Christelle Wurmser, an actress born in Nancy in 1959, wrote the French dialogue for the films of Jim Jarmusch, Ken Loach, Roman Polanski and Lars von Trier. Millions of people read or heard those lines without ever knowing her name. As an actress, she had worked with Michel Bouquet, Claude Régy and Jean-Luc Lagarce; she also wrote for radio. She died in 2022.
The story
Christelle Wurmser's most widely seen work is also the least visible: she wrote the French versions of the films of Jim Jarmusch, Ken Loach, Roman Polanski, Michael Haneke and Lars von Trier. Millions of viewers read or heard her sentences without ever learning her name.
Born in Nancy on 1 March 1959, she had acted under Michel Bouquet, Daniel Mesguich, Claude Régy and Jean-Luc Lagarce — four directors you do not usually find together on one actress's list. She also wrote radio drama for France Inter and France Culture.
As a director she brought Daniel Pennac's Chagrin d'école to the stage, along with texts by Italo Calvino and Alessandro Baricco. Her own book, Même les Anges, was published by Gallimard in 2021.
She died in Paris on 26 December 2022, at sixty-three. The inscription in Division 50 names her under her married name — “Christelle NATRELLA, née WURMSER” — and says nothing of the theatre, nor of Gallimard, nor of the films.
The grave
An inscription that names her by her married name: “Christelle NATRELLA, née WURMSER, 1959-2022”. Nothing says she was an actress, or a director, or that she wrote the French versions of the films of Jarmusch, Loach, Polanski, Haneke and von Trier. Nothing, either, of the name she signed that work with: Christèle, with an accent — the one on the roll of honour of the ATAA, the French audiovisual translators' association, which crowned her in 2016.
On site, do not miss
The stone names her under her married name: “Christelle NATRELLA, née WURMSER, 1959-2022.” Neither the theatre, nor Gallimard, nor the cinema.
Visitors' questions
Where is Christelle Wurmser's grave?
In Division 50, Avenue Transversale No. 1, fifth row, under her married name: “Christelle NATRELLA, née WURMSER, 1959-2022”. The Division is that of Victor Schœlcher and the dancer Michael Denard.
Michael DenardWhat did she write for the cinema?
The French versions — subtitles and dubbing — of the films of Jim Jarmusch, Ken Loach, Roman Polanski, Michael Haneke and Lars von Trier. It is the most widely seen and least visible work there is: millions of viewers read her sentences without ever learning her name.
Lucien AttounWho directed her in the theatre?
Michel Bouquet, Daniel Mesguich, Claude Régy and Jean-Luc Lagarce — four directors you do not usually find on one actress's list. She also wrote radio drama for France Inter and France Culture.
Didier BezaceWhat did she direct?
Daniel Pennac's Chagrin d'école, School Blues, along with texts by Italo Calvino and Alessandro Baricco. Her own book, Même les Anges, was published by Gallimard; she died in Paris on 26 December 2022, at sixty-three.
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