The experience of nascent and confusing feelings is vital to the cinema of André Téchiné (Farewell to the Night, Competition). The French master shares insights into the characters he chooses to create, like the rebellious youths of his 1994 success Wild Reeds and the later Being 17, which premiered at the Berlinale in 2016. Interior conflicts often spawn violent outbursts in his work, giving the young actors who embody such protagonists a chance to play a wide emotional register; this is perhaps why Téchiné has helped to launch many actors’ careers. Taking a personal selection of his works into consideration, he discusses his influential casting choices, the creative development of his films and his imaginative responses to challenging production processes.