Delights of a Delicate Words by Nature Sarah Bonnefoi There are many topics in life that are difficult to deal with, even more so to talk about. Death is one of them. Nevertheless, there is always a need for people to be relieved of their pain. Sometimes, a work of fiction can help overcoming hardships. Delicacy is first a novel written by David Foenkinos. Later, David Foenkinos and his brother decided to adapt it into a movie together. The story is that of Nathalie – played by Audrey Tautou - a beautiful young woman, who has a perfect life; job, friends, family and husband. Her balance is disrupted when her husband dies of a car accident and she thus has to learn how to live without him. Most of the times when a book is adapted into a movie one focuses on whether the director
remained faithful to the book or if it was adapted freely. Here there is no such question as the cowriter and co-director of the movie is also the author. The Foenkinos Brothers have made a very interesting adaptation in the sense that even if the audience knows that it is the same story as the book – the movie appears to be a unique piece of art. Nathalie’s journey is both beautiful and hard to watch. After the death of her husband she has only one wish - that everybody acts normally around her. Her family, co-workers and best friend cannot stop surrounding her with care and attention. But she feels smothered and only tries to learn how to deal with life again. The story is one of a rebirth and it goes to show that life
does not stop after the death of a loved-one. Ultimately, through a very surrealistic and yet cinematographic kiss, Nathalie will come back to life and start loving again. If death is a common fate, love seems here to be the main purpose and salvation in people’s life. The movie is itself very delicate. Audrey Tautou illuminates the movie, and her duo with François Damien, who plays the swedish co-worker with whom she fells in love, is both touching and comical. As the movie is dealing with widowhood and rebirth, comical scenes are essential to give some meaning to the absurd reality of things. On top of everything, the music of the movie works as a real binder between the characters and their emotions. Here again, another story is told. Emilie Simon – who did the soundtrack- was herself experimenting the same tragedy as Nathalie in the movie and her work on Delicacy seems all the more to the point when knowing this fact.
Delicacy seems also to tell us how little control one has over one’s life. There are unexpected twist and turns in life. Death is part of it and even if it comes mostly by surprise we are prepared for this.
“even if the spectator knows that it is the same story as the book – the movie appears to be a unique piece of art.” However, it does not necessarily mean emptiness. It can also be a synonym of rebirth and the main character – by falling in love with an unexpected person - shows how much one has little control on things. Delicacy seems to suggest that it is best this way.
Delicacy is in cinemas 13 April via Studiocanal
Brothers In Arms Cinémoi meets with brothers David and Stéphane Foenkinos to discuss their debut film Delicacy.
Words by Avalon Lyndon
Where did you get the seed for the idea of the story in the first place? David Foenkinos: Sometimes it’s difficult to know where the idea came from. Even if it’s not autobiographical, there is a lot of me in this book. I wanted to make a story about a strange love story, and about the idea that what is most important in a love story is good timing. And I think that what is very important in the Markus character is that he arrives exactly at the perfect moment in the life of Nathalie. I love this idea.
When you were writing the novel, did you think about it being a film? D: No, not at all. My brother, when he read the book, told me, “This is the subject for us.” And each time some producers wanted to make one of my books into a movie I always said, “I don’t want to write the script or to be involved in any way.” But this time it was different. I wanted to continue a story with this story and not to give my characters to anyone.
“the first cut was like two and a half our first feature, two and a half hours. Do you think anything was lost or gained in the adaptation process? D: Yes, of course. It’s very difficult. There are many things in the book that you can’t have in the movie. For instance, there’s Markus’s depressive childhood in Sweden that was in the book. And in the movie you see only a thirty-second scene with his parents; you don’t understand it because they’re talking in Swedish. In the movie there’s also a new character, Sophie, the best friend. She is not in the book. There’s more in the movie, the music and everything. It’s like the two parts of the one thing.
hours. And it was impossible, like, “Ah it's .” They would have wanted to kill us.” Stéphane Foenkinos: And also it’s a question of choices, it’s always the same thing. Even in the film, the first cut was like two and a half hours. And it was impossible, like, “Ah it’s our first feature, two and a half hours.” They would have wanted to kill us. Studiocanal would have shot us. So it was very difficult at first because we had to take away forty-five minutes, but in the end you know that because of these choices, it’s different – and yet, it’s very close to the book.
There are a lot of books getting made into films – particularly at the moment. Do you think that literature is a good springboard for films?
D: No. What is important is a good story. S: I think also that producers are lazy. So they will instantly buy a story that already exists. To have an original story is very difficult. And I mean original, in terms of trying to do something that hasn’t been done. And we know that with big studios today movies are about prequels, sequels, triquels and remakes. That tells a lot about the state of creativity, when you remake films that have been remade two or three times. I understand when they do remakes of, say, The Picture of Dorian Grey. But when they do another Spiderman reboot when the last one was made eight ago? This is insane! This is just to make money. There’s nothing creative about it.
This is a very distinct love story. I was wondering whether or not you had any plans to branch out into other genres? S: You’ll see, you’ll see. You never know. The most important thing is to surprise yourself. D: We want to make a movie in black and white, mute, with a dog. That would work, I think. [Laughs.]
Stéphane, you’re often a casting director. Could you tell me a bit about the casting process, and what elements of the actors you felt resonated with the characters in the book? S: Of course when David wrote the book he didn’t think of the film, he didn’t think of anybody. When I read the book and when he started writing the screenplay, immediately Audrey Tautou came to mind. The thing is, I think it was crazy because she only makes one film a year, she hasn’t done a film in two years because she was on stage. And she hasn’t done a first feature film in ten years, so it was a big challenge. I had known her years before because I was a casting director and I cast her in a film, on her pre-Amélie days, and we had this link. But she liked the story. And we were ecstatic when she said yes. And around her we had to build it. François Damiens was physically perfect for the character [of Markus]. He’s extremely famous in France because he’s a comedian who does candid camera, and he plays these horrible outrageous characters. And you would never think that he has such sensitivity. When we sat with him, it was wonderful because I saw in my brother’s eyes that he was witnessing the appearance the third dimension of his character, the character he created on paper. D: In life he is exactly like the character. S: Except he is dressed better.
“When I read the book and when he started writing the screenplay, immediately Audrey Tautou came to mind.” Do you think that you two will always direct together? Or do you think you will go off and do your own thing? D: Like The Beatles? But where is Yoko? I’ll have to find someone… Yes, I think we are going to make another movie together. Because he needs me, I’m brilliant – as you know. S: And I’m helpless! [They both laugh.] D: We are completely complimentary. S: It’s strange but it’s true.
Obviously making a film is very stressful – does it help that you two can just argue and shout at each other and not have to worry about offending anyone? D: You’re right. S: There’s no hard feelings. D: I can be very strong with him – S: And he knows I’m always right! It’s interesting that we love films by siblings. You know, at the Césars this year in France, it was the first time ever that sisters and brothers were nominated for first feature films [the Foenkinos brothers for Delicacy and Delphine and Muriel Coulin for 17 Filles]. It’s easy. I do everything. That’s all you need to understand. [Laughs.]
Do you have a comeback to that? A final word? D: Well… I wrote the book!