In Falaise, Jacques Gamblin, the godfather of the cinema, talks about his latest book

Jacques Gamblin, author and actorwas present in Falaise (Calvados) Friday January 10, 2025 for his latest book Mother on the horizon. Interview.

A family attachment

– What is your attachment to Falaise?

– It is already a family attachment with my sister Catherine, my brother-in-law and their children, and also an attachment to the city which led me to become sponsor of this cinema (Entracte), the only one in elsewhere of which I am a godfather in France.

I am therefore delighted to come to Falaise every time I can present a film, or a book like today. It’s another way to meet this audience, and I love this loyalty.

– Tell us about your career?

– My career is multifaceted, and that’s what I like about this job. With theater which was a starting point at the age of 18 and a half, it was management, sound and light technique in a young theater company, traveling around France with shows. Then, I became an actor in this company, intermittently in different companies, then permanent at the Comédie de Caen, a wonderful 2-year adventure with Michel Dubois.

Then the cinema appeared, offering me small roles. I didn’t get a big role right away. I was able to move forward step by step, have a very progressive career, but I liked it… I made many films (around sixty films to my credit, with leading roles but also secondary ones, and a twenty series, documentaries and animated films).

Then came the writing. By playing roles, I wanted to have my own characters. It was the profession of actor that led me to write shows offered to the public (7 which toured throughout France). And there, a new book… I am eternally amazed by all that this profession has offered me in terms of possibilities and their variations…

For me, it’s like a little miracle that continues! I’m sure there was some luck involved in all of this but there was obviously some work involved. Luck is not enough. And there were also meetings, and availability at that time.

Afterwards, it’s a human and wonderful adventure with a hundred actors on the set of a film, such as Lois-passer by Bertrand Tavernier, The Name of the People by Michel Leclerc, Pédale Douce by Gabriel Aghion or even Les Enfants du Marais by Jean Becker…

With these films, I know why I’m going there, why I’m invested. This is why I don’t shoot 5 films a year, but only 1 or 2… I don’t try to appear or be present everywhere. It’s not my thing. I like rarity too, a form of modesty. I’m wary of the image damage that everyone experiences.

– Your plans for 2025?

– I have just finished filming directed by Alex Lutz, an adaptation of Connemara, a novel by Nicolas Mathieu, in which I have a small role. Otherwise, I have show readings planned right and left. And I have this book “Mother on the Horizon” published by Robert Laffont, which will take me to travel around France, libraries, festivals (a book which took a lot of time to construct).

It’s a somewhat unique journey between this elderly woman, my mother, and her son with personal, funny and poetic moments. Memory loss is mentioned. But I won’t say more, you have to read it… Writing for me is very important, so I am very happy with the first reactions this book is causing.

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