Vahé-Karnik Khatchadourian, professionally known as Vahé Katcha, was a renowned French Armenian author, screenwriter, and journalist, born on April 1, 1928, in Damascus, Syria. He passed away on January 14, 2003, in Paris, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of literary and cinematic works.
Katcha's writing career spanned multiple genres, including novels, theatre pieces, and screenplays. He penned 25 novels, two theatre pieces, and numerous adaptations for French films. One of his most notable works is the novel L'Hameçon, which was adapted into the American film The Hook starring Kirk Douglas.
Born in Syria, Katcha spent his childhood in Lebanon before immigrating to France at the age of 17 in 1945. He pursued his studies at IDEC, specializing in film screenwriting, and won the prestigious Pelman prize in 1962 for his outstanding work on two film reportages, Pas de pitié pour les aveugles et Les cancéreux.
Katcha's literary debut was at the age of 20 with the publication of Les mégots du dimanche on Gallimard, followed by Œil pour œil, which was later adapted into a film directed by André Cayatte. His other notable works include Un homme est tombé dans la rue, Un poignard dans ce jardin, Un bateau de singes, La mort d'un juif, Un bruit qui court, and Le Chypriote.
As a screenwriter, Katcha collaborated on 15 films, including Galia, À Cœur joie, Le Maître-nageur, and La Grande Sauterelle. He also co-screenwrote the 1963 MGM film The Hook with Henri Verneuil, starring Kirk Douglas, and worked on the films Le Casse and Mayrig.
Katcha's theatre pieces, Le Repas des fauves and La Farce, showcased his versatility as a playwright. His works have been translated into multiple languages, including English, Spanish, German, and Armenian, and have been published in various forms, such as separate covers and literary journals like «Գրական թերթ» and «Գարուն».
