Bibliotopia 2026 | Interview with Philippa Motte and David Thomas

Writing about Mental Illness
Moderated by Oriane Jeancourt-Galignani

Philippa Motte is a French writer, peer-support worker, trainer and corporate consultant on mental health in the workplace, working to provide the support to people with mental health issues. In 2021, she published "Le jour où m’a mère m’a tout raconté" (Stock), an account of her grandmother’s forced confinement in a psychiatric institution. In "Et c’est moi qu’on enferme" (Stock, 2025), she addresses her bipolar disorder and the realities of mental illness with honesty, from the dark experiences of institutionalisation and medical violence to the glimmers of hope born of human connection, solidarity, patience and rehabilitation.

David Thomas is a French novelist and short-story writer. After a career spanning twenty years in journalism, he turned his attention to literary writing and published his first collection of short stories, "La patience des buffles sous la pluie" (Bernard Pascuito, 2009), followed by the novel "Un silence de clairière" (Albin Michel, 2011). He is the author of around ten books, which have won several awards, including the Goncourt Prize for Short Stories for "Partout les autres" (L’Olivier, 2023). Published by the same publisher, "Un frère" (2025) offers a poignant account of his elder brother’s struggle with schizophrenia, and how mental illness affected their bond.

Fondation Jan Michalski, le 30 mai 2026