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French science fiction is a substantial genre ofFrench literature. It remains an active and productive genre which has evolved in conjunction withanglophone science fiction and other French and international literature.
As far back as the 17th century,space exploration andaliens can be found inCyrano de Bergerac'sComical History of the States and Empires of the Moon (1657) andBernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle'sEntretien sur la Pluralité des Mondes (1686).Voltaire's 1752 short storiesMicromégas andPlato's Dream are particularly prophetic of the future of science fiction.
Also worthy of note areSimon Tyssot de Patot'sVoyages et Aventures de Jacques Massé (1710), which features aLost World,La Vie, Les Aventures et Le Voyage de Groenland du Révérend Père Cordelier Pierre de Mésange (1720), which features aHollow Earth,Louis-Sébastien Mercier'sL'An 2440 (1771), which depicts a future France, andNicolas-Edmé Restif de la Bretonne'sLa Découverte Australe par un Homme Volant (1781) known for his prophetic inventions.
Other notable proto-science fiction authors and works of the 18th and 19th century include:
However, modern French science fiction, and arguably science fiction as a whole, begins withJules Verne (1828–1905), the author of many of the classics of science fiction.
The first few decades of French science fiction produced several renowned names of literature, theScientific Marvelous. Not only Jules Verne, but also:
After H. G. Wells'The Time Machine was translated into French by Henry D. Davray in 1895 as the first of his works, succeeded soon by other translations of his stories,[1] influencing French science fiction writers such as Maurice Renard.
World War I brought an end to this early period. While the rapid development of science and technology during the late 19th century motivated the optimistic works of early science fiction authors, the horrors of industrialised warfare and specifically the application of advanced technologies in such a destructive manner made many later French authors more pessimistic about the potential of technological development.
Between the two world wars, Rosny aîné published his masterpieceLes Navigateurs de l'Infini (1924), in which he invented the word "astronautique". There were a few notable new authors during the period:
Until the late 1950s, relatively little French science fiction was published, and what was published was often very pessimistic about the future of humanity, and was frequently not advertised as "science fiction" at all.René Barjavel'sRavage (1943) andPierre Boulle'sPlanet of the Apes (1963) are examples well known.
This period of decrease of French science fiction (abbreviatedSF) is considered by many to be a "golden age" of English-language and particularly American science fiction. When French science fiction began reappearing strongly afterWorld War II, it was the themes and styles of Anglophone science fiction which served as an inspiration for new works. The first genre magazine,Fiction – at first a translation of the AmericanMagazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction – began appearing during 1953.
The major genre imprint of the 1950s and '60s publishing translations of American novels wasLe Rayon Fantastique published byHachette andGallimard, and edited byGeorge Gallet andStephen Spriel. Nevertheless,Le Rayon Fantastique helped begin the careers of a number of French authors:
During 1951, publisher Fleuve Noir initiatedAnticipation, a paperback series devoted mostly to French authors which released a steady series ofpulp-like novels. Among its authors were:
Later, many major names of French science fiction were printed first by that company.
Another series,Présence du Futur, was initiated during 1954 by publisher Denoël. Among its authors were:
During this era, there was very little mainstream critical interest for French SF. French cinema, however, proved to be more successful for science fiction.Jean-Luc Godard's 1965 movieAlphaville—- a thriller and satire of French politics—- was the first major example of French "New Wave" science fiction.
Unlike American science fiction,space travel was not the major theme for the post-1968 French authors. A new generation of French writers, who had few memories of the horrors of the past two generations, were inspired by the transformation of France during the post-war era. Especially after May 1968, French SF authors wrote about political and social themes in their works. Authors like Michel Jeury, Jean-Pierre Andrevon and Philippe Curval began to attract acclaim for their redevelopment of a genre which, at the time, was still considered primarily a juvenile entertainment.
During the 1970s,comics began to be important for French SF.Métal hurlant—- the French magazine that was imitated as the American magazineHeavy Metal –- began developing the possibilities of science fiction as a source forcartoons.Graphic novels are now a major— if notthe major— outlet for French science fiction production today.
During the 1980s, French authors began to consider science fiction as appropriate for experimental literature. The influence ofpostmodernism on literature and the development ofcyberpunk themes catalysed a new body of French SF, near the end of the decade: the so-called "Lost Generation" (represented by such writers as Claude Ecken, Michel Pagel, Jean-Marc Ligny orRoland C. Wagner)
At present, French SF is particularly well represented bygraphic novels, and a number of titles are printed annually. As in most of the developed world, magazine culture has decreased dramatically because of the internet, but a number of French SF magazines remain in print, includingBifrost,Galaxies andSolaris. Despite thespace opera revival of the beginning of the 1990s (Ayerdhal, Serge Lehman, Pierre Bordage, Laurent Genefort) the influence from English language science fiction and movies has diminished considerably since the "Lost Generation", while the influence of animation, video games and other international science fiction traditions (German, Italian) has increased. The influence of Japanesemanga andanime has also been particularly noticeable during recent years for graphic formats.
ThePrix Rosny-Aîné is an annual award for French-language science fiction.
Other Awards for French-language science fiction (non-exclusively) include or have includes thePrix Apollo (1972–1990), thePrix Bob Morane (1999– ), theGrand Prix de l'Imaginaire (1974– ), thePrix Julia Verlanger (1986– ), thePrix Jules Verne (1927–1933; 1958–1963), thePrix Ozone (1977–2000) and thePrix Tour Eiffel (1997–2002).
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