This evening, France 2 is broadcasting “Un destin unexpected”, a film directed by Sonia Rolland. From the basketball courts to the spotlight of a beauty contest, this former Miss France opens her heart in this film which is inspired by her journey.
Crowned Miss France 2000 at just 18 years old, Sonia Rolland is today an essential figure on French television.
She who dreamed of being a basketball player will finally wear the Miss France scarf a little by chance. And it is today in An Unexpected Destiny, which will be broadcast this evening on France 2, that Sonia Rolland has decided to tell her story.
Met last September at the La Rochelle Fiction Festival, Sonia Rolland spoke to Allociné about this modern and social fairy tale that she wrote and directed.
Allociné: After making a documentary on Rwanda and a short film entitled An Ordinary Life, you decided to tell part of your story in An Unexpected Destiny. What motivated this project?
Sonia Rolland : To introduce myself to the public and tell a little about what has driven me since I was very young. When we are born in the media through Miss France, we are assigned to something which remains of the order of glossy paper but which we do not know very well deep down. It was a way of showing that when destiny intervenes, you should not insult it.
On this film, you are not only a director since you also take on the role of screenwriter. What challenges did you have to face in managing this dual role?
It took me six years to make this film. It took me six years to convince myself that I was a director who could take on this role fully. On the other hand, I was aware of one thing, which was that I was tackling an ambitious project. I surrounded myself with people who really inspired me, from the cinematographer to the editor to the producers to the program advisor. I had a great team.
You tell your story in this film. Is it a difficult exercise to reveal yourself so much and to immerse yourself in sometimes difficult parts of your life?
It’s complicated to keep the right distance from what can sometimes be painful. Everything that has been painful, things that are difficult to digest like racism or social discrimination, or things that can weigh you down and prevent you from moving forward in life. This film is really for everyone because the popular world must continue to believe in it and get rid of its chains but also its own demons. Because ultimately, we all have an inner enemy who prevents us from moving forward and who tells us: “No, don’t go, it’s not for you“. I can’t hear this sentence. I am proof that with determination, work and listening, we move forward. We can go very far. But for that, you have to know how to recover in question.
There are many autobiographical aspects in this story but also certainly as many fictionalized passages. What is true and what is not?
Everything is true except what is at stake between the Misses. These are testimonies that come from certain Misses and that I wanted to highlight. It was experienced but not necessarily in my time. What is true is Nadia’s journey, what she experiences, her emotions, the anxieties of her family and those around her. There are a lot of true things but there is also a large element of fiction because I wanted everyone to see themselves in this film.
To make it more universal, I detached myself from my region. I gave my character Miss Poitou-Charentes’ scarf. It was a way of thanking them for accompanying me on this adventure. In any case, it doesn’t change anything but it still allows viewers to distance themselves from my personal story.
In this film, Clementine Célarié plays Lady Tinker Bell. Did this person really exist?
Yes. It still exists. Her name is Geneviève Leblanc. She was our chaperone and Madame de Fontenay’s right arm. At the time, Madame de Fontenay wanted to let a Miss understand that she was one of her favorites. There was a kind of impartiality that she imposed and therefore she did not have to deal with the candidates at the time. It was quite pleasant actually, because it challenged us and made us want to know more about her.
Before my election, Geneviève was very discreet. She wasn’t the one we saw working on the sets. It was really born from my election. She wanted to show that this plural France was honored and that she was proud of it through my election which was still very new. I was the first Miss of African origin, which symbolized something incredible at the time.
Was the Miss France committee aware of your film project?
Yes. The Miss France company is a partner of this film. Madame de Fontenay was aware of the project. She even offered to lend me her hat. What I regret is that she couldn’t see it. She was very ill and very isolated. She left in real discretion.
This film is ultimately a true love letter to your father to whom this film is dedicated. Was it important for you to pay tribute to him?
Yes. I regret that my father is no longer in this world. I think he would be very proud. He was passionate about cinema and fiction. He’s the one who gave me the taste for all that. I dedicated this film to him because it is thanks to him and thanks to his madness that I am finally here.
I also dedicate it to my mother because it is thanks to her structure that I had this journey too. Having your feet on the ground and your head in the stars is not an easy exercise. And my mother contributed a lot to keeping me on earth.