PARIS | French actor and director Nicolas Bedos was inspired to write his fourth feature film by a dark period in his youth. masqueradea suspenseful comedy about two unsuspecting young rent prostitutes trying to get rich under the French Riviera sun.
First let’s get one thing straight: Nicolas Bedos has never been a con man or even a gigolo like the hero of his new movie played by Pierre Niney. The scenario of Masquerade, however, comes from a chapter in his life that he has even already told in an unpublished novel.
“It was a novel that was much more autobiographical [que le film] “, stresses Nicolas Bedos, who met last January as part of the Unifrance meetings in Paris.
“In particular, I shared about one particular summer when I was being carried from house to house. I was a bit like Pierre Niney in the film, an incomplete and alcoholic character. It was a book that was more in the form of a confession, but I had too much to say and tell. On the other hand, it came about all of a sudden when it was adapted for the cinema. »
Photos provided by SPHERE FILMS
Director Nicolas Bedos.
The wealth of others
Mascarade is Nicolas Bedos’ fourth feature film as director (after La Belle Epoque and OSS 117: Red Alert in Sub-Saharan Africa) and stars Adrien (Pierre Niney), a former dancer-turned-gigolo entertained by Marta (Isabel Adjani). ), a former glory of cinema, in a grand villa on the Côte d’Azur.
However, his meeting with Margot (Marine Vacth), a young and pretty con artist, will upset his relationship with Marta. Together, Adrien and Margot devise a plan to scam a wealthy real estate agent (François Cluzet).
Nicolas Bedos does not hide it: the characters of Masquerade are not very pleasant. On the one hand, the two disillusioned young hustlers multiply their schemes to rob the rich people. On the other end of the spectrum, the older characters may have lots of money but are pathetic nonetheless.
“It’s the first time I’ve directed such dark and negative characters,” admits the filmmaker and son of legendary comedian Guy Bedos.
“The big challenge was getting the audience to want to stay in the room and not be tempted to run away. These are questions I often asked myself about this film. »
An iconic actress
Nicolas Bedos admits that it didn’t take him long to find the right actress to play the character of Marta. The name Isabelle Adjani went through his mind as he wrote the screenplay.
“You’d have to be a bit stupid not to think about her when you’re writing a character like that,” he laughs. “We needed an iconic, legendary actress, a little bit borderline and Isabelle can act great. However, contrary to what some people believed when the film was released in France, the character of Marta is not inspired by her. I was more inspired by an actress who was a friend of my parents and a big star in the 1960s and 1970s. It is also a film that tells a lot about the history of cinema. I had fun. »
masquerade hits theaters on May 19th.