Julie Gaye. “People often say I’m too nice”

Actress, director, women’s rights activist, “Twin Sisters” festival president… Julie Gaye seemed to have all the strings in her bow Six daysIn Juan Carlos Medina’s genre film, which opens in theaters on January 1, 2025, he slips into the shoes of a grieving mother willing to do anything to find the man who once kidnapped her daughter. Malik, a police inspector played by Sami Bouajila, a role in which Julie Gaye excels as he likes to do.

Between hell and heaven

Madame Figaro. – What made you want to act in Juan Carlos Medina’s film?
Julie Gayet. – I like genre films. I remember Cat (1982),Alien (1979) and feature films by David Lynch. Thriller Six daysBy Juan Carlos Medina, similar to a page turner. We want to know how it ends. When I discovered the script, I told myself that some scenes are going to be incredible. I started filming with the poster. It was raining heavily, we were running and getting wet. Visually it was incredible, it looked like a ballet with extras, I told myself that we are making a very strong and emotional film. The fact of answering Sami Bouajila was also an argument for accepting this role. He is certainly one of the best actors of our generation. He hardly plays, he allows himself to cross himself.

My character is as dark, tough, fierce as I can be smiling and lighthearted

Julie Gayet

How would you describe your character in the film?What attracted you to him?
My character and Sami Bouajila are very lonely.The only reason they live is to establish justice. I was very surprised when I got the script because I told myself that my character is the opposite of me. He is as dark, tough, fierce as I can be, smiling and light. People often say that I am too beautiful. He, not at all. I was waiting for a long time to be offered such a different role. When Juan Carlos told me: “I imagine she’s a brunette with short hair,” I replied. “Awesome!” I enjoyed creating this character.

Was there a scene you dreaded doing?
The one I was afraid of was the one where my character finds out that his daughter is dead. We shot it in Dunkirk, this incredible location with all these factories Blade Runner (1982): And on the other side was the sea, the deserted beaches. We were between hell and heaven. It was very strange. It was dark, there was a sandstorm, apocalyptic conditions. It was truly a hero’s nightmare, a scene of horror.

Behind the camera

Your character is willing to do anything for love. For you, how far will we go for love, be it romantic, friendly or familial?
I have often told my children that love should be simple. I discovered this a little later. It was crazy how much of me. Anyway, we don’t have to transform for love. We are a generation of women who grew up with Disney, it feels like our prince charming is coming… I’m happy when I see movies like this. barbie (2023), by Greta Gerwig, which satirizes this sexism.Today there are models, incredible female characters, feel good. And then there are the new stories that the female directors are wearing Twenty gods by Louise Courvoise and I loved it.

You don’t have to transform yourself for love

Julie Gayet

You yourself recently went behind the camera to make a film about Olympe de Gouges, what did this experience bring you?
It took me a while to do it. It’s a bit like impostor syndrome. It took me ten years to create my production company. And then, finally, this It is about topics that interest me, women directors, the place of women in cinema, that I started making documentaries with Mathieu Busson. It was almost obvious to co-direct this film about Olympe de Guges. But then I didn’t want to play in it. If he wasn’t there, I would have given up. This impostor syndrome is still pretty crazy. Dare, girls. Making this film didn’t change my view of directors, but it helped me understand them.

Ten years ago you actually got it Film directors Documentary: Woman’s place in the world of cinema. How has the status of women in this environment changed since then?
I thought progress would be faster, at least I had that hope in 2017. Also, the 50/50 collective was called the 50/50 collective for 2020, before we took out 2020 because we’re in 2025 and there’s still no equality in the middle of cinema. But what is very good is this sisterhood in the industry. Olympe de Gouges was already talking about it. She wondered when women would stop antagonizing each other.Living in this era when there was competition between actresses, I find that it has completely changed. There is good will between us, we are united. Having links to filming, being able to talk, defend, express ourselves has done a lot for us. It is very important that there are relationship coordinators, just as there are stunt coordinators. In any case, there is progress, but there is still no equal pay.

Adele Haenel’s speech

You have been involved in the fight for women’s rights for a long time. How did you react to the comments of Adele Haenel, who accuses director Christophe Ruggia of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager?
Adele Haenel’s words are extremely nuanced and intelligent. For his first appearance Mediapart: He explained that there are no monsters, that the predators are sometimes our brothers, our fathers, that there is a distorted vision of the balance of power. It is quite scary to see the ignorance of Christophe Rugia, as if there was a refusal, a refusal to accept the question of consent I’m Adele Haenelov. We tried to caricature her reaction at the 2021 Cesars Because we wouldn’t do the same thing again today.

Did you follow the Mazan rape trial?
The Trial of Dominic Pellicote is really this idea of ​​a predator, and at the same time when we see the accused, it’s key. And to think that some are questioning sex education in middle and high school, which is still mandatory… This is a misunderstanding of young people. It’s scary, because girls and boys have to move forward together in these matters. I think that’s why I got it Olympe de Gougesthat I am currently speaking to middle and high schools, that I am speaking to them about consent, equality, equality. It’s not a story of men vs. women at all. It’s a collective consciousness. I have two sons and we talk about it often. They tell me. “Well, there’s no equal pay?” It should be self-evident to them.

For both of my boys, equal pay comes naturally

Julie Gayet

You are a director, producer and actress. You also initiated the Twin Sisters Festival.After more than 30 years of career, what else can we wish for you?
My children, it’s the Twin Sisters Festival. I wanted an event where there would be concerts, previews, music. Where we come to discover bands and where directors come to talk about their relationship with music. We have to open the festival now . We have several years ahead of us. It was also in my heart to make this film about Olympe de Guges. I told Mathieu Busson. “Do we agree that there are still many films, portraits of women to be made?” We talk cancel culture. I’m talking bright culture. I’m not interested in deleting, I prefer to single out those that we haven’t talked about. We are currently working on a film dedicated to Louise Michel. We haven’t finished…