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Concia is a young girl who dreams about making music and it in love with James Bataille. She has a father called Bosco – Jean-Pierre Marielle – who is a very severe man. He’s kind of the king of Skolett, this village in the middle of nowhere where the story takes place. Concia, she’s kind of crazy herself, however, there is so much insanity around her that in the midst of it, she seems normal. She loves rhinestones, shows, and all that goes with that. When she sings, she’s in her own world, she makes me laugh. She’s very flighty, she’s has fun with everything. She’s also gets easily worked up, and she’s rather vain, even if she rides motorcycles. She is many things, in fact, this girl… What do you think about this film’s universe? This story of Atomik Circus, it’s existed for a very long time in the spirit of the directors, you are not surprised when you know the origin, the database of Didier Poiraud. The two brothers have a shared singular visual universe which takes them far. They could initially exploit that in advertising and here, I think that on this film, their work took on a really personal dimension. It’s indefinable, astonishing, and a real find. How was the shoot? The first week, we started with the end of the film: storms, tornadoes, tentacles, a furious madness. On the film set, that translated into fans as big as houses, everywhere, wind, dirt, braches. Inevitably, that put you in the ambiance. You were there running in the dust, the Poirauds with their cameras on their shoulder, one after the other… It was very physical. It was a very good idea to start there, because if you began with the scenes that were pure comedy, acting, you would have taken more time getting to know each other, the directors should have learned how to speak with each actor etc… While there, it was like a risky situation where you don’t have time to reflect, you have to take action. That gave an ambiance immediately and the rhythm too. It was, in my opinion, the best way to start the film. Good speed. And then, there was a lot of handheld camera, that gave an incredible energy, it was very new for me. All the energy that the Poirauds have, they exploited it and they communicated it to us, it was very radical and very pleasant. How would you describe the Poiraud brothers? They are young directors, very excited by their project. But when you’re talking like this, in an office, they are not very comprehensible. I don’t think I’m stupider than anyone else, but it’s the thousands of ideas that spout from their spirits, one who speaks, the other who contradicts. Before filming, most of the time I told them: “I don’t understand what you’re trying to say to me.” Moreover, I wondered how the shoot would go. But they are really hands-on men. Rather than trying to describe it in an office, they should be seen on the set, there they have clear and precise information. Of course there are always a lot of ideas but they are at least concentrated. And then they are intelligent so inevitably you can count on them. How did you work with Benoit Poelvoorde? Benoit, he is extraordinary. All the same, I have some fear… not just of Benoit, but of the Poiraud brothers, all these rowdy characters. I should say that I was the almost the only girl on the set apart from Mar Sodupe, a Spanish actress, whom I never had a scene with. In short I said to myself: in the middle of all these funny guys, I’ll never be able to find my place with one of them. But I have to say they were all very delicate with me. And Benoit, eh bien he’s a love! I was afraid because he talks so much, he talks extremely, he is an actor, but also an auteur, he is impressive, I didn’t have his repartee. I was afraid of being crushed, and so I erased myself (in these cases, I became observant and quiet). But very quickly, I saw that Benoit became milder when he was with me. In addition, he contributed to the role of Concia when we did the script read-throughs. But when we were filming together, he became soft, good sometimes, that escapes him, he goes back to speaking extremely, a split second, but that doesn’t last. Benoit, he is intelligent, generous, gifted and obviously funny. And working with Jean-Pierre Marielle? We were all crazy about working with him, the whole crew. We had all seen three-fourths of his films. In movies, he’s made us laugh… cry, too. He is what you call a living legend! And more than that, I discovered such a moving man! For the first time in film, you exploit your musical talents? I was often approached about singing in films, but I always thought that the script had to be worth the trouble. However here, I’m very happy. A very good group has made the music: the Little Rabbits, they are also long-time friends of the Poiraud brothers. Let’s say that the music is “Little Rabbits enhanced with the spice of the Poiraud brothers” and it’s great. Me I sing five songs, we go from cha-cha-cha to space rock to new wave, and I mean that all the songs are different. The songs are placed in the film at moments when you least expect it. I think that these musical cuts will be pleasant. It’s your cinematic return, why this film? I like being part of adventures that impassion me, that burn me with joy, happiness. I don’t do a lot of films and when I do one, I want to really have fun. It was meeting the directors that made me want to engage myself in this adventure. I have a lot of fun doing it. This film, I’m proud of it.
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