Audrey Diwan is a French screenwriter, journalist and writer
. She has just won the Golden Lion in Venice 78 with the film L'Évenement, written and directed by her. In Italy it will be seen in theaters in October, entitled 12 weeks, distributed by Europictures). Based on the autobiographical novel by Annie Ernaux and starring Anamaria Vartolomei as an excellent protagonist, it tells the story of Anne, a brilliant young university student who in 1960 France is forced to put herself at risk to terminate an unwanted pregnancy at a time when abortion it was illegal - decriminalization would come in 1975 - and therefore a clandestine practice. A difficult choice, which the protagonist faces with determination but in total solitude, without any solidarity either from her boyfriend or from friends,nor by doctors.
"It's not a film about abortion, but about women's freedom. As a young man I had to have an abortion - said the 41-year-old director - but I was able to do it legally, in hospital, in complete safety, without risking my life. To previous generations this was not possible and it is still not possible today in many countries, such as neighboring Poland. Such an issue is very urgent ". "I made this film with anger and desire, with the belly, with the guts, with the heart. I wanted it to be an experience, a journey into the skin of this young woman," added Diwan, who succeeds Chinese-American Chloe. Zhao, crowned last year for Nomadland before triumphing at the Oscars. And awarded in the year in which the Palme d'Or went to Titane by Julia Ducornau in Cannes, arriving in our cinemas from 30 September.The director said she had had since Saturday night "many congratulations from the French directors and many messages from women. Today, many rights acquired over the decades by the female universe are again endangered and I think it is a way to take power away from women. , depriving them of their rights is part of a power war with men ".
L'Evenement (12 weeks) won the Golden Lion, "but I did not expect it, an award is important but it is very important to continue making films, I have already written another film. I wish the award would not make news. to a director, I fight not for equality in itself - he stressed - but because this equality is finally natural, having equal access, equal opportunities in society, including making films, is what I fight for. We are half the planet and our gaze through the films is very important. I hope that the Golden Lion will open other doors to my colleagues ", concluded Diwan, in the second feature film after Mais vous êtes fous (2019), a family drama on the subject of dependence on cocaine, screenwriter of several films by Cédric Jimenez, such as French Connection (2014), Theman with an iron heart (2017) and the recent controversial BAC Nord, on the police-executioners of Marseille, presented in Cannes. Your cinematographic references? Women but not only: "Agnes Varda, Jane Campion, Ken Loach, Hirokazu Koreeda". Do you expect controversy given the theme of the film? "I don't want to provoke, but to open a debate on women's freedom".
