“What fascinates me are human relationships”

Every day, a personality invites themselves into the world of Élodie Suigo. Friday, September 20, 2024: the actress, director, writer and singer, Agnès Jaoui. Today, she publishes “La taille de nos seins” with Grasset editions, releases a new album “Attendre que le soleil revienne” and is on the bill for Sophie Fillières’ film “Ma vie Ma gueule”.

Agnès Jaoui is one of those who likes to try everything but with desire, rigor and above all determination. The actress that she is, has touched us with obviously powerful roles like in 1997 in We know the song for which she received the César for best supporting actress. She also caught our attention as a director, among others, with The taste of othersco-written with Jean-Pierre Bacri in 2000 and awarded the César for best film. Today, she has two additional roles: singer and writer. Her work illustrated by Cécile Partouche, The size of our breasts published by Grasset as well as his first album in French Wait for the sun to come back. There is a movie too My life, my face by Sophie Fillières, released last Wednesday.

franceinfo: These creations have three things in common: women, life and human relationships.

Agnes Jaoui: Human relationships seem to me to be the essential part of life, in any case the essential part of sources of inspiration. Often, when someone says to me: “But you make films about human relationships.“, I say to myself but yes, but what else should I make films about in fact? It could be about the beauty of nature or animals, I don’t know, but indeed, what fascinates me are human relationships, that’s for sure.

There is another common point, it is letting go. We feel that here, you are totally naked, you give yourself totally. Is it difficult to let go?

Yes. In any case, it took me time. There is also this whole thing of legitimacy that is starting to tire me because I see that it is often women who feel illegitimate. But the fact is that I said to myself: no, I am not going to do this on top of that and that on top of that… Even for classical singing, I did not tell anyone that I was doing it, I did concerts even under a false name. Finally, I apologized a little for having all these passions, it is true, but I apologize a little less, even if it is always complicated to know how far one can also reveal oneself because I want to keep my freedom.

In the album, in the book, in the film, the women are not necessarily doing well at the start, but they are doing well at the end. There is always a form of resilience.

I find that the French, the Parisians, and the world in general are complaining. There is a kind of race for the most catastrophic news.

“Obviously the world is not going well, that many things are not going well, but spending one’s energy noting this and adding to it does not seem to me to be of any interest.”

Agnes Jaoui

to franceinfo

There’s also a nod to your mother. You say in the book that she never made a big decision when she was with your father, until she made one, which was to leave him. It’s also a tribute that you wanted to pay to women by saying: “Don’t suffer your life” ?

Completely. And then also tell young girls: don’t invest too much in the idea of ​​the prince charming who remains and that I myself had in mind, and on prettiness, on the physical, on lots of ideas or in which we are still locked despite all the revolutions. Beauty passes, cultivate instead everything that will make you independent, free, those who will be your friends for life, everything that will remain beyond your 35, 45, 25, 15 because for some we are only consumable at a very young age. Really, be careful with your dreams because there are some that are evil and that will not do you any good.

You go much further in the book. You tell us a secret that you have carried for a very long time. One of your uncles took you behind the hill. He asked you to undress. For a very long time, you thought it was a love story. Isn’t this book also a way of putting words to help others?

I wanted to say that yes, I had tried to believe that it was a love story to protect myself. I think that we were quite a few in that situation. And also because these are ages when we are very ambivalent. I was 11 the first time, but obviously, an adult who is interested in you… There you go, I was young and stupid! I said to myself: oh there, I must have something special and I dreamed of having something special, so we fall into this trap or others.

“The artistic work of others has always comforted me, made me feel good, even saved my life.”

Agnes Jaoui

to franceinfo

If I can give it back just a little bit, that’s what touches me the most, what moves me the most.

I just want you to tell me the song A taxi to La Marsaan extraordinary duo.

With Nawel Ben Kraiem. This song tells the stories of journeys that I often make… I love trying to guess where the accents come from and when there is an accent that comes from Tunis and in particular from La Marsa or La Goulette especially, where my grandfather lived, in general, I recognize it and we start talking. And it’s true that I also think it’s important to talk about Muslims and Jews who get along despite the difference in their faith. As I mention in the song and despite the atrocities that are happening in Israel, in Palestine, we have a lot in common, especially us, the Jews of the Maghreb, but not only. Finally, I also wanted to talk about it.