Published on January 17, 2025 at 3:48 p.m.
Leïla Bekhti – © Niviere David/ABACAPRESS.COM
The novel “Changer l'eau des fleurs”, by Valérie Perrin, will soon be adapted for the big screen with Jean-Pierre Jeunet directing and Leïla Bekhti in the lead role.
It’s a project that seems to bring together all the ingredients for success. Since the announcement of its adaptation, we have been yearning to discover “Changer l’eau des fleurs” at the cinema. A true triumph in bookstores with more than two million copies sold since its publication in 2018, Valérie Perrin's second book easily won the title of bestseller. It tells the story of Violette Toussaint, a cemetery guardian in Burgundy, whose daily life wanders between the world of the dead and that of the living.
Also read >>> The fabulous Christmas tale by Valérie Perrin, for ELLE (1/2)
If we already knew that the production had been entrusted to Jean-Pierre Jeunet – to whom we owe “The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain” – we still knew nothing about the distribution. This is now a thing (half) over since, according to the indiscretions of “Paris Match”, the main role was attributed to the actress Leïla Bekhti – oh joy.
-Leïla Bekhti, obvious for the role
If Valérie Perrin admits that Audrey Tautou inspired all her novel characters, the choice of Leïla Bekhti seemed “obvious”. “There is always a difference between fantasy and real life, and I love what Leïla offers (…) She exudes all this goodness, the beauty, the subtlety of a Violet, and I am overjoyed. »
Same story for the director who also succumbed to the charm of the actress. The trigger came after seeing him recite his lasagna recipe, in tears, on Kyan Khojandi's show, “Hot Ones”: “She [l’] did amazingly. I was like, “Okay, that’s her.” »
“When I read the book for the first time, I said to myself, it’s so beautiful… There is nothing more beautiful than talking about life among the dead. I was carried by Valérie's poetry. As I had been by that of Jean-Pierre's films. So I’ll let you imagine my reaction when they offered me the role of Violette…” says the actress in the columns of the magazine.
Filming of “Changer l’eau des fleurs” should begin in May 2025. One thing is certain, the words of Valérie Perrin combined with the poetic universe of Jean-Pierre Jeunet and carried by the talent of Leïla Bekhti, we cannot than love this project with your eyes closed. We can't wait.
