“I still don’t know clearly who Julie is, my character. Nor who I am … “ Unknown so far – outside the cenacle of Norwegian theaters -, Renate Reinsve, 33, Best Actress Award at Cannes for her role in Julie (in 12 chapters), by Joachim Trier, receives, by videoconference, in the all-wood house of the XVIIe century, in the heart of Oslo, that she bought a bite of bread six years ago from a bankrupt merchant. She smiles. “No one wanted it except me. I was alone at the time and green with fear. While all my friends were going to party, I found myself on YouTube watching long, super boring documentaries on how to fix your house… ”
Dazzled by Bergman’s home where she had just shot a short film for her friend Halfdan Ullmann Tondel, grandson of the Swedish director, the actress has renovated almost everything – apart from taking over the structure – herself. So much so that, tired of the theater and disappointed by the poverty of what was offered to her at the cinema, she planned to make it her profession: carpenter. “ Everything is a little askew, but it gave me pride and strength, it was relaxing compared to the emotional chaos of playing. ” She mimics tinkering: “So this is here, and this there … very meditative.” “
“Imposture syndrome”
In her coarse wool sweater, the young woman has precise words, a concentrated look, a gentle gesture. Often, like Julie, her character, she blushes. And as for Julie – the “ worst person in the world ”, if we are to believe the ironic original title of the film (Verdens verste menneske) -, it seems capable of taking all tangents. “Have you heard of the paradox of choice?” In our world, the range of possibilities is so vast that one can quickly feel lost, sad and lonely. “
It is precisely at this moment, when she is about to desert the sets, that Joachim Trier enters the scene. The director, who had recruited her for the first time ten years ago, while she was still in theater school, to Oslo, August 31 (only one scene but nine days of shooting to catch the morning light), is convinced that she has the makings of a star. “On the set, at the time, he used to say to me: you have to do a leading role, remembers the actress. Me, I laughed, I said yes, yes, and I repeated the only line of text I had to say: “Let’s go party!” “ A few years later, seeing that no role worthy of her comes, Joachim decides to write this film for her.
You have 56.02% of this article to read. The rest is for subscribers only.