In 1997, the actress-director received the Jury Prize for her second short film. holidays. Not feeling up to it, she boarded a train to avoid the ceremony… and today she regrets it.
He is one of the greatest directors of French cinema, having directed nearly twenty opuses, including six feature films with, among others, his favorite actors Catherine Deneuve and Benoit Magimel. He has also climbed the steps of Cannes several times, directing three films; Clement (2001 without certain considerations section) then Heads up (2015) and During his lifetime (2021), submitted out of competition. Her work as an actress (she played in about thirty films) was crowned in 2015. That year, Emmanuelle Bercot won the best actor award at Cannes for the role of a woman wounded by a destructive passion. My king director: Maïwenn.
Cannes 1997
Head up? Not only. The director tells us an amazing anecdote about his first moments in Cannes, which he enjoys today, while at the same time regretting this moment. “It was in 1997, during the 50th Cannes Film Festival,” he tells Madame Figaro. My team and I were staying in an incredible location not far from the Croisette. Cannes was quite an adventure,” explains the woman, whose second short film holidays was chosen. “I can still see my producer calling one of the organizers of the closing party from the phone booth to find out if we should stay. The latter tells us yes, which means, without actually explaining, that I should get an award.
The idea of performing in front of these prestigious names paralyzed me
Emmanuel Bercot
He continues. “There I am saying to myself, ‘Oh no, that’s not possible.’ And I’m terrified of going on stage. At that time, the jury selected the awards for short films, and the latter was composed of exceptional people. Among the latter are President Isabelle Adjani, actresses Gong Li and Mira Sorvino, writers Paul Auster and Michael Ondatje, director Luke Bondi, dancer Patrick Dupont and three directors to whom the director has devoted immense passion: Tim Burton, Mike Lee and Nani Moretti; “The idea of performing in front of these prestigious names paralyzed me. As a result, I run to the station to catch the train back to Paris. I will always remember the moment when I opened the door of my apartment. My friend was watching the ceremony live on TV and I then see a close-up of my empty seat with my name on it. I had just received the short film award.
Lighter-Hahn / Lighter-Hahn/ABACA
Getting on stage is not easy
A little bitterness? “Yeah,” she laughs. In 1997, I was already 29 years old, I was not a young girl, but I really did not feel that I was capable of facing the stage, I consoled myself by telling myself that I received the award without uttering a word. Today I regret. I definitely gave myself a unique moment, especially meeting all these incredible personalities on the jury that I was so in awe of.” In 2015, when she received her performance award, the thoughtful actress took to the podium this time and said to Maiven with emotion and tears: his non-conformism. After Polis he could aspire to the highest levels, to have the greatest actresses. And no, he cast a 46-year-old stranger as an actress,” he announced, before adding: “Only he would dare it, and Alain Atal to follow him. Maiwen, you believed in me like no one before, you looked at me like no one before.” A rousing speech that will elicit a standing ovation.
Starring Emmanuel Berko Spirit of CoubertinBy Jeremy Senn, in theaters and Fantastic three By Michael Dichter, released on May 15.
Source: Le Figaro
