Cannes Film Festival 2022: The Green Perfume (Directors’ Fortnight) | Interview of Vincent Lacoste & Sandrine Kiberlain

We interviewed actors Vincent Lacoste and Sandrine Kiberlain about The Green Perfume (Nicolas Pariser), presented at the 54th Directors’ Fortnight.

We were thrilled to meet French actors Vincent Lacoste and Sandrine Kiberlain for a chat about their part and collaboration in The Green Perfume (Le parfum vert) by Nicolas Pariser, presented at this year’s Directors’ Fortnight.

Question : Did director Nicolas Pariser write the film for you ?

Vincent Lacoste: Yes, he (Nicolas Pariser) informed us that he was writing a film for both of us, which excited me because I admire his work and had hoped to collaborate with him on a film. He mentioned that he was working on an adventure comedy with the two of us (Vincent Lacoste and Sandrine Kiberlain) as the main characters. I was already excited by the idea of working with Nicolas, and then I read the script and thought it was fantastic! I had seen all of his films, we had met once or twice before, and I enjoyed his previous work. We actually met in Cannes in 2019 when he presented Alice and the Mayor. Today, I’m happy to say I love the film we did together, I think the dialogues are very well written, thanks to Nicolas’ talent for comedy writing. And the film has a great pace!

Sandrine Kiberlain: I was just as excited as Vincent to learn that we’d be working with each other in an adventure comedy, as well as with Nicolas Pariser, whose films I adored. When he came to us to let us know he was writing the film for us, we were ecstatic to learn that we inspired him such a fun script and universe. I was overjoyed to say ‘Yes’ to Nicolas !

Question : How do you usually pick the projects you want to shoot in?

Vincent Lacoste: I prefer to work on films directed by people I admire. But if I don’t like the script, I’m not going to make the film. I believe a good choic of film is the fruit of a meeting between a part, a story, and a director.

Sandrine Kiberlain: And with a co-star, no less! I was familiar with Vincent’s talent, his comic power and tempo, his genuineness, and his natural charisma. It seemed like a perfect match to me.

Question : You had never played together in a movie. How did your collaboration start, in front of Nicolas Pariser’s camera?

Vincent Lacoste: Nicolas Pariser (the director) has a unique approach to working with his cast. He keeps the camera rolling and only takes a few of shots. As a result, we were tense at first…

Sandrine Kiberlain: It was a really fluid relationship between Vincent and I, even though we didn’t know each other before we met on set. However, as actors with experience, we can tell which kind of actors will be easygoing and fluid to work with. I was aware of Vincent’s work and sensitivity, and I assumed he was very nice to work with! He is definitely the type of actors you want to work with!

Question : Can you tell us how you prepared for your parts?

Vincent Lacoste: I always follow the same approach when it comes to preparing my parts: I memorize the text thoroughly and carefully analyze the script and its pace. Then I realized my character resembled Nicolas in appearance, which means a nervous man who knows how to do self-deprecation. He also recommended that I watched several specific films as references (Hitchcock‘s films like North by Northwest, Philippe de Broca‘s films, etc.). Then it was all about figuring out how to play someone who is continuously stressed. To play around with the situations, I needed to be fully engaged and involved during the filming. Then there were the costumes, which had a comic book feel to them. As a result, we had no choice but to go into the universe and go with the flow. The work revolved around interacting with Sandrine. Finding the character came very easily, to be honest.

Sandrine Kiberlain: In the film, our characters are totally different. My character takes the lead while Vincent’s character gets overwhelmed. She is a strong woman. Both characters are worried about issues in their personal lives: Vincent’s character is getting divorced, while my character is dealing with a family crisis. As a result, they actually meet at a time when there is enough area for them to meet and get into the adventure.

Question : Sandrine, I have seen you in three different films in only five days in Cannes! Those films (The Green Perfume, Novembre, Diary of a Fleeting Affair) are very different in terms of genre! Do you conciously alternate the kind of films you play in?

Sandrine Kiberlain: I don’t make a conscious effort to alternate the genres of the films I pick. I don’t say things like, “Yeah, I’ll do a comedy because it’s been a while,” or something similar. A director, a character, and the director’s universe are always determinant components. When I read a script, I try to be honest, and even if a film project appears to have commercial potential, I don’t choose it if I don’t like it. I’ve never had a remorse about a role I’ve done. And there was never a time when I envied another actress. I’ve never regretted refusing to play in films that were box office hits. I’ve always assumed that the films were successful because of the actress who starred in them.

Question : Sandrine, can you also comment on the part you play in Novembre (Cédric Jimenez) which is very different from your work in The Green Perfume?

Sandrine Kiberlain: When I was proposed the part in Novembre, I didn’t immediately say ‘Yes’ to this film because I was afraid of talking about the 2015 Paris terror attacks so soon after they happened, only 7 years later. These attacks have forever changed us all, and I believed it was a reckless move. Cédric Jimenez requested that I watch his previous feature Bac Nord. I was really impressed. And the script’s perspective of Novembre was very well chosen, plus I was supposed to play the big boss (laughs), and it was a collaborative production on such an important topic. As a result, I decided to say ‘Yes’!

Question : The two of you are actually presenting several films at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Do you still manage to enjoy the festival as cinephiles?

Vincent Lacoste: Just like Sandrine, I am presenting three films this year. I should say it’s hard to catch other movies from the selection because we spend a lot of time doing promo and interviews.

Sandrine Kiberlain: Yes, I agree, but I still could discover Louis Garrel‘s new film, The Innocent, which I thoroughly enjoyed! I also saw Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi’s film in competition, Forever Young, whose work I adore. And that’s all I have to say about it. I’m going to see Leonor Serraille’s movie tomorrow!

Question : To finish, could you describe the Cannes Film Festival in one word?

Vincent Lacoste: Cinema!

Sandrine Kiberlain: I agree, cinema!

Acknowledgements: Vincent Lacoste, Sandrine Kiberlain, Marie-France Dupagne.