Sandrine Kiberlain signs a moving first film behind the camera

Actress in more than sixty films by the greatest directors, many times awarded, theater actress, delicate singer… At 53, Sandrine Kiberlain adds a beautiful new string to her artistic bow. She directed her first feature film, Une fille qui va bien.

It is still simple and natural. The readers of Ouest-France verify this immediately when they meet the artist.

A discussion that obviously begins with his film. The story of a young girl radiant with life while she is Jewish in the dark period of the Occupation. “A lot of emotions and despite everything joy”, immediately states Claudine Letourneux, 64, from Loroux-Bottereau, in the Nantes vineyard.

“We have time to get to know each character”, adds the Caennaise Béatrice Pannier, 58 years old.“I like it when films allow viewers to gradually discover the characters,” explains Sandrine Kiberlain. I find it stronger to arrive like at a party where you don't know what happened before. You have to take life along the way. »

"With a form of modernity", continues Claudine, former director of Ehpad. "I wanted the film to be timeless," explains the filmmaker. So that it allows us to bounce back from the current period, so that we never forget. Without falling into anachronism, it is not because we are under the Occupation that we cannot say that we love each other. With a life drive that is all the stronger because she feels threatened. My heroine is a little bird in a storm. »

Readers stop at the qualities of the young 26-year-old lead actress, Rebecca Marder. “She has been at the Comédie Française for seven years! But this is his first major film role. She is not aware of being so beautiful, sunny, spontaneous, while remaining singular. »

“But this character doesn’t have a mother, why? asks Nantes resident Jean-Baptiste Roussel, 48. “It’s mainly so as not to talk about me in the first person. I no longer have my father, the character of Irene has no mother. I have a sister, she has a brother. A roundabout way of evoking my loved ones. It also allows viewers to empathize with this family. »

Does she remember her first close-up for the cinema? “I will remember it all my life. It was during auditions. You had to go from laughter to tears in the same take. I thought it was the chance of my life. »

“Even with so many people around you? asks Claudine. “The goal is to forget yourself and be the character. »

“How do you manage to be so fair in your characters? For example in Mademoiselle Chambon (2009 film directed by Stéphane Brizé)? continues Claudine. “I love my life, but I identify with the characters I play. The dignity of Mademoiselle Chambon, I want to defend it. And through it, I defend all discreet people, who are heroes without anything heroic. And for example, when I'm drunk in Nine Months Close, I need to know that the director trusts me. »

Video. “If I were president”: Sandrine Kiberlain

The exchange with the artist slips on its musical facet.“I'm not a singer and I have a lot of stage fright to sing, but the songs made me understand that I needed to express myself, not only by entering the universe of others, as an actress. . We never stopped with Pierre and Alain Souchon. We see each other regularly, at my place, at their place… It’s a great friendship. It's the family. I think there will be a third album one day. »

Thanks to Béatrice, a volunteer for this cause, we are also talking about the next Gala for the benefit of research on Alzheimer's disease, on March 14, at the Olympia, in which Sandrine Kiberlain will participate. The opportunity to verify how attentive this artist is to others. To Béatrice when she talks about Alzheimer's. To Jean-Baptiste when he talks about his recent stroke.

But the meeting cannot end without knowing if she is considering a second film as a director? “I hope but I would like the script to be already written. It’s great but it’s such a long and intense work…”