Gad Elmaleh talks about his new film, a family and spiritual comedy

After a few years spent in the United States, Gad returned to France to convert to Catholicism. An announcement not quite well received by his parents. A family comedy in which the comedian has summoned his whole family. Present at the La Roche-sur-Yon festival (Vendée) to present his film in preview, Gad Elmaleh granted an interview to our colleagues from France 3 Pays de la Loire.

Religions at the heart of a family comedy. When Gad, born in Morocco into a Jewish family, announces to his parents that he wishes to convert to Catholicism and that he particularly adores the Virgin Mary, the information has trouble getting through. In the form of a comedy, the actor-director delivers like never before.

A sort of midlife crisis coupled with a spiritual quest. A theme that has always been dear to him. “I realized that I was passionate about religions, all religions. I grew up in a Muslim country, Morocco, within a practicing traditionalist Sephardic Jewish community, but also with Catholics. In France, we talk about secularism and I am very attached to it, but secularism should not eclipse spirituality, faith, affiliations and communities. I wanted to talk about that, about religion in France, without it tensing up or being problematic”.

One of the originalities of Stay a bit is that Gad Elmaleh surrounded himself with his relatives to play alongside him. We find his parents, his sister and his friends. Not so easy on the set. “It’s very complicated to shoot with people who are not actors. And it’s also very complicated to direct your parents who play your parents in the film”, confesses the director. After coconut in 2009, it was the second time that Gad Elmaleh went behind the camera. To discover on the big screen on November 16th.