After Tensions in Cap Corse released in 2017, the collection Murders in… is enriched with a new opus on the island, this time in Balagne. This unitary TV film from France Télévisions, directed by Octave Raspail and produced by IZBA Productions and C4 Prod, traces the return of a police commissioner to Corsica, one year after the death of her husband. During her stay, she is responsible for investigating a series of murders.
The screenplay was written by Julia Retali and Jean-Marie Antonini.
For the purposes of filming, which began in mid-November and was to last until mid-December, the casting director, Marie Abbenanti, saw many people, with varied profiles, vying for a small role.
Novice or experienced actors
Corse-Matin attended one of these casting sessions.
It is 1 p.m. when in a house nestled near the Marana, south of Bastia, Natale Mamberti and Jordan Andrei-Large prepare to play the coveted roles in front of Marie Abbenanti and her telephone. Natale, 25, systems, networks and cybersecurity engineer, started doing theater this summer and is participating in her first casting here. Jordan, 36 years old, theater actor, already has a few film castings under his belt.without it being [sa] speciality“.
The two “theatricians” play, exchange roles and deliver a performance after several takes, just to show several types of interpretation. “It shows that the actor knows how to move in his performance. It is by doing it several times that we become“, explains the casting director who has a rich experience of collaborations with Julie Allione, Stéphane Demoustier, Thierry de Peretti and Catherine Corsini.
“Once in character, it was easier! It's been a few months since I last played, it's very different from theater“, emphasizes Natale Mamberti. “It must be said that Marie makes us feel very comfortable. It's not like that all the time, sometimes you arrive, you do your thing once, twice and then that's it.“, adds Jordan Andrei-Large.
A few minutes later, it was the turn of Frédéric Poggi, 51, to perform. On display at Kingdom by Julien Colonna and Oshould have gone to Greece by Nicolas Benamou, he presents himself for a scene of around ten lines. Although exercise is no stranger to this actor, stage fright can be seen in the way he fiddles with his hands.
“Getting out of yourself to become someone else, being reserved by nature, allows you to escape from a prison of characterhe says before giving way to a new arrival.
Lucile Delanne, screenwriter and voiceover, came for two lines. With Eastern Plain as the latest casting, this forty-year-old, between two stretches, admits “hate“audition.”You have to respond to someone's desires without knowing what they are. What's good about Marie is that she offers improvisations, it's rare“, she confides, agreeing with the opinion of all the other suitors.
Candidates from all backgrounds
While waiting for the next candidate, Marie Abbenanti talks about the challenges she faces. “The challenge is to understand the director's vision, to be on the same wavelength in order to offer the imagined profiles. We still have a lot of actors but we remain an Island.“
After more than three hours of driving from Ajaccio, it is Annabelle Coti's turn to play three pages of dialogue. Well versed in theatrical exercise, she puts on a leather jacket to immerse herself in the character, before tackling a more substantial role. She engages in conversation, laughs then, suddenly, enters the skin of a grieving woman, on the verge of sobbing. “Does that suit you?, asks Marie Abbenanti. I hate it when actors leave without feeling like they've given their all.” “No, no, it's okay. In any case, we are always a little frustrated at the end of a casting or a performance“, retorts Annabelle, not really convinced despite a captivating performance.
As she leaves, the Ajaccian comes across Coco Orsoni, the last candidate. A regular on channel 33 for five seasons, the actress plays Bonnie in the comedy series Village. “I still have stage fright, the older I get, the worse it gets.”she laughs.
France
