Mixing Fantasy with Reality

IN MEMORY OF US – An interview with Michel Léviant by Becky Hawketts

While chatting to Michel at the bar, he pulls a script out of a colourful hemp bag, explaining that it is the latest thing he has been working on: “At a screening of IN MEMORY OF US in Paris, this girl told me, ‘I would love to write but I don’t know how to proceed, can you help me?’ And here is the book we just wrote.” For Michel, striking up spontaneous partnerships such as this, is something he does effortlessly all the time and personal relationships are central to the way he works. IN MEMORY OF US is a compelling result of this intimate process. The story behind its completion is in some ways extremely complex and deeply moving, but in others, very carefree and light-hearted with many outcomes of the story left down to chance.

In 1994, Michel was asked to write a film script for television about three women holidaying in the countryside. Not impressed with the premise or hopeful for the film’s success, but having already promised Marie Vinoy (who plays Marielle), as an impulsive birthday present, that he would write her a part in his next film, he took up the job with just ten days in which to write a script. “I was sure the film would not be a good film,” he says, “It was just, how can I make three girls brushing their teeth interesting?” But the uselessness of the project was actually a blessing in disguise because it gave Michel real artistic freedom, particularly compared to previous films he had worked on.

He chatted to the actors, recorded their childhood memories and placed them within the script. He experimented with directing, improvisation and unconventional camera work. Philippe Lelièvre who played Pascal, complained while filming that it was a shame the location was so near to Paris as there was nowhere to go fishing. Michel had asked, “You like fishing? Well fine, I write in a fishing scene for you.” Michel struck up remarkable relationships with his entire cast and remained close friends with them.

However, after learning of Hélène Lapiower’s death from cancer a few years later, this light-hearted film, THE FAIRY WALL, suddenly took on a whole new meaning. Watching Hélène playing the troubled Jeanne eventually brought Michel to the idea of filming the actors again to produce a new film, IN MEMORY OF US. When I ask what it felt like to use the real death of one of the actors as a central plot to the new film, Michel admits it was difficult: “I decided to do the film, but not feeling too proud of myself. I described this vampire quality that I felt at the time in the character of Marielle who is also stealing the life of this poor girl.” In the end though, this intimate weaving of reality and fiction, and Michel’s use of his own relationships with the actors, only serve to make the film even more compelling and moving, and a beautiful tribute to Hélène.