The Larrieu brothers bring the insightful Le Roman de Jim to the big screen
Three years after Tralala, an offbeat musical comedy filmed in their native Lourdes, Arnaud and Jean-Marie Larrieu have set about adapting Pierric Bailly’s book. The result, Le Roman de Jim (Jim’s Story) starring Karim Leklou, Laetitia Dosch and Bertrand Belin, is presented at Cannes Première.
When Aymeric happens to run into Florence one evening, their past as supermarket employees seems like a long time ago. He is just out of prison for a youthful mistake, she is six months pregnant, and they soon fall in love. Aymeric is there when baby Jim is born, and the family of three spend countless happy days together at home in Haut-Jura. Until one day, Jim’s biological father bursts their bubble…
When reading Pierric Bailly’s book, the directors were sympathetic towards the character Aymeric: a “nice guy” who shies away from the obstacles coming his way and the kind of person rarely seen in films. Played with all the good-heartedness Karim Leklou has to offer, the protagonist examines the feelings of fatherhood over an extended stretch of time; the feelings of a stepfather facing abandonment, lies and a whole host of misfortunes.
“What we looked for in the novel,” explains Arnaud Larrieu, “was a way of telling a story where everyone has their reasons, where the intention isn’t to cause harm or to win for the greater good, but to move through life as best you can with what you have.”
In a way, Aymeric is a spectator of life, shown through his liking photography. The Larrieu brothers showcase his negative shots brilliantly. He collects film, a witness to that which surrounds him, but deep down, he knows the day will come when he has to tell his own story.
