Lounge liard

‘I TOLD DEPARDIEU HE WAS THE WOMAN IN THE FILM'

Tom Dawson meets Xavier Giannoli, the writer/director of hit French film The Singer, and discovers how he tamed Gerard Depardieu

he l‘reuch director Xavier (iiannoli can

pinpoint the moment cinetua entered his life.

He was liye years old and asleep in his pat‘ents‘ flat in Paris. when he woke up to the sound of tanks and machine guns. It turned out that the noise was coming from the flat downstairs. where a new neighbour. the famous lirench singer (‘hristophe \Villem. had moy ed in.

‘llc was a cinephile. who had his own projection facilities and who watched films on celluloid.’ recalls (iiannoli. 'In time. he showed tue King Kong. West Side Story. and The sly/UNI]! Jung/e. One day we'd watch an intellectual (iodat'd film and the next Mary Poppins. l deyeloped a clandestine relationship with film: we were worried that the police might cotne and confiscate the films. because it was illegal then to screen them in your own home on celluloid.‘

'l‘hree decades on and (iiannoli has retained his passion for film. particularly for filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese and 'l‘errence .\lalick. and has become an acclaimed writer and director in his own right. llis short The Interview won the Palme d’Or in NW and last year his third full-length feature The Singer » a mming \lay-Decetnber romance between an ageing dance-hall crooner Alain (Gerard Depardieul and a troubled estate agent Marion ((‘ecile de France) was selected in competition at Cannes. So what. I ask Giannoli. attracted him to

making a film set in the far-from-glamorous milieu of

pt'oyincial (iallic showbusiness'.’ ‘\\'ell. my pt‘L‘\l0lls film Only the Night had been a

38 THE LIST «1 Sc". :3."

setback for me - it was a real slap in the face. because the audience wasn‘t there for it. I started thinking about what l felt like when I listened to certain songs. why they touched me. why they swept me off my feet like certain films. I remembered a line from a French writer. “Maybe it's more important to inspire affection than admiration".

'I came up with the idea of making the main character a dance hall singer. and after research I ended up meeting the chanter Alain Chanone in (‘lermont-Ferrand. Alain realised he wasn‘t a great singer and he would never be star. but it was important for him that his job was well done.’

Certainly (iiannoli elicits from his star Gerald Depardieu one of his finest performances in years. with the actor imbuing his role as a fading. promiscuous and smooth—talking chanter with dignity and vulnerability. ls there a secret to directing someone of Depardieu's reputation? ‘I just told (ierard not to lie.‘ replies Giannoli. ‘And I said to him that l was looking for an actor. not a star. He understood that straight away. I also told him that the character he played was the woman in the film he's the one taking care of his hair. who is sensitive and afraid. who is waiting at home for the phone to ring. while it's his androgynous-looking co-star Cécile de France occupies the more masculine role. I think his work in The Singer shows him at his best.’

The Singer, GFT, Glasgow, and Filmhouse, Edinburgh, from Fri 28 Sep.

llit >l<

THE BEST FILM & DVD RELEASES

* The Yacoublan Building Good Egyptian films don't come round that often so don't miss this epic multi character drama. See review. page 39. GFE Glasgow from Fri 21-Sun 23 Sep.

* A Mighty Heart Angelina Jolie stars in Michael Winterbottom's moving adaptation of Mariane Pearl's book about the kidnapping of her journalist husband Daniel in 2002. See review. page 40. General release from Fri 21 Sep.

* The Brave One Jodie Foster becomes the Taxi Driver in this intelligent vigilante drama directed by Neil Jordan. See review. page 42. General release from Fri 28 Sep.

* Michael Clayton Exemplary conspiracy thriller set in a large corporate New York law firm starring George Clooney. See feature. page 10. General release from Fri 28 Sep.

* The Singer See interview, left. GFT, Glasgow and Fi/mhouse, Edinburgh from Fri 28 Sep.

* Superbad Simple but very funny teenagers in search of booze and a party comedy. General release.

* Atonement Good Ian McEwan adaptation. General release from Fri 7 Sep.

3 3:10 to Yuma Exceptionally fine western remake. General release from Fri 14 Sep.

8 Marilyn Monroe: The Collection First volume of classic Monroe films includes Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Bus Stop. See DVD roundup. page 43. Out Mon 1 Oct (Fox). * One Last Dance Overlooked Singapore-set crime drama from 2005 starring Harvey Keitel finally gets a decent DVD release. See review, page 43. Out Mon 24 Sep (Tartan).