A case that shook the media in 1991. This Wednesday, September 20, 2023, Arte is broadcasting the film by Roschdy Zem, Omar killed me, released in 2011. The director chose this title in reference to the inscription written with the victim’s blood that was found at the crime scene. A crime scene for which Omar Raddad was the main suspect. This Moroccan gardener was accused of the murder of Ghislaine Marchal and spent seven years in prison. However, even today, he denies being the author of the murder.
If this affair still divides public opinion today, Roschdy Zem wanted to ignore it. Indeed, questioned by our colleagues from 7 Days TVthe French actor assured that he had no empathy for Omar Raddad, and this helped him to make his film. “I confirm it to you. Guilty or not, I wanted to tell the story of this anonymous Moroccan. By taking an interest in the man, I immersed myself in a case that challenged me more than expected”he assured our colleagues.
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Roschdy Zem refused to play the leading role in “Omar killed me”
And to tell the story best, Roschdy Zem decided not to play the lead role. Especially since he detected in Sami Bouajila a great capacity to play the role of Omar Raddad: “I was tempted, but Sami has this ability to transmit emotions in a more natural way than me. And then the work of preparing the actors beforehand was very heavy”.
But did the actor and director inquire directly with the main interested party to best tell his story? Yes, “before writing the screenplay, during a dinner, in Paris”he confided before revealing that he no longer had it “revisited for two years”. This, with the aim of “preserve [son] artistic independence”. Roschdy Zem reveals, however, that Omar Raddad “visited the set twice” but couldn’t stay the first time because it was “too hard for him.”
RF