Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano. “Humor makes us laugh at what should make us cry”

Madame Figaro . – How would you define the tone in cinema?
Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano. – It is more common in independent cinema because it is freer from commercial constraints and therefore can afford controversy. Obviously, for us, the Italian comedy of the 1960s and 1970s best embodies this sacred mission. Famous great authors – Monicelli, Risi, Scola – captured the diversity of cultures, the richness of encounters, the depth of the mixture. These geniuses were able to talk to us about our inner conflicts, our small and big fears, our lost illusions. Scola said: “You can do anything with cinema, you can fit anything into it.” What better definition of infinite variety of possibilities?

Is this an important concept in your creative work?
Nuance is at the heart of our creative ambitions. When we want to talk about youth, family, disability, immigration, autism or, more recently, over-indebtedness, we have an advantage in cinema. it is the time to immerse, to observe, to investigate the subject. This precious time allows us to dig deeper and grasp the nuance that will bring truth to the context, issue or character. To depict the infinite variations that govern our characters’ motivations and desires is to try to make them frequently ambiguous and often contradictory. The story should also have several dimensions. And thus accompany the audience in its enjoyment of the cinema, never locking it in one point of view and, on the contrary, always offering it to create its own vision, its own opinion. In a society where simplistic discourses are everywhere, art in general and cinema in particular help us not to sink into simplicity. To fight means to correct, to color, to finish, to clarify. “The rage of wanting to conclude is one of the most fatal obsessions of mankind,” said Flaubert.

Is humor the ideal ally of subtlety?
A big yes, because most often humor serves to make us laugh at what should have made us cry. We see it. rather than distance, humor helps bring opposites together. It breaks the liquid ice, creates a healthy distance, illuminates the absurdities of life with joy. In order to protect us from our emotions, to allow us to understand our complexities, it offers many angles to see, to analyze and ultimately to question our certainty. Whether it’s absurd, dark, parodic, crazy, satirical, trivial, the humor is supportive, biting, condemning, always open to dialogue and reflection, questioning our values ​​and providing a “different” point of view. In our search for meaning, it makes a difference when we need it, that is, all the time. Humor is precious, enriching, irreplaceable, it is the embodiment of tone.

The last movie. difficult year currently in theaters.