QUELQUES MOTS D'AMOUR (WORDS OF LOVE) ©Chi Fou Mi Productions
Quelques mots d’amour (Words of Love), as seen by Rudi Rosenberg
Le Nouveau (The New Kid), Rudi Rosenberg’s last film which came out in 2015, have had to wait over ten years for his latest offering. Le Nouveau (The New Kid) , a comedy, followed a new kid in middle school struggling to fit in. The choice to cast non-professional actors was a true breath of fresh air. In Quelques mots d’amour (Words of Love), the filmmaker does this again, though the film strikes a more melancholy tone. Presented in Un Certain Regard, the film follows the painful journey of a young girl in search of a father she has never known.
How did this project come about?
Originally, I wanted to talk about my own family. I myself grew up in an environment where we never said “I love you”, though there was always a lot of love around. I found this reserve around saying these three words really interesting and I wanted to bring it to the big screen.
I’ve also wanted to explore the sibling dynamic between brother and sister for a long time. When we’re young, we bicker and it’s only later that we realize that they’re our favorite person on Earth. This connection later in life is very beautiful.
What was the atmosphere like on set?
I have great memories of filming! Animals, kids, it was a real logistical challenge! But we had an amazing technical team who were incredibly invested in the film : a dependable producer and a very experienced first assistant, so we got there in the end!
“We often chase what we don’t have, and then end up forgetting what we do have” – Rudi Rosenberg
Can you share a few words about your actors?
As the main part is played by a professional actress, Hafsia Herzi, who is wonderful in the role, I also wanted the people of Sarcelles to be involved in the film. That’s why our casting director organized an open casting, no experience required, and that’s how I cast most of the roles in the film. In particular, I was looking for people who were able to capture the lightness of the story but who also had a certain authenticity.
What would you like audiences to take away from your film?
We often chase what we don’t have, and then end up forgetting what we do have. The character of Abigaëlle is obsessed with finding her father at any cost, to the point that she doesn’t recognize the considerable lengths her mother goes to to help her, and is completely unaware of all the love surrounding her. I think a lot of people have experienced that at one point or another and will be able to resonate with that in the film.
