A few months before the highly anticipated release of the 5th part of Les Tuche, Jean-Paul Rouve plays the main role in “La Vallée des fous”, a new production by Xavier Beauvois. The actor will amaze you in this solo role!
What is it about?
Passionate about sailing, Jean-Paul is going through a difficult time. He accumulates debts and moves away from his family. Determined to take control of his life, he signed up for Virtual Regatta, the virtual Vendée Globe race. He puts himself in the conditions of a real skipper by isolating himself for 3 months on his boat in his garden… This trip, unlike any other, will allow him to reconnect with his family but above all with himself.
After directing Albatross, part of the plot of which took place at sea, aboard a sailboat, Xavier Beauvois explores the maritime furrow with La Vallée des fous, at the cinema this Wednesday. Sailing is at the heart of the film, but the film adopts this rather surprising bias: that of showing a Vendée Globe race… without leaving your garden! The film is based on an actual game called Virtual Regatta. As its name suggests, it is a virtual regatta.
Jean -Paul Rouve who plays the main role of this film, in this case a man confronted with numerous problems (debts, family tensions, alcoholism…) and who will isolate himself aboard a boat moored in his garden, and find himself behind closed doors, facing himself.
This confined and isolated place will become the scene of very strong scenes, showing Jean-Paul Rouve in a rare intensity, notably having to play sequences in which he is consumed by alcohol. How did Jean-Paul Rouve prepare in particular for this film?
“There is no standard preparation, it depends on the films, on instinct, it's like cooking. I watched Xavier, I was with him, I saw him every day… It's as if he gave me the game instructions without saying themhe indicates in the press kit.
I went looking for things that are foreign to me, because I am lucky not to experience this kind of misfortune
[Xavier Beauvois] has a way of steering, of taking his boat to port, which is very special. Generally, the director speaks before the scene, then the actor performs, then the director corrects him – or not. But it doesn't happen like that with Xavier: he directs you between “motor” and “cut”: neither before nor after, but during, through his looks, as if it were telepathic. As if his simple presence and his gaze were enough to direct you.
And to add: Humanly, Xavier is an extraordinary guy, there is a lot of kindness in him, some discomfort too, but above all love. I told myself that my character must be full of all that. I went looking for things that are foreign to me, because I am lucky not to experience this kind of misfortune. It was tiring, psychologically and physically, as if I was climbing a mountain every day.“
On the subject of Jean-Paul Rouve, Xavier Beauvois highlights the tragedian who hides in every comedian.
“Jean-Paul immediately grasped the character, it was impressive. He has a crazy way of deconstructing his face, his thoughts can be read on his facial muscles. Before looking completely drunk during the take, he was completely normal, talking on the phone, playing with his dog… And tack, in a second, he was deconstructing his face for the role. I only experienced this with Nathalie Baye in Le Petit Lieutenant. The talent of certain actors remains a mystery.
With Jean-Paul, we come from the same background, we knew each other, I knew that on a human level he was a person of great modesty, always smiling, punctual… Jean-Paul is a sweetheart. When he didn't feel like there was a scene, we didn't do it, sometimes he made suggestions, there was a real symbiosis between us. I think you can feel that when watching the film..”
The Valley of Fools hits theaters this Wednesday, November 13.
