active in the PSU before joining the Socialist Party.
