simonethe biopic on Simone Veil, directed by Olivier Dahan, will be released on Wednesday October 12 in cinemas. “She had to have a great movie”, assures on franceinfo Elsa Zylberstein who embodies the former minister on the screen. According to the actress, this film makes it possible to trace the personal history but also the various fights of Simone Veil. A way also to reach all generations, “from 15 to 80 years old”.
“It’s sometimes easier to watch a film to be able to discuss, talk about abortion, immigration, Europe, it’s perhaps an easier way to go back in history”
Elsa Zylbersteinat franceinfo
A survivor of the Birkenau concentration camp, Simone Veil also led the fight for the voluntary termination of pregnancy in France, but also defended the construction of Europe, support for drug addicts or AIDS patients, or even denounced the reception of Algerian prisoners. “She is not a usual politician, she is not a woman who takes politics to have power. She is an extraordinary politician: who will do for the good, for others”, defends Elsa Zylberstein who specifies that she had the opportunity to meet Simone Veil several times before her death in 2017.
Simone Veil led different battles but with the same desire to obtain “dignity”, summarizes Elsa Zylberstein. According to her, the former minister embodies “the quest, respect, the race and the battle for human dignity, respect for others”. “She had great strength, power”, emphasizes Elsa Zylberstein recalling “incredible eyes” by Simone Veil.
To carry out this film and embody the role of Simone Veil, Elsa Zylberstein confides that she has been preparing for a year: “It’s been a long journey”. “There had to be all this pain in my eyes, all this way”she adds. “I worked on the voice, the very particular way she had of speaking, her way of walking and moving, I cost nine kilos. It was a long way of personal and intimate infusion”, says the actress. Makeup “it’s secondary, it’s packaging”.