Marguerite Duras

Marguerite Duras (1914–1996) was a French writer, screenwriter, playwright, and film director. Born Marguerite Donnadieu in Gia Dinh in French Indochina, now Vietnam, she studied law and political science in Paris. Before beginning her literary career, she worked for the French Ministry of the Colonies. During the Second World War, she was active in the Resistance. Her debut novel was published in 1943 under the pseudonym Marguerite Duras. Her best-known works include The Sea Wall, Moderato Cantabile, and The Lover (1984), which won the Prix Goncourt and was later adapted for film. She also wrote the screenplay for Hiroshima mon amour and directed several films.