Since March 14, the French film Delicacy, starring Audrey Tautou, has been slowly been rolling out across the United States in limited release. The film, which is based on the best-selling novel by David Foenkinos, who wrote and co-directed the film with his brother Stephane, stars Tautou as Nathalie, a French woman who has buried herself in work since losing her husband of three years. But, seemingly out of the blue and from a completely unexpected source, her spirits are lifted when she begins dating her office subordinate, Markus (Francois Damiens).
The film, as its title implies, is rich and enjoyable and one of my favorites so far this year. It is the kind of romantic film the French do so well. The kind of films that American audiences always claim they want to see instead of the typical Hollywood rom-com. A film that makes you want to rush off to Paris and fall in live.
As good fortune would have it, I had chance to talk with Tautou about the film a couple weeks back, and she is just as delightful in person as she is on film. Here is that exclusive interview.
I really enjoyed the film. It reminded me, at least in tone, of the Claude LeLouch film And Now My Love. What drew you to this script?
Audrey Tautou (AT): Well, I really liked how the writer told the story. The tone of the story. The fact that he was able to keep the humor, the spontaneity and the sensitivity in film that was so dramatic and really, about such a big event. And I really liked how we are always on the edge of sadness and lightness and love.
The character I played was very challenging for me. I wanted to see how I would play someone in mourning and go through all the various emotions. To play the youth of the character at the beginning of the film, full of hope, followed by the tragedy. How she tries to keep going even as she carries the death of her husband inside her.
I wanted to see how I could explore those feelings without being too melodramatic. To try and keep some dignity for her.
Did you have any experiences in your life to draw on when you were playing the character?
AT: Yes, I thought about some people. I drew on some experiences with family. Everybody, I think, has dealt at some time with someone that has died accidentally or unfairly in their life. Even if it is just a friend or a cousin. It was very interesting to think about the fact that you can find strength in tragedy. How you can recover your life after a tragedy.
How was it to play someone who had an extensive work life? A lot of films don’t do that.
AT: Well, it was important because that is how she dealt with her feelings, the loss that she was going through. So it was a big part of the character. She hides in her work. I was talking about dignity before, but it is how this woman deals with her emotions. She has to work to find strength.
One of the things I most enjoyed was both of the relationships the main character had in her life were good, but they were different. All too often in romantic films there is only black and white. Good relationship versus bad relationship. This film was much more subtle.
AT: Yes, yes. It was important to the film for it to be almost a love postcard with the relationship with my first husband. It was important to create the perfect couple. Then to show that sometimes in life, true love can be hidden inside somebody you could never imagine falling in love with. And to create something wonderful with them, too.
I think anyone who has ever dated will be able to relate to the first couple of dates you have when your character starts dating again.
AT: Yes, when you want everything in the date to go well, and everything gets weird. That’s what I loved about the movie. At every point in the film it is very real.
Jumping ahead. I have to say I really loved the final scene. I don’t want to give anything away, but the final scene was simply magical in my mind. Were you surprised by the ending when you first read the script.
AT: Yes, I was surprised at the ending. Because it is very audacious. I think it was very brave for a first time director to propose such an ending. It is magical and there is a lot of poetry in it as well.
While there is a satisfying ending, it still allows the audience to have there own ending as well.
AT: Yes, it’s the end of the movie and the start of a new story at the same time. It is the beginning of a new life and that is all up to the audience and their interpretation.
Here in the US you are mostly known for you’re upbeat, bubbly personality.
AT: Yes. Amelie ad hominem.
But in this film, particularly in the middle of the film, you play a character that is anything but upbeat. Was that difficult to play?
AT: Well, it isn’t fun to play a character that is carrying that much pain inside, and not being able to express it. But that interested me, too. To keep holding your head high, while inside the costume, there is an emptiness. So to be able do that, it wasn’t a pleasant thing to do, but it was necessary for the part. And that was one of my challenges.
You seemed to have a lot of fun working with Francois Damiens, who played your second love interest.
AT: Oh, yes. We had a lot of fun. We had a great time working together. He’s very much– He’s a lot like the character he plays. But beyond that, he’s very clever, creative and giving as an actor. Very easy to work with. It was a great experience for me and a great team.
Also, Bruno Todeschini, who plays a character that is essentially the villain of the film, is also very nuanced. He isn’t just a bad guy.
AT: No, he’s not a caricature.
Have you seen the finished movie?
AT: Yes, I have.
I mention this because one of my favorite scenes didn’t involve you.
AT: Thank you. Thank you very much. [laughs very loudly] I’m kidding…
Of course. I didn’t mean it the way it came out, but I really love the scene with Todeschini and Damiens when they go out for drinks. It was very funny.
AT: Yes, that was very good scene.
I assume the film has been released in France? How has it been received?
AT: Yes, it came out in December and we’ve been very pleased. It was a small first film and it has done quite well. And now it is going out around the world. It is interesting. It shows that sometimes you don’t need tons of special effects to touch people. [Just] a simple story, because really the story is rather simple.
It is a simple story, but the way it told is very complex.
AT: I think that is because it contains so many little details that you might not normally notice. That’s why the film has so much humanity.
Delicacy is in limited theaters now and you can click here for cities and theater locations. I’ve also included the trailer directly below.
