THE OPINION OF THE “WORLD” – TO SEE
Actor in more than thirty films, including four by Valérie Donzelli on which he was co-screenwriter (The Queen of Apples, Madeleine and the postman, War is declared, Together), Jérémie Elkaïm had been harboring the desire to make a film since adolescence. At 43, he finally made it happen, with They are alive, his first feature film. A double thumbs up helped him take the plunge. The first dates back to the day when Marina Foïs confided to the actor her desire to see the autobiographical novel by Béatrice Huret adapted, Calais my love (Kero editions, 2017). The second came a little later, when the producers Albane de Jourdan, Jérôme Salle, Marc Simoncini (Super 8 Production) asked him to be the director.
The story of Béatrice Huret with beautiful and good feelings, they are alive risked turning blue in the context of the refugee crisis. It is quite the opposite, thanks to the organic imprint (suggested in the very title of the film), carnal and powerful that Jérémie Elkaïm was able to bring to the story, by remaining as close as possible to bodies, skins, heartbeats . This imprint is affirmed as the film progresses and as the two main characters abandon themselves to each other. It is present from the first minutes.
Amorous feelings without a future
It is thus on a body, but a body without life, that begins they are alive. Béatrice’s husband (Marina Foïs) has just been buried. His wife, his son, his colleagues and friends paid their last respects to the deceased – a professional policeman, not badly carried on the bottle, xenophobic ideas firmly fixed and a nimble hand. It is clear that in twenty years of marriage, Beatrice has had a hard time. The fatigue on her face and the little sadness she shows proves it. However, she is not a small thing – rather a big mouth, on the contrary – and life goes on. Even if it must be recognized that this one has never been folichonne. No more at home than at the hospital where she works as a nurse in a geriatric unit. Today, Béatrice wants above all to be left alone.
As she leaves her service and prepares to return home, the young widow accidentally knocks down a migrant with her car. Braque in words as in these gestures, but not bad girl basically, she agrees to accompany the young man to the “jungle” of Calais. Then leave immediately. Neither really hostile nor benevolent, she simply has nothing to do with these people and their distress. On this side, she had her account. She will just come back to get rid of the husband’s clothes. She will meet the gaze of a man who will support hers. He is Iranian, his name is Mokhtar (Seear Kohi). They will meet again. Desire will precede the feeling of love. Which, deprived of a future, will encumber them. They are not ready for it.
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