I hope that they will be present, as they have always been for the Fred Vargas novels that I have produced, especially since we have a magnificent cast: Yvan Attal, Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Sylvie Testud, Virginie Ledoyen, Corinne Masiero, Olivier de Benoist, Philippe du Janerand… The characters are accurate and the music is there, present, a little obsessive.
A comment on Yvan Attal who succeeds Jean-Hugues Anglade as Commissioner Adamsberg?
He is an exceptional actor. He has Adamsberg’s DNA.
You have directed several adaptations of Fred Vargas’ thrillers. How does this writer inspire you?
She has such a special universe. His books go beyond crime fiction because they lightly flirt with fantasy. There reigns a mystery there which is not necessarily detective. On the other hand, his characters are incredibly human. I still have two Fred Vargas novels to direct.
Captain Marleau: “As long as the spectators are there, we will continue”
The episode of Captain Marleau, “Against the Current”, topped the ratings on October 11, with 5.11 million viewers, or an audience share of 28.8%. How many do you expect, this Monday evening, in front of “On the slab”?
I say prayers. I hope that we will have the same number of viewers as we had for “When the recluse comes out”, the previous Vargas which had around 5 million viewers (in April 2019). But on Monday, we have some pretty tough competition. We’ll see.
You have directed around thirty “Captain Marleau”. How many more do you plan to shoot?
I don’t know. I just finished one and I have another in December and I will do more in 2025. As long as the spectators are there, we will continue.
You called on Nolwenn Leroy to play in an episode of “Captain Marleau”, broadcast in April 2024. What do you remember about it?
I found her very friendly and it was very pleasant to work with her.
Have you watched the series “Brocéliande”, with Nolwenn Leroy in the main role?
No, I was filming and, in the evening, we had dinner with the actors and we talked about the next day. And at worst, if I had had time to watch a series during that period, I would have watched “Fortune de France” because I really like its creator-director, Christopher Thompson, with whom I am very close.
I don’t know how long I’ll turn, ’cause I don’t know when I’ll die
Why do you prefer to produce television works rather than films?
I am someone who likes things to move quickly and decisions to be made quickly. On television, you can decide on a film in three months whereas in cinema, a feature film will take two or three years and I don’t want to wait all that time.
As you have just celebrated your 81st birthday on October 6, at what age do you think you will sit behind the camera?
I don’t know what to answer you, because I don’t know at what age I will die. I will die the day I finish filming. I will have died on my set but I don’t know when, maybe at 100, 101, 102, 103 years old… Kurosawa did make his most beautiful films at 90; Verdi, his most beautiful operas at 85… I tell you again: I don’t know how long I’m going to tour, because I don’t know when I’m going to die. I will spin until my last breath.
How do you keep yourself in shape too?
The fact of turning, precisely.
I realized that smoking cigars made you live very old
Yet you smoke cigars.
I realized that smoking cigars makes you live to a very old age. Look, Churchill, who also drank from 8 a.m., while I don’t drink. People who smoke cigars live very old. Cigars are very healthy, unlike cigarettes. Fidel Castro smoked chairs in the morning and died at 90. Me too, I might start smoking even earlier in the morning and end up very old.
Less than a year ago, you signed the controversial column “Don’t erase Gérard Depardieu” aimed at defending the actor, accused of rape and sexual assault.
I think, in fact, that Gérard Depardieu is not a rapist and I will say it again.
