Lolita Séchan is a French writer and illustrator who is known for the graphic novel “Les brumes de Sapa” (2016) and children’s book “Cachée ou pas, j’arrive!” (2020).
Wiki/Biography
Lolita Séchan was born on Saturday, August 9, 1980 (age 41 years, as of 2021), in Paris, France.
Childhood picture of Lolita Séchan with her father
She grew up accompanying her singer father on his tours, meanwhile skipping classes at school. She studied in Montessori schools; the Montessori method of education assists children to develop natural interests instead of using formal teaching methods. Studying in Montessori schools brewed the sparks of creativity in Lolita. It was her father who introduced Franco-Belgian classic comics like Tintin, Yakari, and Chlorophylle, to her. Then, she came across the book “La Quête de l’oiseau du temps,” written by Serge Le Tendre and illustrated by Régis Loisel. Loisel’s work in the book intrigued her passion for drawing. Thereafter, she started reading Manga, comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. From a very young age, she started taking drawing lessons. While talking about her childhood, in an interview, she said,
I have been protected and loved. I have always been in contact with creative adults. This childhood does not necessarily prepare to face the world of adults. On the other hand, it brings about an imagination. I already told stories to the little ones”
At 19, she moved to Montreal, Canada, where she studied psychology, cinema, drawing, and literature. [1]Bodoi
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 5″
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Family
Parents & Siblings
Lolita Séchan’s father, Renaud Séchan, is a popular French singer, songwriter, and actor, who is known for his studio albums Laisse béton (1977 ), Morgane de toi (1983), and Mistral gagnant. Her mother, Dominique Quilichini, was an actress in French stage comedian Coluche’s troupe. Dominique quit her career when she got pregnant with Lolita. After Lolita’s birth, Coluche became her godfather. Renaud and Dominique divorced when Lolita was 18.
Lolita Séchan with her father, Renaud Séchan, and mother, Dominique Quilichini
After the separation of Renaud and Dominique, Renaud Séchan married the French singer Romane Serda. Together, Renaud and Romane have a son Malone Oscar Olivier Séchan-Serda (born in 2006).
Renaud Séchan and Romane Serda
Her paternal grandfather, Olivier Séchan, was a French writer who won the Prix des Deux Magots in 1942 for his novel ‘Les corps ont soif.’ Later, Olivier Séchan became the director of the renowned publishing firm Hachette. Thereafter, Olivier gained popularity as a children’s books writer.
Husband & Children
Lolita Séchan was married to the French singer-songwriter Renan Luce. The couple made acquaintance in 2007 during Renan’s concert at La Cigale. Together they have a daughter, Héloïse, who was born on 3 August 2011. Séchan and Luce separated in 2016.
Lolita Séchan and Renan Luce
Career
At the beginning of her career, she worked as an assistant director for the Canadian-British comedy-heist thriller film ‘Wanted’ (2003) directed by Brad Mirman.
Film Wanted (2003) directed by Brad Mirman
Thereafter, she discontinued working as an assistant director and moved to Montreal to focus on creating a novel. Her first novel “Les Cendres de Maman” (Mom’s Ashes) was published in 2005 after she worked on it for five long years. The novel chronicles the journey of a little girl in search of her mother, who is kidnapped by the chimney sweeper.
In 2009, she illustrated and co-authored the book “Todo Loco, Tome 1,” along with Emmanuel Grard.
In 2010, she authored the book “Marshmalone” (named after her half-brother Malone) in which she talked about the arrival of her little brother into her life. In an interview, while talking about her book, she said,
I wanted to talk about the arrival of this little brother in my life as an only girl with all that that implies . At the beginning, it was very hard to share my father, today I’m very happy.”
In her 2016 graphic novel “Les brumes de Sapa” (The Mists of Sapa), she recounted befriending a young girl named Lo Thi Gôm, belonging to the oppressed minority of the Hmong ethnic group, during her trip to Vietnam in 2002. For the book, she was chosen as one of the six finalists for the Prix de la BD Fnac (2017), a French prize awarded each year to a comic strip by the Fnac brand.
Thereafter, she authored “Une échappée de bartok biloba” (2018) and “Tout le monde devrait rester tranquille près d’un petit ruisseau et écouter” (2018). In 2020, she co-wrote and illustrated the children’s book “Cachée ou pas, j’arrive!” (Ready or not here I come!), along with Camille Jourdy, a French illustrator, screenwriter and comic book author.
Cachée ou pas, j’arrive!
The book features Bartok Biloba, a mole, and Nouk, a girl with a tail and kitten ears. In the book, the characters play hide and seek and explore numerous places. The book was nominated for the Bologna Ragazzi Award (2021) in the category of Comics for young readers at Foire du livre de jeunesse de Bologne (Bologna Children’s Book Fair). In June 2021, her illustrations of Bartok Biloba were exhibited on a Morris column, a historical advertising street furniture, in Saint-Gratien, France.
Lolita Séchan’s illustrations exhibited on a Morris column in Saint-Gratien
Favorites
- Film: Gone with the Wind (1939)
- Author(s): Emmanuel Carrère (French author) David Grossman (Israeli author)
- Novelist(s): Philip Roth (American novelist), John Irving (American novelist)
- Comic Artist: Katsuhiro Otomo
- Manga series: Akira
- Cartoonist: Jean-Jacques Sempé
- Talk Show: La Grande Librairie
- Singer(s): Yael Naim (French-Israeli singer), Vincent Delerm (French singer-songwriter)
- Fictional character: Ellen Ripley of Alien film series (1979-1997)
Facts/Trivia
- She uses the moniker Lola Séchan [2]Instagram-Lolita Séchan for the Instagram account.
- In 2008, Lolita Séchan became the winner of the first edition of the “Miss Space ” competition.
- She is a hypochondriac, i.e., someone who lives with the fear that they have a serious undiagnosed medical condition, even though diagnostic tests show there is nothing wrong with them. She consults a doctor atleast once a week and has approximately 41 doctors on her call list, which include dermatologists, ophthalmologists, physiotherapists, cardiac surgeons, and many other specialists. She developed this fear after watching an episode of the American historical drama TV series ‘La Petite Maison dans la prairie’ (The Little House On The Prairie) in which one of the protagonists loses her sight.
- She occasionally enjoys consuming alcoholic beverages. [3]Libération
- Lolita Séchan has a pet cat. She posts various pictures with her cat on her Instagram account.
Lolita Séchan with her cat
- She follows a non-vegetarian diet and likes to eat ham and chicken breast. [4]Libération
- She is lactophobic, a person who hates consuming milk. [5]Libération
- Due to drawing for hours, she suffers from tendinitis and has rotten cervical.
- In an interview, she revealed that although she had the opportunity to become a songwriter, she did not pursue it because songwriting does not interest her. She said,
I had a proposal to write songs, but that’s not my thing. And above all, it refers to too many personal things. Comics is my domain, it belongs only to me. I have always taken drawing lessons …”
- She is a passionate toy collector. In an interview, while talking about her habit of collecting toys, she said,
I collect toys. I am always told that when I have a child, I will lend it to him, but I don’t want, they are mine. For me, it’s also a way of protecting myself.”
- In 2020, for the 14th edition of Inventaires de Saint-Gratien (Val-d’Oise), Lolita Séchan launched her first exhibition at the Forum Cultural Center, Place François-Truffaut. Every year since 2005, this event allows an illustrator to artistically describe the city Saint-Gratien, giving it a unique vision.
- Her father, Renaud Séchan, has dedicated various songs to her like Morgane de toi (1983), Mistral gagnant (1985), Les Mômes et les Enfants d’abord! (2019). The cover of the song Morgane de toi (1983) featured Renaud carrying Lolita in his arms.
Cover picture of the song Morgane de toi (1983) featuring Renaud Séchan and Lolita Séchan
- In May 2021, she was accused of racism due to a comment which she made on masks made in China. [6]Gala She posted a picture of the cover of protective masks she bought for her children, which stated that the masks were made in China, with a caption that read,
Is it that hard to make it in France? Well, it’s not won”
A snippet of Lolita Séchan’s Instagram post
Her remark received massive criticism on the internet. While explaining that she had no problem with Chinese manufacturing and she just regretted that France does not invest more in short circuits. In her following Instagram story, she posted the caption that read,
I thought I was talking about ecology in fact. Local production. Short-circuit logic. Regarding a product that was in shortage at a time when it was essential. Is it racist to find it absurd to bring something from the other side of the world that we can manufacture here because there is an emergency ?”
- In July 2021, she was attacked by her pet cat after the neighbor’s dog scared the cat.
Lolita Séchan showing her scratched forearm with traces of bites
References
| ↑1 | Bodoi |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | Instagram-Lolita Séchan |
| ↑3, ↑4, ↑5 | Libération |
| ↑6 | Gala |