The film crew © AFP
UN CERTAIN REGARD RENDEZ-VOUS – Party Girl by Marie Amachoukeli, Claire Burger and Samuel Theis
The three screenwriters and directors of this year’s opening film for Un Certain Regard spoke as one when we interviewed them to discuss their first film – which is also in the running for the Caméra d’Or. The trio paint the quasi-autobiographical portrait of Angélique, the real-life mother of Samuel and a truculent sixty-year-old. A complex and sometimes unconventional woman, played with great dignity by the actress A. Litzenburger.
Tell us how the film came about.
You could say that the film is essentially all about love. Samuel’s love for his mother and the love which binds the three of us together. That’s what’s made us want to make this film together and helped us make it a reality.
Do you have a particular memory or anecdote from the shoot?
The first sequence of the film was shot in the red light district of Saarbrücken, down a street full of brothels. We had arranged with some of the sex workers to act as extras. They gave us 30 minutes to film them, enough time for a single client. But when the cameras started rolling, the pimps from the surrounding clubs all pitched up. They wanted to throw their weight around a bit. They began intimidating the team and the girls who had agreed to play the game, and we were about to up sticks. And then something incredible happened! The girls staged a mini-rebellion. They insulted and threatened the guys and kept them at bay. They won out and the pimps ended up letting us do our work.
Can you tell us about your next project?
We’re full of ideas, full of enthusiasm and full of different plans. We can’t wait to get on with it.
Who are your cinematic influences?
There’s three of us so that makes a lot of influences! I guess it goes from Verhoeven to Pialat, from Pasolini to Harmony Korine, and from Joon-ho Bong to Sautet. And then there’s Fassbinder, Andrea Arnold, John Ford, Shirley Clarke, Herzog, Blier, Cassavetes, etc.
SCREENING(S)
Thursday 15th May / Debussy Theatre / 11:30am – 7:15pm
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