Chosen to represent France at the Oscars in early March, Jacques Audiard's feature film has already been awarded four Golden Globes on Sunday in Beverly Hills: best comedy, best supporting actress, best foreign language film, best original song… A beautiful harvest which adds to that of the Cannes Festival, last May (1) and which suggests a bright future at the Oscars, at the beginning of March.
The story is original to say the least. It's that of a Mexican drug trafficker who wants to become a woman. A role played by Karla Sofia Gascón, born Carlos Gascón in 1972. She is Juan Manitas del Monte at the start of the film; Emilia after her transformation. Helped by lawyer Rita (Zoe Saldaña), loved then hated by Jessi (Selena Gomez).
While Camille and Clément Ducol went to live temporarily in Los Angeles to accompany the film in America, Valérie Schermann chose to stay in France. “Because I have work,” she explains. And to avoid worsening “the catastrophic carbon footprint of Jacques Audiard”, her long-time friend, with whom she became professionally close eleven years ago. Together, through the company Page114, they have already produced “Les Olympiades”, released in 2021. Flash interview on the station platform.
Valérie Schermann is one of the three producers of the film.
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“It feels so good. These are fair rewards. »
How do you analyze the success of “Emilia Pérez?” »
I haven't really asked myself the question but it's so nice. These are fair rewards. It's such an original project that it could have backfired on us, but the press and the public are unanimous. What’s touching is all these people who, when leaving the cinemas, say: “We love it”.
Why did magic catch on, in your opinion?
The staging, the music, the songs and these fabulous, crazy actresses, who gave so much. That's all that makes it work. And then, Jacques Audiard is a fantastic director of actors.
Did you believe in it from the start?
I was convinced as soon as Jacques, whom I have known for a long time, spoke to me about it and I saw his treatment (of the subject). At the time, four years ago, he didn't know if it would be an opera, a musical show, a feature film… but I thought it was a great idea. And then, Jacques Audiard, we know very well that he is not going to do anything. It was very interesting to follow the gestation of this project.
You are not the only Angoumoisine in the credits of this film. Singer Camille and her partner Clément Ducol, based in Charente, received the Golden Globe this Sunday for best original song.
They both worked on the foundations of the film. Camille wrote the lyrics based on dialogues by Jacques Audiard. Clément Ducol composed the music. Many songs were done together.
Before the Golden Globes, the Cannes Film Festival had already announced the color…
It was scary because no one had seen it before. The screening was great, the reception fabulous…
You also had double news at this Cannes Film Festival since you also produced “The Most Precious of Goods”, the feature film by Michel Hazanavicius, which also appeared in official competition…
Yes, 2024 was my year.
What are you currently working on?
If I manage to complete the financing with my company Akaba, I should be able to produce my first immersive dome film for Michel Ocelot [le réalisateur de « Kirikou » et « Azur et Asmar », NDLR] but I'm not sure I'll do it in Angoulême.
A digital dome is what you envisioned, among others, for the former Paradis Studios, but the project was shelved by Magelis in 2023. Obviously, you are still having trouble digesting your eviction…
I continue to think that it is absolute stupidity, that it is shameful, that this decision was taken against the Charentais. When we see how it unfolds in the world… And it annoys me when I pass by, nothing is moving, when I observe that these Paradis Studios are still empty. It's sad but it's over…
No chance that this immersive digital arts project will see the light of day elsewhere than at Chais Magelis, in Angoulême?
I was offered ruins that were too small, requiring 10 million euros of work. It didn't hold water. The project was already ambitious for Angoulême. This additional cost was untenable.
(1) Jury prize and collective female performance prize.
Nine weeks indoors in Angoulême
This is an exceptional longevity in cinema. The film “Emilia Pérez” was screened for nine weeks at the CGR in Angoulême. 105 sessions, in total, were programmed in the original version and in the French version. “It started slowly,” observes Matthieu Poligaré, the director, who recalls that the launch of the feature film in France, Wednesday August 21, coincided with the Francophone Film Festival in Angoulême. “But the word of mouth that gradually started building up was incredible. When you have seven films coming out every week, lasting nine weeks is huge. »
After the Golden Globes, 61 cinemas decided to show “Emilia Pérez” in France, indicates Valérie Schermann. The film has exceeded one million admissions.
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