Riad Sattouf

Riad Sattouf was born on May 5, 1978, in Paris, France, to a Syrian father and a French mother. He is best known for his acclaimed graphic memoir series *The Arab of the Future*, which chronicles his childhood in Libya, Syria, and France. Sattouf also directed the feature film *The French Kissers* and spent a decade contributing to the satirical weekly *Charlie Hebdo* from 2004 to 2014, where his comic strip *La vie secrète des jeunes* became a signature work.

His path into comics began in his youth, drawing from his multicultural upbringing. Sattouf’s style is marked by clean, expressive linework and a wry, observational humor that often explores identity, adolescence, and cultural clashes. He has worked as artist, colorist, inker, letterer, and writer across 42 issues from 2003 to 2024, with his most credited titles including *Framtidens arab*, *Fremtidens araber*, *De Arabier van de toekomst*, *Der Araber von morgen*, *IJzeltje*, and *Les Pauvres aventures de Jérémie*.

Sattouf’s notable co-creation is the character and world of *The Arab of the Future*, which has been translated into multiple languages and won several international awards, including the Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for Best Series. He continues to live and work in France, where his memoirs remain influential for their candid portrayal of cross-cultural life.