Lolita Chammah, daughter of Isabelle Huppert, spoke about the tragic loss of her baby. On November 21, 2022, five and a half months pregnant, she lost her amniotic fluid. Her child, Kolia, born prematurely, died 12 days later. This tragedy is at the heart of her book J’ai regardé la nuit tomber (I Watched the Night Fall in French), recently published.
Interviewed by Léa Salamé on France Inter, Lolita Chammah, who is also an actress, described this period of her life. She recounts how she entered a high-risk maternity, realizing that her baby’s fate was compromised. She described this experience as an internal “war,” a nightmare oscillating between hope and despair.
Writing her book is intended as a way to free speech on this taboo subject. She explains that she wrote to save herself, but also to connect others to this painful reality. Lolita Chammah emphasizes that 10% of parents experience perinatal grief each year, a figure often overlooked.
This grief affected her entire family. Her partner, Kolia’s father, shared this ordeal, even though they experienced it differently. She also mentions the support of her father and mother, Isabelle Huppert, as well as the strength of her eldest son, Gabriel. The latter, unknowingly, was an invaluable source of consolation.
Lolita Chammah hopes that her book will help break the silence around dramas related to parenthood and offer support to those going through similar experiences. When will she return to the cinema?