Gilles Lellouche: "I like this idea of making a film with guys who have belly, hair on the shoulders"

Cet article initialement publié le 21 septembre 2018 a été mis à jour.

How quickly he speaks!We have lunch with Gilles Lellouche, on the terrace of an Italian restaurant, in front of a spaghetti dish with clams.Immediately, a vacation air embellishes air, despite the start of the school year and its overbooked agenda - due to the imminent release, on October 24, of its first feature film made solo, the Grand Bain.The film, as crazy as it is invigorating, was hosted triumphantly during the last Cannes festival, while usually the comedies are laminated on the Croisette and are agreed among the elegant, like poor poorly oriented whales."I felt much better by going down the steps than by upright," says Gilles Lellouche.And again: "I was not coming back to it - and I still haven't returned - to have received a call from Thierry Frémaux!"

How quickly he speaks!The waitress accuses him of carburing at the elongated coffee and, at the end of the sixth, refuses to serve him - "pH too acidic, ignoble taste!"she launches, while he commands yet another "pH".Passers -by greet him, Gilles Lellouche begins a touch of conversation with each and, stupidly, he is asked if he knows the whole neighborhood.He laughs: "No!These are the others who (re) know me.Because, obviously, we forgot that Gilles Lellouche was a star, and not our new best friend.The actor director, accustomed to the comedies that are a hit, has this astonishing ability to create a link with everyone, the similar genre of the level with which we dialogue immediately.

“There is a dictatorship of physical perfection»

Being like everyone else, that is to say not at best with its form is also what characterizes the fine team of the Grand Bain.These brewed losers, who ignore their splendor, unite for a competition of male synchronized swimming - a rarity - under the aegis of Delphine, Miss Lonely alcoholic, embodied by the formidable Virginie Efira, while the authoritarian Amanda, Leïla Bekhti, impeccable in his counter-employment, howls her orders in a wheelchair.To form his gang of loosers, Gilles Lellouche brought together actors and actresses whom he did not necessarily know - with the notable exception of Guillaume Canet and Benoît Poelvoord.Legend has it that the first to have declared an enthusiastic and encouraging "yes", after reading ten pages of the scenario, is Mathieu Amalric.Usually, a director first imagines an ideal distribution, then adapts to each other's refusals.

In the case of the high bath, Gilles Lellouche had to face an unexpected anxiety: all the actors foreboded gave their agreement."I suddenly had cold sweats and insomnia.Wasn't I going to find myself in front of an unmanageable ego carnival?" Well no !In everyone's opinion, the shooting was great in cheerfulness.Philippe Katerine and Mathieu Amalric put themselves on the piano, in the evening, and sing together.The actors remain in swimming pool pants between the sockets, which creates intimacy and undresses each of their small claims.Gilles Lellouche says: "Having players in swimsuit is a bit like making a disguised evening.It breaks codes.There is a self -forgetfulness that operates.You can't spend eight hours of shooting your stomach and showing your pectorals.I liked this idea of making a film with guys who have belly, hairs on the shoulders, the antithesis of what we can see on frozen papers or even in the cinema, where the real is always sublimated.»»

Gilles Lellouche continues: "Today, he reigns a dictatorship of physical perfection, even for men, who does not seem synonymous with development.We are not all athletes.However, instead of pushing us to accept ourselves, we are put a lot of pressure on us.»» On lui fait remarquer qu’il a laissé de côté les petites meringues servies avec ses sept cafés.He laughs: "Yes, I'm no exception!I try not to get fat.But I would like to pay a little less attention to me.To make such a concern at my age is not very interesting. Ce qui importe lorsqu’on exerce ce métier, ce sont quand même les autres, non ?»» Gilles Lellouche avoue qu’il trouve les perdants toujours magnifiques et qu’il n’a aucune fascination pour les héros, alors même que le cinéma américain ne cesse d’en fabriquer.Besides, it seems to him more and more complicated, in France, to have a point of view on the fringes."I have the impression that there is a dominant thought to which you have to rally it absolutely if you want to be accepted.We are all very afraid and we try to value ourselves, by wearing claw clothes or trying to have the most flamboyant career possible.»»

Special Men obliges, we ask Gilles Lellouche if he plans to launch a Bath Hat trend.Wouldn't it be democratically cool, this winter, that the male gender protects its hair, or its baldness, with this little piece of colorful plastic?The filmmaker, in white shirt and jeans, laughs and recognizes that fashion is for him a most mysterious science.

On video, extract from the "Big Bain" by Gilles Lellouche

"It can be tragic, the life of an actor...»

Everything seems to have always succeeded in Gilles Lellouche who, at 46, has already shot nearly sixty films and has never experienced a desert crossing. Son goût pour le cinéma lui est venu de son père « très cinéphile»», véritable self-made-man, qui a enchaîné les métiers comme on change de chemise - maçon, bijoutier, comptable, « joueur peu raisonnable»». Et qui a passé son temps « à protéger sa famille de ses propres ambitions»».Gilles Lellouche specifies: "There is a gap between what we would like to do with ourselves and our concessions.My father particularly experienced it.I am the fruit of everything I observed in him.»»

The first films that marked him?Star Wars, from George Lucas, and the King Kong by John Guillermin, with Jessica Lange, produced in 1976.His childhood ?In Savigny-sur-Orge, where he goes from a particularly shy little boy to ultra-infant teenager.Then the family moves to Fontainebleau, a much more upper city.Gilles Lellouche does not particularly think of becoming an actor.But one day, in college, his French teacher puts him on the platform to say a scapin tirade: the whole class bursts laughing.From then on, the teacher invites her student to play a new scene every week."Then I forgot.But, in the final year, when my father asked me this I wanted to do, my answer fusé.He, obviously, replied the great classic: "Go your tank first.»»» Des jeunes élèves du cours Florent qui intègrent ensuite le Conservatoire national et qui se retrouvent, à 40 ans, sur le bord du chemin, Gilles Lellouche en connaît plein."It can be tragic, the life of an actor.I have a lot of friends, however very gifted, who cannot unravel.»» Le Grand Bain leur est dédié.

Since the filmest finished, Gilles Lellouche has said it: he fails to be tapped by an obsession twenty-four hours a day. Un état d’esprit qu’il n’avait jamais connu en tant que comédien quand, sur un tournage, « on ne fait que passer»».However, he considers that he would be unable to make a film per year, because "carrying this type of project remains both too trying and too precious to be dilapidated.You have to be convinced of your subject, because you have many more reasons to stop than to continue.»» Le Grand Bain lui aura pris quatre années.

Just as important for Gilles Lellouche, family life - with his daughter, 9 years old, her daughter -in -law, about the same age, and her partner, creator of jewelry.And then the pleasure of living, quite simply."I like to be by band.I have a lot of trouble resisting the temptation of a lunch.Everything distracts me.»» Hymne à la liberté, il ajoute : « On est devenu tellement formatés, tellement réglementaires et accros au principe de précaution. Qu’est devenu le bonheurde rouler dans les champs sans casque, une cigarette à la bouche ?»» On rétorque qu’il parle d’une époque et de sensations qu’il n’a lui-même pas connues."Yes, but still: it was possible in the 1970s.»» Gilles Lellouche projette un nouveau film, mais il ne nous en confiera pas plus.However, one thing is certain: whatever the subject, a wind of carelessness and revolt will blow.