Hélène Coutard - Villa Albertine

Literature
Non Fiction

New York

“My project is a literary exploration of the disappearance of a woman who vanished the day before 9/11, that examines the emotional impact of 9/11 and the various leads which all touch on themes such as the American Dream, feminism and storytelling.”

Who?

I’m a 33 years-old French writer-journalist and author of three books – two non-fiction books and a novel. I’ve been a journalist for ten years, working for magazines like Society and M, le magazine du Monde. As a journalist, I worked on American current events, literature, crimes, tapping into the country’s neuroses. I also covered stories related to women’s rights, from around the world, and the wars in Ukraine and Israel/Palestine. I usually am attracted to stories of brave people (who often happen to be women), unafraid to go against the current, looking for their own kinds of freedom.

In 2019, I spent months traveling to meet young Saudi women who fled their country to escape the male guardianship system. This research led to my first non-fiction book, “Les Fugitives: partir ou mourir en Arabie Saoudite”, published in 2021 by le Seuil. In 2023, I spent a few weeks in Washington DC researching the Chandra Levy case, a murder story that took place in 2001, and allowed me to study this specific period of American history, between the Lewinsky scandal and 9/11, marked by a tabloid culture of scandals and sexism. My book about it was published in June 2024 by 10-18 in France, and will be published by Mysterious Press in the US, next November. My first fiction novel, another story of women struggling to find freedom, is set to be published by Grasset in early 2026.

Born in 1991, Hélène Coutard is a journalist and writer. She wrote two non-fiction books, « Les Fugitives : partir ou mourir en Arabie Saoudite » published by le Seuil in 2021, and « La Disparition de Chandra Levy » with the publisher 10-18 in 2024, soon to be translated in the US by Mysterious Press. She is also the author of a first fiction novel, to be published with Grasset in early 2026.

What?

My project is a literary exploration of the disappearance of a 31-year-old American-Indian woman who vanished the day before 9/11. She was later officially recognized as a victim of the terrorist attacks, even though there is no concrete evidence. I hope this research will lead to the writing of a book -probably a hybrid work of nonfiction and fiction- that examines both the emotional impact of 9/11 on ordinary lives and the city, as well as the various leads in the case of her disappearance, which all touch on themes such as the American Dream, feminism and storytelling. Although we’ll probably never know what happened to her during these two days, there are three main scenarios, ranging from her being an American hero, to a lost soul leading a troubled life, or even a tired woman overburdened by the social expectations placed on her and seeking to escape. One person for three destinies. I would like, during my residence, to explore the tension between these three scenarios, adopting a literary format to delve into the diverse Americas that coexist within this story, and the life of a woman navigating the world of 2001.

Where?

Locked within New York is a small fragment of America’s history — one of greatness and decline, but also of terror, shock, and reconstruction. The city that never sleeps remembers everything. This is where the material I’m chasing is located: the physical elements like the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the court records, and the neighborhood where the missing woman lived. It is also where scientists continue to work on identifying the remains of victims and where the commemorations take place. But also the intangible aspect: this is where 9/11 still exists in many ways—where people have survived it, and where its presence can still be felt. During my stay, I hope to meet police officers, private investigators, journalists, lawyers, survivors, researchers and scientists involved in this case or the events of 9/11. I am also interested in exploring broader aspects of American life, such as the myth of the American Dream and the immigrant experience.

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