Marcel Pagnol

Marcel Pagnol (1895–1974) was a French novelist, playwright, and filmmaker whose work is closely associated with Provence and its language, landscapes, and social life. Born in Aubagne, he gained wide recognition with the Marseille-set stage trilogy *Marius*, *Fanny*, and *César*, later adapted for the screen. Pagnol became a major figure in early French sound cinema, writing and directing films that blended popular storytelling with regional detail. He also wrote the novels *Jean de Florette* and *Manon des Sources*, later adapted into celebrated films. In 1946, he was elected to the Académie française.