Tell us a little bit about French Women?
The film is kind of a portrait of what a woman from the 21st century might look like, but taken in a very funny way. Women are so complex and full of paradoxes and this is the story of a woman’s cycle over 28 days when her life has been shaken up.
What was your favorite scene to film?
The most intense but best day was when we shot the massive dance scene outside. There were so many women dancing together and sharing their energy. It was one of the happiest days of my life because it was so strong, seeing all those women together dancing, it was beautiful and it felt like we were united. And girls can be so b**chy to one another so suddenly then it was all about being one. It was amazing.
There seems to be this archetype of “the French woman” in popular culture. What do you think of that?
It’s exactly why I called the movie French Women. There is a fantasy about women in general throughout the world, but for everyone there is that perfect woman that seems to do everything better than you. And we need to stop with this bulls**t—she does not exist. And this movie is about that. It should really be called French Women: There’s So Much More to it. There’s this famous quote that says “What is beautiful about other’s people’s happiness is that you believe in it” and I want the title of my film to make fun of this fantasy woman who does not exist. And if we realize she does not exist we feel so much better, and this film is about that, it’s about making us feel better and thinking “I’m not alone”.
What’s significant about French cinema. Why have French film festivals abroad?
France is one of the countries in the world that creates the most cinema. We have hundreds of movies every year. Everything is in proportion to the number you create, so if you do hundreds of movies a year there’s a chance we’re going to have some that are really amazing. We really have a big opening to the arts in France and great technicians of the arts.
What’s next for you?
I am writing a movie. There’ll be 4-5 women in it and it’s going to be called If I Were A Man. Stay tuned.
The 4th Rendezvous with French Cinema is on until December 7. Find out more here.
