Wajdi Mouawad

Wajdi Mouawad, OC, (born 1968) is a Lebanese-Canadian writer, actor and director. He is most known for his work in the Canadian and French theatre. Born in Lebanon, Mouawad's family left when he was eight due to the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War. He moved to Montreal in 1983 after living in France for five years. Mouawad is known for his politically engaged, moralistic theatre, which often revolves around family trauma, war and the betrayal of youth, and for recurring stylistic tropes, such as having his actors shout all their lines. Since April 2016, Wajdi Mouawad is the director of the Théâtre national de la Colline, in Paris.

He obtained his diploma from the National Theatre School of Canada in 1991.

In 1998, his creation Willy Protagoras enfermé dans les toilettes (Willy Protagoras locked up in the toilets) was voted best Montreal-based production by l'Association québécoise des critiques de théâtre.

From 2000 to 2004, he led the Théâtre de Quat'sous in Montreal. He has adapted different works for the theatre, from Don Quixote to Trainspotting.

He was awarded the Governor General's Award in Literature for drama in 2000. In 2002, the French Government bestowed upon him the title of Knight of the Ordre National des Arts et des Lettres for the collection of his works. In 2009, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada "for his contributions as a writer, actor, stage director and playwright known internationally for the quality and scope of his theatrical creations".

He made his first attempt onto the big screen in 2004 by directing and producing the film Littoral, based on the play of the same name.

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