Cécile De France The Kid With A Bike Interview

The Kid With A Bike

Cast: Thomas Doret, Cécile De France, Jérémie Renier
Directors: Jean-Pierre, Luc Dardenne
Genre: Drama
Rated: M
Running Time:87 minutes

Synopsis: Cyril, almost 12, has only one plan: to find the father who left him temporarily in a children's home. By chance he meets Samantha, who runs a hairdressing salon and agrees to let him stay with her at weekends. Cyril doesn't recognise the love Samantha feels for him, a love he desperately needs to calm his rage.

Release Date: March 15th, 2012

Cécile De France The Kid With A Bike Interview

Question: What was your first reaction once you finished reading the screenplay of The Kid with a Bike?

Cécile De France: The Dardennes write so well that I immediately saw the film... The power of simplicity is what best defines their work. This story of a young boy who wants to find his father needs no demonstrative effect. The intensity is subterranean; it rests on suggestion. The cinema of the two brothers doesn't give lessons, it refuses black and white interpretation and emotional blackmail. The screenplay was proof of that. And I just loved it.


Question: How did the brothers present Samantha to you?

Cécile De France: They don't like psychological explanations. Samantha is benevolent, radiant, but the Dardennes immediately made it clear to me that I should never overdo it in the sweetness department! They told me this film was a kind of modern fairy tale and that my job was to represent a woman who is a mixture of kindness and strength and whose motivations remain unknown. At first Cyril isn't so much attracted by Samantha as by the possibility she offers of finding her father. Cyril is the central character. Samantha is at his service. And I had to serve the story.


Question: Frustrating?

Cécile De France: Absolutely not! I like to be of service! And I really liked the fact that I had to forget certain actors' habits. I had to put my ego aside. With the Dardennes anyway, you have to put aside all forms of nonsense. Forget all about an 'actor's performance'! Belgians have a "No to glamour!' attitude. "No to the star system!", "All for the story!". That's fine by me.


Question: Have you wanted to work with them for a long time?

Cécile De France: Yes. I love the way they show real life and our society. The Dardenne Brothers are Belgium! They film our country with such subtlety. I was truly honoured that they invited me into their world. The more singular the directors' world is, the more it enriches me.


Question: Did you get much from the month of preparation before shooting?

Cécile De France: A huge amount! Actors always want to fight for their character, to make the most of them. I would have tended to make Samantha sweeter. The rehearsals allowed the brothers to help me play down the maternal side. It was all about developing neutrality... a lot of work. We rehearsed for over a month, on the actual sets, in costume. No comparison with the handful of read-throughs I'm used to. The brothers enjoy searching and like to take their time. And I liked that too.


Question: How did you find working with your co-star Thomas Doret, who is only 13?

Cécile De France: The Dardenne brothers are really good at making everyone feel equal. I never felt like the 'experienced actor'. Thomas spent even more time than me rehearsing so in fact he was ahead of the game. His being new at acting gave him some advantages He was able to find the spontaneity of his character much quicker than I. He didn't have to erase his previous experiences.


Question: Has this experience changed the way you look at cinema?

Cécile De France: Restraint is much more a part of my range now. I want to continue to create and invent but learning how not to do so was such a rich experience.


Question: Here you are in competition in Cannes again...

Cécile De France: The first time was in 2006 for The Singer by Xavier Giannoli. I have such a fond memory of that giant screen, the atmosphere… I'm particularly proud to come back to Cannes for The Kid With a Bike which is part of a cinema genre I love most of all. A film that helps us understand the world we live in does us good.