Her first film, “The Other Girls”, had only recorded 40,000 admissions in 2000. Since then, Caroline Vignal has worked as a screenwriter for television and cinema.
"Nobody expected me", sums up the director of "Antoinette in the Cévennes" with Laure Calamy.
A second film, available since Tuesday on DVD and VOD, of which she tells us the journey, marked by beautiful encounters and happy coincidences.
2016: reading of “Travel with a donkey in the Cévennes”
.
That year, Caroline Vignal discovered the book by Robert Louis Stevenson, in which the Scottish writer recounts the hike made in 1878 with a donkey named Modestine.
Originally from Hérault through her mother and from Gard through her father, Caroline Vignal does not define herself as a “frantic hiker”, but has always liked to walk.
“I wanted to make a film on the Cévennes,” says the director.
Stevenson's book gave me a canvas on which I could tell my story ”.
Early 2019: meeting with Laure Calamy
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The filmmaker adored the actress of "Ten percent", which she had also seen at the cinema in "A world without woman" or "Ava".
Very quickly, she wanted to entrust him with the role of Antoinette, a free, fragile and determined woman.
“For Antoinette, who is often alone with her donkey, I needed someone who sends,” explains Caroline Vignal.
I found Laure extremely funny and I needed her inventiveness and jubilation to play.
“Its producers first suggest a better-known actress, but Caroline Vignal is holding on.
And when she meets Laure Calamy, she is “overexcited” by the role and the idea of playing with a donkey.
The filmmaker then discovers that the actress knows the Cévennes well: her companion lives there, he is a mountain guide.
Summer 2019: a shoot under the sun
.
"The major stress was the weather," says Caroline Vignal.
Entirely outdoors, the filming lasted seven weeks.
Fortunately, the weather was fine.
“We had to transport the equipment on rocky roads, but we were in incredible places,” recalls the director.
Another good surprise: Laure Calamy gets along wonderfully with Jazou, one of the two donkeys who plays “Patrick”, her traveling companion.
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June 2020: the “Cannes” label
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While the Cannes Film Festival is canceled in May, the organizers award a "Cannes label" to 56 feature films: "Antoinette in the Cévennes" is part of this 2020 promotion. "I was obviously touched, says Caroline Vignal.
Unfortunately, even with this label, the film could not really sell abroad, where theaters were closed and where the festivals were almost all held online.
»At this time, the filmmaker still enjoys the« super warm feedback »of the first screenings of the film.
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August 2020: donkeys at the Angoulême festival
.
For what will remain her “only
live
festival
”, Caroline Vignal presents “Antoinette…” at the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival.
The comedy is extremely popular and the photographers feast on Jazou and Pedro, the two donkeys who play Patrick.
"It was an idea of my press officers", underlines the director.
In the process, Caroline Vignal presents previews of the film in Occitanie, Lozère, Alès, Nîmes, Montpellier… and in the Cévennes, "in front of the whole band of cool babas of Laure's friend".
September 16: a masked outing
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Wearing a mask is compulsory in the cinemas, the latter respect a strict sanitary protocol… But the distributor of “Antoinette…” decides to release the film anyway.
"We had a cold sweat, but we were right," said Caroline Vignal a posteriori.
For seven weeks, the comedy, hailed by enthusiastic critics and excellent word of mouth, brought together 750,000 admissions.
“It was unexpected!
»Comments the director, very happy with this score, even if the success came« in a bizarre context »:« I didn't have a party, we just had a toast with Laure… before theaters closed on October 30 » .
February 2021: VOD before the Césars?
While new spectators will discover "Antoinette in the Cévennes", which will be released on DVD and VOD this Tuesday, the film is one of the favorites at the Césars, whose nominations will be announced on February 10.
Caroline Vignal tries not to put herself under "pressure": "I already have some to write," smiles the one who is working on a new scenario, in which she wonders if she will talk about the Covid ...
“Antoinette in the Cévennes”
, on all VOD platforms and on DVD (Diaphana video edition, € 19.90).
