It’s a film with a Franche-Comté accent. “Twenty Gods”directed by Jurassian Louise Courvoisier, is released in cinemas this Wednesday, December 11, after having been awarded at the Cannes Film Festival by winning the Youth Prize. Rightly so, since the first feature film by the 30-year-old director, shot with amateur actors, presents the portrait of agricultural and rural youth of Jura.
A window on Jura youth
“I wanted to open this window onto this Jura that I know so well”says Louise Courvoisier, at the microphone of Christine Masson, in the show “On aura tout vu” from France Inter. “I wanted to highlight these young people, to paint a luminous portrait of them, to show that they are full of resources, full of vitality and that they touch me”confides the director, who grew up in Cressia where she shot most of the scenes in the film.
For two and a half years, she wrote the screenplay, the story of Totone, an 18-year-old who, after losing his father, raises his little sister alone and sets out to win the golden county, in making your own cheese. A learning story played on screen by amateur actorsspotted during wild castings, like Clément Faveau, the main actor, farmer on a poultry farm.
TWENTY GODS by Louise Courvoisier – Trailer – in cinemas December 11, 2024
A young actress from Haute-Saône, in the running for the Césars
This is also the case for Maïwène Barthèlemy. The 22-year-old young woman, originally from Raincourt in Haute-Saône, is studying agriculture in Vesoul, alternating in a cattle farm. “The casting took place at my high school and I signed up to have a laugh with a friend. Louise wanted to cast me a second time, but there, outside of school, at my place of learning and very quickly behind, she called to offer me the role of Marie-Lise which I accepted”explains the actress.
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Marie-Lise is the dairy farmer with whom Totone falls in love. A hard worker who doesn’t count her hours, spontaneous and direct. “It’s a role that suits me. The scenes that were easiest for me to do were those on the farm, because I was in my element”describes Maïwène Barthèlemy. She, who had never done cinema or theater, had to learn to play a role. “At first I was so afraid of doing it wrong that I tended to overplay. Then Louise told me to do it my way, so in the end I knew I didn’t need to overdo it. pay attention to my vocabulary or my gestures.”
And for taking part in the game, the Haut-Saônoise is rewarded. Maïwène Barthèlemy is nominated for the Césars, in the category of best female revelation of the year. “I think I don’t really realize it yet, but it’s impressive. It’s like for the role, I said yes without really knowing what it was. I accepted and I’m letting myself be carried away .” Carried in particular by the public. “I receive messages from farmers who thank me for putting our territory forward, with our county. It’s authentic, we really made cheese during filming”relates the young woman, who does not say no to making a film again. “Ideally, I would like to be able to do both, to have my own business and to make cinema. In any case, I don’t close doors, I let what comes come.” But it won’t be before he finishes his agricultural studies next year.
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