With “L’Heureuse Electe”, directed by Frank Bellocq, Camille Lellouche takes on a leading role in the cinema for the first time. A tailor-made comedy, between self-deprecation and emotion, which features a hilarious and touching clash of cultures.
Camille Lellouche is not making her cinema debut, but “L’Heureuse Electe” marks a turning point in her career. “I’ve been offered leading roles sometimes. But maybe it wasn’t the time or the right project for me”she confides. For this film, the approach was different. “The screenwriter and the producer came to see me saying that it was a tailor-made film, with a tailor-made role, a comedy on top of that. with all the necessary self-deprecation.
With a story tailored to her comedic talents, Camille plays Fiona, an Uber driver hired as a fake fiancée by Benoît, a son from a good family, to scam his parents. “It’s a film where you laugh from start to finish, with moments of emotion that are just right”she continues. And if she says she is proud to have taken on this first role, the actress underlines the importance of the collective: “The leading role is great, but that’s not enough to make a good film, we have to be a great group of comrades”. The cast brings together Lionel Abelanski, Gérard Darmon, Michèle Laroque, and many other figures of French cinema, giving the feature film a theatrical and lively dimension.
A character between fiction and reality
For Camille Lellouche, playing Fiona required in-depth work. “Having grown up in the suburbs, I didn’t want it to be damaged. It’s not because you come from there that you are necessarily vulgar or that you have a pronounced accent”she explains. Although her character is sometimes “rude” and without filter, the actress wants Fiona to remain a woman of values: “She is whole, honest, she is not a thief or a liar, unlike the bourgeois environment she faces.”
On the poster, Camille Lellouche shares the spotlight with Gérard Darmon. The two actors, already close, display an alchemy which shines through on the screen. On the other hand, it was a first with Michèle Laroque. “The day we met was done during a scene where I had to remove her hair (…) It’s still a delicate position where we have to get to know each other”recalls the actress with humor. Despite this funny situation, the two women quickly found their feet and developed a great bond.
A touching comedy
Released yesterday in France, the film “L’Heureuse Electe” has already received a warm welcome. The comedy, full of misunderstandings and moments of emotion, seems to hit the right note. For Camille Lellouche, it is the culmination of a little girl’s dream, but also proof that French comedy can still surprise and make people laugh, while avoiding clichés. “L’Heureuse Electe” will be released in Belgium next week. An opportunity to discover this offbeat comedy where humor and sensitivity intertwine brilliantly.
Camille Lellouche film The Happy Elected Cinema
