Artists Always Create from Their Emotions

—This film directly confronts the painful essence of love, rather than just sweet romance. Did you find it courageous to depict the reality of male-female relationships?

The theme and filmmaking are entirely separate. When I shot my first film, the content was very hard and serious, but I was able to make it with a cheerful and happy spirit. So, just like then, even though I was dealing with a difficult theme, depicting it was not painful at all. If anything, the filmmaking process itself is what's painful.

—What kind of struggles are involved in filmmaking?



—In this film, you distinctly differentiate between men and women. How did you gather ideas for the episodes that embody these differences between the heroine, Tony, and her lover, Giorgio?


I don't take notes, but I observe people all the time. And I absorb it. If I were to take notes, the thought would leave my mind at that moment, and if I couldn't find the notebook, it would be a disaster (laughs). So, I try to keep what I feel in my heart and make it my own. The details of the story, rather than being expressed outwardly, are matured within me, and then I draw them out when I'm writing the script.

—So, the films you create are deeply colored by your personal thoughts, meaning what you've seen, heard, and felt has been internalized?

Of course! Artists always create from their emotions.



—The casting combination this time was also wonderful.

I had Emmanuelle Bercot in mind for Tony from the moment I started writing the script. For Giorgio, I considered Vincent Cassel two or three times before deciding on him. I thought he was an amazing actor who could play different roles in each film, but when I actually met him, he was just as I expected—he has a great sense of humor and is charming. I was convinced that by casting him, who is so versatile, I could embody the character of Giorgio like clay in my hands.

Page02.The Ambiguity of the Title?

The Ambiguity of the Title?

—Today, society champions gender equality, but it's not quite the same in romance. The person who loves more often ends up in a weaker position. 'Mon Roi' in the title means 'My King,' but is that a reflection of this sentiment?



That's right. But who is on top, who becomes the king or queen, depends on the situation. Also, I put irony into the title. Initially, Giorgio is portrayed as a wonderful king, but as the story progresses, the meaning of the title changes. He ends up acting like a dictator, trying to control everything himself. There's even a line that says 'a king of scoundrels,' but if you watch with the dual meaning of 'Roi' in mind, I think you'll find the changes in their relationship even more compelling.

—The film is primarily told from a female perspective, but were there differences in audience reactions between men and women?

It's difficult to generalize reactions. I can imagine women might be more deeply moved. But perhaps some men, seeing Giorgio, might reflect on their own masculinity, thinking, 'He's like me...'

—The ending, which so clearly delineates the differences between Tony and Giorgio, and by extension, between men and women, was superb. Did you have the ending decided from the beginning?

No. Actually, I had a different ending in mind and had even finished shooting it. Tony goes to the zoo, to the wolf enclosure. She climbs over the fence and approaches a wolf. It opens its mouth wide in front of her. It was a very thrilling scene. But Tony isn't scared at all. Then the wolf closes its mouth and kisses her. It means, 'I'm not afraid of wolves!' It implies that if you can overcome one wolf, you can fall in love with another. This ending, however, became a phantom one.



—That also sounds like a fascinating ending. Why was it cut?

Initially, I had woven the motif of wolves throughout the film. But there was a point where I cut everything. Since it's a two-hour film, I started to feel it would be better to focus on the core of the story without straying down too many side paths. So, I began to see the wolf motif as superfluous. The wolf symbolizes the male. While men certainly have their enjoyable aspects, I wanted to symbolize their darker sides with the wolf. Perhaps there will be an opportunity to see this phantom ending somewhere.

—Thinking about it that way, Giorgio does have a certain wild, wolf-like charm. Perhaps that's why their love feels so raw and instinctual. The film felt like a story about a battle of love.

Exactly. It's a story of conflict. Not just the internal struggles of one person, but also the duel between man and woman is a theme. Tony and Giorgio are completely different in their thinking, appearance, and social class. That's why the battle is so intense. If men and women had more in common, their way of loving might not be as fierce as theirs, but perhaps they could build a longer-lasting relationship. When passion flares up intensely at the beginning, only the differences remain when things cool down. Such relationships are difficult. However, I believe what one finds in a relationship, even if it doesn't last long, is up to each individual.



"Mon Roi"
Director: Maïwenn ("Polisse")
Starring: Emmanuelle Bercot ("Standing Tall"), Vincent Cassel ("Beauty and the Beast"), Louis Garrel ("The Dreamers"), Isild Le Besco ("Adoration"), and others
Distribution & Promotion: ALBATROS FILM, Cetera International /
Winner of Best Actress Award at the 68th Cannes Film Festival
Nominated for 8 major awards at the 41st César Awards
Now playing to great acclaim at YEBISU GARDEN CINEMA, Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho, and other theaters nationwide!
© 2015 / LES PRODUCTIONS DU TRESOR – STUDIOCANAL
http://www.cetera.co.jp/monroi/