Jeju French Film Festival 2018 - White Spirit (Du Blanc à L'âme)
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I've always wanted to do a musical. The idea of making a movie about Monsieur Blanc came from a French idiomatic expression, and it felt like a great opportunity to explore this genre and tell the story of this unusual character with the necessary amount of fantasy.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Because it's filled with songs, dances and colors, and it's been crafted to bring you a bit of joy and happiness – which are much-needed these days!
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Du blanc à l'âme is the story of a man who doesn't fit in, who can't find his place in the world, and who's convinced that his job is pointless. That's kind of n universal and contemporary issue actually, and one I feel deeply connected to. It's hard to find meaning in what we do nowadays, and I didn't want to talk about this in a gloomy way but I felt it was something worth telling.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The synopsis has known a lot of steps, but the main one has been my meeting with the composer, Alissa Wenz, who is also a screenwriter. She knows very well that a song in a movie should bring dramatic stakes.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Good ones, but I guess people who dislike the film didn't show up to speak about it with me!
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
The film is not always easy to understand, especially outside of France, because it lays very much on French idiomatic expressions and puns based on language subtleties. But when people come to me and tell me they've been moved at the end of the film when Monsieur Blanc, on the shooting set, eventually finds salvation thanks to art, it makes me extremely happy. This is really the most important thing to understand about the film: it's all about finding a way to belong and to be true to oneself through art, using your skills in an unusual way.
Some people might have felt the movie was a bit old-fashioned or outdated, not contemporary enough, and I guess the musical sometimes feels "artificial" but I'm still convinced it's a great way to tell a story visually and an amazing genre to explore.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope more people will discover the film! That's really why we do movies: to bring stories, characters and a vision to the world.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Every single people who's willing to promote the movie will help me achieve what I'm aiming at - spreading joy to as many viewers as possible!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Once again, I would like the film to be watched by as many people as possible and I'd love them to feel a bit lighter, a bit more joyful by the end of it.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Any question about musical films – this is a genre I could talk about for hours and it's not an easy one to defend nowadays, even though LaLaLand's success has made it popular again for a short while!
Would you like to add anything else?
I hope you'll have a great time watching the movie!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
A short one and a feature film, both dealing with the issue of faith and belonging in our contemporary societies. There won't be dance and music for these ones, but it's only a matter of time!
Interview: January 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Du Blanc à l'âme (White Spirit)
Gaps in conversations: everybody tries to avoid them. It is sadly White's job to interfere in conversations at appropriate – or quite inconvenient – moments in order to disturb them.
Length: 25:00
Director: Aude Thuries
Producer: Topshot Films
Writer: Aude Thuries
About the writer, director and producer:
Du Blanc à l'âme is AUDE THURIES' first short film. She is currently preparing another short movie, and writing her first feature film. Topshot is a young Parisian production company, with several short movies awarded in festivals.
Key cast: Romain Francisco
Facebook: Topshot Films
Twitter: @AudeThuries
Instagram: Aude Thuries
Funders: Région Poitou-Charentes
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? On French television (France 2), broadcast on 7 Jan 2019 at 1:00. On france.tv after that. In other countries, on Kanopy and Sofy.tv.