Almost at the age of 70, French director Jacques Audier is trying to reinvent himself.
Evidence - his ninth film in a row, the romantic comedy "Paris, the 13th arrondissement", which was released this weekend, bears little resemblance to the thrilling, tough and violent films (like "Prophet", "Rust and Bone" and "Dipan") which brought him fame International and a regular place at major film festivals.
"You could say this is my first romantic comedy," Audrey says with a mischievous smile in a zoom interview.
"I've been wanting to see how young people like and communicate with each other for a long time. I was interested in talking about passion in the age of dating apps, and it seemed to me that there were good materials for comedy here.
"I remember when I was young, my sex and emotional upbringing came from the movie 'My Night at Maude', by Eric Rohmer. It was my guide. From there I learned how to talk about love. But that was exactly the point: we just talked. Today everything is different. Today. Everything is direct and immediate, and is done through screens and through technology. "
Director Jacques Audier,
"Paris, the 13th arrondissement", filmed in stylish and stunning black and white, is based on several short stories by American comics artist Adrian Tomina, centered on two women (Naomi Marlene and Lucy Zhang) and one man (Makita Samba) looking for their professional future, The romantic and sexual in the chaotic and diverse city.
The screenplay was co-written with Audier, a representative of the younger generation, French directors Lea Misio and Celine Siama ("Portrait of a Girl on Fire").
"It was very interesting for me to work with Celine and Leah," says Audier, "because in addition to being talented screenwriters, they are also directors. We wrote several drafts together. You could say that working with them was less poetic and more pragmatic.
"In fact," he continues, "I also decided to shoot the film in black and white for pragmatic reasons. I shot a lot in Paris over the years, and I know her well. I had to distance myself from her. See her in a new way. The black and white shooting disconnects the film from the time dimension "And places it both in the past and in the future. The idea was to show that the 13th arrondissement is not Paris. Anything can happen in this borough. It's like a parallel dimension."
You could say that this movie is the complete opposite of your previous movie, The Sisters Brothers Western. Was this
a conscious decision for you?
"Absolutely. The Sisters Brothers was a very heavy project. It was also the first project of my career that just fell into my lap. Actor John C. Riley just approached me and offered me the job. But yes, François Truffaut once said that 'in everything "Once you make a film, it's actually a counter-reaction to the previous film you made. '
Your movies tend to end in horrific outbursts of violence. Did you feel that something was missing this time?
"I was actually very aware of this, and I felt it well while working on the film. Mostly I felt great relief. When you do comedy, you are in a different state of accumulation. When you make a violent film, you are constantly under stress and all your muscles ache. I'm not saying I will not come back. "Violence down the road, but there is definitely something very tiring about it. Violence is an exhausting business."
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