Who is Joann Sfar?

The French Artist You Need to Know

His books have been translated into more than 20 languages, and his films have been screened at major international festivals. But who is Joann Sfar, and what is it about his work that has made him so popular?

Joann Sfar was born in Nice, France in 1971. He began drawing at a young age, and by the time he was a teenager, he was already publishing his own comics. In the early 1990s, he co-founded the comics magazine "L'Association," which quickly became one of the most influential publications in the French comics scene.

Sfar's work is often characterized by its humor, its surrealism, and its exploration of Jewish culture. He is perhaps best known for his series "The Rabbi's Cat," which tells the story of a rabbi and his talking cat as they travel through 19th-century Algeria. The series has been praised for its wit, its warmth, and its insights into Jewish life.

In addition to his work in comics, Sfar has also directed several feature films, including "Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life" (2010) and "The Lady in the Van" (2015). His films have been well-received by critics and audiences alike, and they have helped to further raise his profile as an artist.