Roschdy Zem and Mine | Balance your four truths with your family

(Paris) Even though he had previously signed five feature films as screenwriter and director, Roschdy Zem had never embarked on such a personal project. Inspired by a real event, Mine is an ode to the family in which the actor has not always given himself the best role. Encounter.

In Mine, you tell the story of a usually gentle and altruistic man, played by Sami Bouajila, who, after suffering a violent blow to the head when he fell, speaks without any filter and begins to throw their four truths. Is it true that you were inspired by your own brother’s story?

Roschdy Zem : Absolutely ! I took this accident as a pretext, in fact. But I think the main reason that pushed me to make such a personal film is that I’m at a stage in life where you reflect on the life you’ve lived up to now, as well as to that which awaits us in the future. The pandemic, when we were all confined to our homes, triggered this kind of questioning in many people, I believe. I wanted to talk about the family.

Movie Trailer Mine

En plus d’y tenir un rôle, Maïwenn cosigne avec vous le scénario de votre long métrage. On peut d’ailleurs trouver une parenté certaine entre ADN, le film qu’elle a réalisé avant Jeanne du Barry, et Les miens. Pourquoi avez-vous fait appel à Maïwenn et quel a été son apport ?

Le producteur Pascal Caucheteux, qui a aussi produit ADN, m’a suggéré d’emprunter un peu la même approche pour mon film, c’est-à-dire de l’écrire et de le tourner rapidement. Je me suis alors dit que Maïwenn pouvait agir comme un filtre. C’est-à-dire que lorsqu’on s’engage dans un projet personnel comme celui-là, il faut le regard de quelqu’un plus à distance, qui peut distinguer ce qui est intéressant de ce qui ne l’est pas. J’ai fait totalement confiance à Maïwenn, surtout pour m’aider à écarter tout un pathos dont je ne voulais pas. En plus, elle a une écriture très directe, très charnelle. Le scénario a été écrit en moins d’un mois !

Vous incarnez dans Les miens ce présentateur télé à succès qui suscite l’admiration de son frère, mais qui attire aussi, en revanche, bien des reproches de la part de tous les autres membres de sa famille. Autrement dit, vous ne vous êtes pas tout à fait donné le beau rôle…

S’il fallait qu’en plus d’écrire et de réaliser, je me sois donné le beau rôle, je crois qu’on aurait dit « ben dis donc »… [Rires] I found this kind of mise en abyme of everything that I could be blamed for interesting. I had a lot of fun with this form of self-mockery about my personality. I preferred to display my dysfunction rather than showing an incredibly noble character who comes to the rescue of his family. That would not correspond at all to reality!

This is your sixth feature film as a director. Being one of the most requested and appreciated actors in French cinema, what motivated you to go behind the camera?

When I wrote my first film [Mauvaise foi], it was out of the question for me to realize it. But at the time, the producer [Philippe Godeau] immediately suggested that I do it myself. I remember being very surprised, but also very seduced by this idea which had never crossed my mind before. I even gave my agreement very quickly for fear that he would change his mind! I now feel like I’m getting better every time and I enjoy telling things. That’s what motivates me. When you embark on a personal story like that of the Mine, there can be no rivalry with anyone because, of course, no one can tell it my way. That said, if I were asked tomorrow to adapt Maupassant, I would say that talented filmmakers would be much better placed than me to do so.

You arrived at the end of the 1980s, beginning of the 1990s, and renowned filmmakers – André Téchiné, Xavier Beauvois, Patrice Chéreau – quickly called on your talent. How was the desire to be an actor born?

There wasn’t really a desire because there were no role models I could have relied on at the time. At most, yes, I wanted to try out the experience and see how filming goes, but from there to think about building a long-term career, never. My profile – son of North African immigrants – did not exist in French cinema. However, I arrived at the moment when directors began to want to bring characters with my profile into existence. I have often been there in the right place at the right time. Talented directors put me on track and allowed me to build enough confidence to make my fantasies turn into inclinations.

And 30 years later, that trust has solidified?

On the contrary, it weakens. Over the years, we impose a higher level of demand on ourselves, which is necessarily more difficult to achieve. But the pleasure is intact!

Mine hits theaters June 9.

Travel expenses were paid by Unifrance.