Alain Farah was born in Montreal in 1979 to Egyptian-Lebanese parents. In 2004, he published a book of poems, Quelque chose se détache du port, which shortlised for the Prix Émile-Nelligan. In 2005, he set up temporary residence in France to pursue his PhD studies at the École Normale Supérieure. After returning to Quebec in 2008, he published his first novel, Matamore no 29. He is assistant professor at McGill University, where he teaches contemporary French literature.