Article by Anna Takayama

Director, Alice Mitterrand recently submitted her film, D’UNE VIE A L’AUTRE to the ÉCU 2010 Dramatic Short category. She discusses the joys and sorrows of motherhood as well as her own struggles as a filmmaker.

Q: What is your film about?

The film is about motherhood, which is a very sensitive time in a woman’s life. Everything changes: one’s way of thinking, one’s priorities, and one’s vision on life. In this story I want to show that when a woman becomes a mother, she can enjoy the most intense happiness as well as live the worst nightmare. Nothing is predictable. Suddenly, life appears so precious and so fragile at the same time. The fear one experiences in motherhood is often relentless, which is why I wanted to direct the film as a psychological thriller.

Q: Your film struck me as a deeply personal account of motherhood. How did you come up with the story?

A few years ago, I was horrified by a story I read in the paper: a woman had stolen a baby in a maternity hospital. I instantly began to imagine how the mother must have felt, the fear and the deep anguish. Then I forgot about it. And some months later, when I became a mother myself, this story came  back to me very powerfully. I was ready to tell it in the most organic and instinctive way.

Q: Your film is made in a way that does not give the audience a straightforward plot. Why did you decide to tell your story this way?

I wish to invite the audience to follow a path that leads to a different way of seeing and feeling things. My purpose is to make the act of stealing a baby understandable. But at the same time, I wished to show devastating this was for the robbed mother. So this path has to be emotional, strange, and different. Besides, I don’t like to give keys that would lead to an obvious and logical understanding. Mystery is a better guide. I like movies like Mulholland Drive, Donnie Darko, Dark Water or The Others because you may feel lost and because you don’t always understand what’s going on, but at the same time, you are totally immersed in the story. When you are struck by a strong existential anguish, the way you think is simultaneously disconnected from reality and totally connected with your soul. I wanted the film to reflect the precise sensation that we experience once in a while, in exceptional moments.

Q: How did you meet Cécile de France and what was the casting process like?

I met Cécile de France in 1995 when we were studying drama and following acting classes together in a prestigious national school (ENSATT) in France. I was very sensitive to her acting style and her powerful instinct as an actress. I saw her in Electra by Sophocles and I remember how strong she was in a real drama. As I wrote the script, it was inspiring to think about her. I knew exactly how she could give life to the characters, and I was very excited by the idea of using her great talent in this drama. After she read the script and before the shooting, she had a baby. It was just ideal– the subject was now totally obvious to her. She not only understood the story but felt it in the flesh. We were speaking the same language.

Q: Cécile de France plays the two main characters, Milla and the young mother. Why did you decide to have her play both characters?

The only way I could visually  express the power of the bound that unites these two women was to put the same actress in both characters. Each woman is the reflection of the other one. Anything can happen any time. The despair of the first woman is going to affect the second one. And if their own destinies are at the opposite, the intensity of their feelings and hopes is  exactly the same. Giving them identical faces indicates how fragile the line is, separating happiness and despair.

Q: How long did it take for you to complete the film?

The shooting itself took 4 days, but with the editing process and all the post-production I would say it took 2 months to complete the film, and that’s without counting the writing period and finding the financing for the project. All in all I would say I worked about 2 years on it.

Q: Tell us a little about the soundtrack–how did you choose your music?

Yan Volsy is the composer for the music. When he saw the first images of the film he suggested me three melodies. The first one was exactly what I had in mind. A bit electronic but very human and dream-like. It was somehow magical to hear something that was a perfect match with the images and the atmosphere I wanted to create.

Q: How were you able to gain sponsorship and support from many companies, including France 3?

Fighting again and again would be the most appropriate answer. The subject and the unusual way I wanted to film it were not always easy to defend. Many critics were attacking some aspect of the script, for example the fact that the same actress would act in both characters. But my conviction in my choices has supported me when I was confronted to other people’s doubts. Finally the most understanding were 2 channels, 13ème rue and France 3, which were really interested in the project. I think that the curiosity of discovering Cécile de France in this kind of challenge was also a source of enthusiasm.

Q: Tell us about your next project.

It’s a feature film titled “Les pieds sur Mars” (“Feet on Mars”). The story is about a father who creates a wonderful lie to protect his son from the misfortune of his disease. The film will be produced by Bonne Pioche Productions.