the dancer Marion Barbeau continues her path to the cinema in “Drone”

Every day, a personality invites itself into the world of Élodie Suigo. Wednesday October 2, 2024: dancer and actress Marion Barbeau. She stars in the film “Drone” directed by Simon Bouisson.

Marion Barbeau was principal dancer of the Paris Opera Ballet. Dance has been her passion since she was six years old, with the sole objective of joining the National Conservatory of Music and Dance, in addition to the Paris National Opera Ballet. It is clear that his dreams have come true. Since 2022, she is also an actress. Her role as Élise, a talented ballet dancer broken by an injury depriving her of being able to practice her art in the film In body by Cédric Klapisch, was noticed and remarkable. Today she is starring in the film Drone directed by Simon Bouisson. It’s the story of an architecture student, Émilie, who tries to follow her studies as best she can, managing a little to earn enough money to eat and pay her rent. And one day, she notices that a drone is observing her through her apartment window before following her.

franceinfo: This film ultimately positions us in the perspective we can have as spectators and how far we are capable of going to find out a little more. Is that what made you fall for this scenario?

Marion Barbeau: Absolutely because it’s a subject that I don’t master, which scares me as much as it fascinates me. And it’s also about controlling our image where we think we can control. We post images on the internet and in fact, we have absolutely no idea where it is going or who is watching. That interested me a lot.

Everything is addressed within this film: sexuality, the desire to grow up, to evolve, to find a job. There is a feeling that there is something that resonates with you through this role.

In any case, I have the impression that where we come together is in determination. We feel that the moment she is at in the story is a bit of a pivotal moment for her. We understand that it was complicated for her, but on the other hand, at that moment, it was a moment in her life where a lot of light came in, particularly in her work which was still recognized, even if she was jealous. . And there is also this love story, so there is light, but she has difficulty moving towards that, we feel that she does not allow herself to do so. But as far as architecture is concerned, from what I imagined, it is that it is a huge hard worker and it is very ambitious.

Like you. You have always been a hard worker! You fell in love with dancing at the age of six, right?

Yes, even a little before. Yes, at six seven years old where I understand that it can be a career and I am also made to understand that it can be for me.

What’s amazing is that you never gave up. There is real determination in this life journey with your parents who have decided to trust you. Is that the most important thing? Succeed also for those who support us.

Oh yes, it’s complicated for them because all my life, precisely, I have had a determination. I think for a child it’s a bit surprising.

“It’s so weird. Dancing is a decision you make when you’re six years old and you don’t question it, ever. It’s very surprising.”

Marion Barbeau

at franceinfo

And finally I questioned it with the cinema and I think that for them it was a little confusing because it was my whole life and then another dream arrived.

You have taken the steps, little by little. The National Superior Conservatory of Music and Dance of Paris, the Paris National Opera Ballet, coryphée in 2013, subject in 2016, with an extraordinary role of the heroine of the diptych Iolanta And Nutcracker by Dmitri Tcherniakov by Benjamin Millepied. And then there was this big march in 2019 where you were promoted to principal dancer of the Paris National Opera Ballet. Recently, you decided to quit because you couldn’t combine two careers at the same time. Is it hard?

Oh yes, it’s very strange. Dance is still a part of my life, I hope, and I think, that it will be for the rest of my life. The Opera was my identity and for a long time, it was exclusively this identity. So here, it’s about emancipating yourself from that while keeping it.

“I built myself with dance, it’s a part of me, it’s my DNA ultimately, but it’s not just that.”

Marion Barbeau

at franceinfo

There was a parenthesis in all this work, it was Covid. This pandemic arrived a bit like a bubble of oxygen, offering you something else. You meet Cédric Klapisch, for this film In body in which you will play the main role. Tell us about this meeting and the moment it changed.

Already during Covid, during this first confinement and even before, I felt the need to look elsewhere. At the Opera, we are lucky enough to be able to take a sabbatical year, months off, and I wanted to turn more towards more contemporary dance, to work with contemporary choreographers. And then it’s true that it evolved more and more until this meeting with Cédric. When he offered me this film, I didn’t hesitate for a single second. I trusted him completely. I didn’t feel like I could play, I didn’t think I could do it and actually it was amazing, I absolutely loved every second of it.

Finally, dance taught you to never suffer. What’s next?

It’s really between dance and cinema. There are other shoots coming up. I’m so excited. And at the same time I continue to film dance pieces. There are other creations, in particular one where I will redo what we call dance theater. So this is really the fusion of the two. That’s about it.