How was your meeting with Philippe Le Guay? Bérénice Bejo - It goes back a few years, when he offered me another film that I didn't shoot. I remember immediately liking this gentleman: Philippe is a sort of aristocrat who uses strong language and stands out with very particular phrasing. He is, moreover, an extremely nice, respectful man, who has preserved values that have become rare.
This time, what convinced you to follow him? Bérénice Bejo - I found that this story of the conflict between a Jewish owner [Jérémie Renier] and the buyer of his cellar, a man with denialist ideas [François Cluzet ], made it possible to address a sadly topical subject. And if it didn't seem very modern in dramaturgy or even in image, I told myself that this form, reminiscent of the old French thrillers embodied by Jean Gabin or Lino Ventura, could bring strength to the film. But, on reading, my character didn't seem very present to me and my wish, like most actresses, was not to be just the hero's sidekick. To remedy this, I have therefore worked hard so that the owner's wife can really exist and grow in power.
Which partners are Jérémie Renier and François Cluzet? Bérénice Bejo - François and I had long wanted to meet on a common project, but it never materialized. On this set, he proved to be particularly happy, optimistic and very playful. As for Jérémie, I knew him, and what I like about him is the contrast between his touch of madness and the apparent sweetness of his face. We enjoyed working together, it was rich and exciting.
Your character is so upset by her neighbor's anti-Semitism that she suspects everyone. Do you understand it? Bérénice Bejo - Beyond the feeling of persecution, this film shows that we can have a common vision on the substance, but be totally opposed on the form. This often comes from a conflict of generations. As a result, we may have been raised by our parents and be supposed to think like them, but the difference in age and period sometimes causes real disagreements in families. I see it with my parents, whose words can sometimes shock me, but also with my 13-year-old son, who does not always understand my positions.
As an Argentine, have you ever felt the disadvantages of being a foreigner in France? Bérénice Bejo - Never! When I arrived in Paris, I was 3 years old, I didn't speak French, but I remember being very well received at school. It was in the 80s and the coming to power of François Mitterrand created a certain euphoria, especially for my parents, who had fled a military dictatorship. I see myself on my father's shoulders, braving the crowd in the streets of the Bastille district to shout his joy and his optimism. After years of right-wingers in power, people thought the world was going to change drastically. Charlie Hebdo and Le Canard enchaîné were having a blast and my family was amazed by so much freedom of expression. We also had the chance to apply for French nationality just before the Pasqua government of the first cohabitation toughened the integration laws.
Do you often go back to Argentina? Bérénice Bejo - For three years, the pandemic has prevented me from going there, but I would like to send my children there this winter. In the meantime, we are crisscrossing France for the pleasure of discovering new places but also for ecological reasons. We can't go abroad too often and we have to review our ways of traveling a bit.
What is Argentinian in you?Bérénice Bejo - My attachment to the family. I don't try to see my parents and my grandparents every weekend like in Argentina because, in France, the family we have created is the priority. But I've always liked to receive my loved ones at home and preparing a meal for twenty people doesn't scare me.
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Is the young actress who made her debut almost thirty years ago different from that of today?Bérénice Bejo - I have matured, but I don't think I have betrayed the young girl that I was by exercising this profession . I have the same values as when I was 20 and my relationship to the world hasn't changed. Despite everything, some people allowed me to evolve. Meeting Michel Hazanavicius, for example, was an incredible opportunity: he is the man who shares my life, my thoughts, my desires but also moments of work. I can't believe we've been a couple for sixteen years and tell myself that everyday life and the passage of time haven't gotten the better of us. Not everyone shares this dream, but I know that this lasting love makes me happy. And if I've changed, it's partly thanks to him because, by his side, I gained confidence and derision. He is very good at looking on the bright side of life; however, I need to de-dramatize things in order to move forward. I never had the revolutionary fiber of my parents, I don't necessarily like the idea of demolishing everything to rebuild. My life as a woman, like my career, was built little by little.
You rotated again under his direction in Z (like Z). What is it about? Bérénice Bejo - It's a zombie film that he made quickly and with a small budget to finance his adaptation, in animation, of Jean-Claude Grumberg's book, the Most Precious goods. I had a lot of fun playing the actress in this series Z film with Romain Duris, Finnegan Oldfield and Grégory Gadebois. All of us loved being directed by Michel, because he is a magnificent director of actors. I can't reveal much more, but it will mark Hazanavicius' return to comedy and he will repeat there his happiness to be on a set to film at all costs. In short, after The Artist, it will be a new declaration of love for cinema.
How was your summer?Bérénice Bejo - On Reunion Island, I shot a film by Mélissa Drigeard inspired by an event that occurred in 2018. It follows a group of friends who landed in Hawaii when a state of alert is triggered after a suspected missile launch. The fears are quickly dispelled, but the panic having provoked declarations of love and settling of scores, they will have to deal, for the rest of the holidays, with these revelations. There were, in the scenario, all the ingredients of a well-felt popular comedy and, with Elodie Bouchez, Manu Payet, Nicolas Duvauchelle and William Lebghil, the filming looked like a summer camp.
And what are you going to do in the next few months? Bérénice Bejo - After having chained many projects, I decided to give myself a break. This will allow me to take care of my children and let things happen quietly. I have just finished filming an adaptation of Hummingbird directed by Francesca Archibugi, with Laura Morante and Nanni Moretti. I had already acted in Italian for Marco Bellocchio in Sweet Dreams, but this time it was about interpreting real scenes with long lines. I really enjoyed taking on this challenge, because playing in Italian means putting on an additional disguise that prevents over-intellectualizing and offers the freedom to dare even more things. A bit like playing with a red nose after all.
The Man in the Cellar, by Philippe Le Guay. Released October 13.
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