Belle Époque - actors about heroes

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

The new film "Belle Epoque" (2019) tells about the fate of the artist Victor, whose life is radically transformed when the successful entrepreneur Antoine invites him to take part in an unusual attraction. Skillfully combining theatrical performance with historical reenactment, Antoine's company offers clients a unique chance to return to the past for a time in their chosen period of life. Victor decides to travel back forty years and relive the most memorable week when he met the love of his life … The actors of the film "Belle Epoque" (due in 2019) shared in interviews about filming, working on the film and their characters.

Interview with Daniel Otoy

Why did you agree to be in Belle Epoque?

Firstly, I wanted to meet a young director, whose full-length debut "He and She" turned out to be original. He has proven that he can handle ambitious projects and works with inspiration. In the script, I loved the theme of nostalgia and the way the protagonist tries to bring back the only eternal feeling - love.

Despite the transience of time, we do not change internally. I truly believe in this

The beauty of Belle Epoque is that Nicolas talks about a time he didn’t live in, but which, nevertheless, he misses. This is a very personal, yet light film in which each of the viewers will find something of their own. Among other things, I got the chance to meet Fanny [Ardan] again. So I accepted the offer to play this role with great pleasure.

How would you describe your character Victor?

He has fallen out of time and from time to time wants to give up everything. He has an enviable professional and life experience. He knows what it means to love sincerely and passionately, and is convinced that nothing in life is stronger. Victor feels that he is falling into a ditch from the road of life. Deciding to return to the past in a kind of time machine and relive an important moment in his life, he realizes that there was nothing more important than meeting the woman he married. I worked on two emotions at the same time: disappointment and hope, which appears at the moment when everything seems to be gone.

A small spark is enough to ignite a flame

What I especially liked about this character is that he really falls in love with the actress who plays his wife in the historical reenactment. He remains the same person and does not change over time. In one of Johnny Holliday's songs there is a line: "Men don't grow up, men get old." I totally agree with this.

Tell us about the work of Nicolas Bedos on the set?

He is always extremely accurate and extremely sensitive. There was no tension or irritation in his way of dealing with actors, especially old actors like me (laughs). He is very smart, he has taste and intuition is well developed. You get the feeling that you are working under the supervision of a real director. And this does not occur as often as we would like … He belongs to the category of directors who sincerely love actors. When the director looks at you with enthusiasm and admiration, you involuntarily begin to trust this person and strive to give all your best on the set.

If you had the opportunity to relive a certain period of your life, what period would you choose?

I would have lived my whole life from the very beginning, since it was not so bad for me. (laughs)

Interview with Guillaume Canet

What attracted you to your role in Belle Epoque?

To begin with, I liked the movie "He and She". I appreciated the way Bedos communicates with the actors, but most of all I liked his manner of presentation in the script and the direction of the film. Everything indicated that he was a real director. So when Nicolas offered me a role in Belle Epoque, I was certainly flattered, because I knew how carefully he chose the actors. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that he likes my roles and that he wants to work with me. But to be honest, I was afraid that we would not get along. Knowing what kind of temperament he has and what kind - I have, I was afraid that we might not agree in character. I told him about it right away, but he calmed me down. Even in Nicolas's script, I was bribed by his view of nostalgia. I myself periodically experience bouts of nostalgia.

I am concerned about the way of life imposed by society. We rely more and more on smartphones and the Internet. For example, we no longer strain our memory to remember something

I am by no means a militant opponent of progress, but I am nostalgic for the described past, which Victor seeks to relive; the past, when we had a different attitude to time. In general, I am inspired by everything that is somehow connected with my childhood. This is probably why the script had such an impact on me, not to mention the fact that it was well written.

While we're on the subject, how exactly does Nicolas Bedos interpret nostalgia?

With a grain of irony, uncompromising cynicism and wit, leaving no room for cheap squeezing tears from the audience. But most importantly, he shows nostalgia through the prism of two wonderful love lines. One, my character's love line, is filled with joy and passion. In the other, not a trace of passion remained. Nicolas masterfully intertwined these two lines, reminding that one should never lose sight of the real feeling. This is only in our power. It is up to us to decide whether it is worth resisting the dogmas of the modern world and slowing down the speed of rapidly flying life. Belle Époque does not look back with a mournful, “it was-it-was-better”. The picture is tied to modernity, it is captivating and inspiring.

Is the hero close to you?

Of course, and this is partly why I decided to go on this adventure. He combines the character traits of Nicolas and mine - he is very demanding both to himself and to others. So I didn't even have to change myself too much to get used to this image. During the filming, I liked to discreetly observe the behavior of Nicolas on the set. It inspired me. (laughs)

What can you say about Nicolas's work on the set? What are his main qualities in communicating with actors?

Before meeting him, I believed that Nicolas liked to conflict. In fact, everything was quite the opposite! I saw a director who communicates with actors with attention and participation. He treats everyone's work with great respect. You involuntarily feel his desire to show you in the best light, to help you to give 100%, but he does it in a warm working atmosphere.

Nicolas has another valuable, from my point of view, quality. He is straightforward, and this is a great time-saver. If he doesn't like something, he declares it bluntly, does not go around the bush. As if the conductor is extremely accurate

He lives and breathes the film day after day, and this love of work lifts the spirits of everyone around on the set.

If you had a chance to relive some period from the past, which one would you choose?

Probably the time my daughter was born. I remember well the birth of my son and his first years, but I missed the first steps of my daughter, because I was busy filming the film "Little Secrets of a Big Company." Of course, I am worried that I have missed something very important. There are many other moments in my life that I would like to relive. It is this idea of Nicolas that seems brilliant to me.

Doria Tillier on her role

Did you expect to meet Nicolas again after the movie "He and She"?

In any case, I had no doubt that our creative paths would cross again. We ourselves form our social circle and circle of colleagues in the artistic field. Accidents are practically out of the question. It seems to me that Nicolas and I have a similar worldview and "professional values".

I would agree to any role Nicolas suggested without even reading the script

I love all of his work, without exception. Plus, it's amazing story and dialogue! It looks like some kind of delicacy with an abundance of sauce and various aromatic additives (I don't know where I got this culinary analogy from, but it just so happened).

Describe your character. How did you like this role?

Margot is an actress. It was very interesting to play this role, because it was necessary to appear in different qualities and change the voice.

At the same time, Margot does not get the roles she dreams of. And she's in love. But in love with a man with whom she cannot get along

She is passionate, and when life is pressing, it can be cruel. I like my character. In general, it's very difficult to admit that you have a lot in common with your character. I always flattered myself with the hope that I was not like her, but during the filming periodically I caught myself thinking: "Wait a minute, but this looks like me …"

What has changed in the style of Nicolas Bedos's work since working on the previous film? And in yours?

Nicolas became calmer. He did not act in this film himself and was completely focused on directing. He knew exactly what he wanted, was very relaxed and seemed to enjoy the process even more than before. At the same time, he checked and rechecked everything.

It was a pleasure to meet him again. We learned to work together and understood each other perfectly. I became a little more self-confident. I think we both enjoyed working.

How close is the theme of nostalgia to you?

The theme of nostalgia is close to me and Nicolas. He is very reverent about the past, romanticizes everything that, alas, is not available to us - our youth, the era that is mentioned in the film … All this has become sacred and amazing. I thought his idea was fantastic because it opened up so many different ways to unfold the storyline. Can imitation of the past replace true memories? What do we miss the most about them?

If you had a chance to relive some period from your past life, which one would you choose?

I am very sensitive to the past, as to something sacred. It would be very difficult for me to choose! That's because !!! I guess I would like to relive every day, even every hour.

Read an interview with the actors of the film "Belle Époque" (2019), learn a lot about the filming and painstaking work on the characters in the film. The release date of the drama "Belle Époque" in Russia is November 28, 2019.