“The viewer must imagine and reflect on this couple.” Meet Jonás Trueba, who is presenting his film in preview at Sémaphore in Nîmes

Le réalisateur Jonás Trueba retrouve ses comédiens Vito Sanz et Itsaso Arana.

Spanish filmmaker Jonás Trueba is coming to present his film September without delay, in preview at the Sémaphore in Nîmes, this Sunday, June 16.

Your film "September without delay" was presented at the Cinematographers' Fortnight in Cannes. How did the festival go??

Very good, it's my first time at the festival. The Fortnight is a section that I really like as a spectator, which has a symbolic history for independent filmmakers. It’s very surprising, it’s the first time that the’ one of my films travels in this way. The film won awards for its distribution. There are already many offers from several European countries.

How was the idea born of this couple who wanted to organize a separation party ?

The inspiration comes from a phrase from my father, which I heard when I was a teenager. Suddenly, I said to myself that this could be the beginning of a film. It’s fragile, a bit of a joke. It was an opportunity to try to make a comedy out of it. In addition, I really wanted to continue working with Itsaso Arana and Vito Sanz.

As a viewer, you never know if this is a good or bad idea?

I don't really know either. For years, when I had friends who were breaking up, I would bring up the idea. And I noticed that it was difficult, that sadness prevails at the time of separation. Maybe it’s better to make a movie about it!

In the film, it’s the heroine’s father, played by your own father, director Fernando Trueba, who came up with the idea’ ;hellip;

It’s a bit Freudian perhaps! I wanted to work with my father. I admire him a lot, I thought he could do it. ;actor. He is very funny in real life. It’s a natural gesture. For years, we have shared many things and this was the moment.

How did the writing of the script go, in which your two actors participated??

With Itsaso and Vito, we have been working together for several years. They are not just actors, we can share a lot of ideas during the whole process of the film. In addition, there is a kind of memory. This is the third film where they play a couple. It’s fun to play with this. The characters are different, but at the same time, with each film, we make a variation.

The film mixes tones, with humor and seriousness…

The film may work as a comedy, but there's a lot more to it. At times, it's a bit of a depressive comedy. There are also variations of rhythms and finally, a form of melancholy. The tone is the most important. We are trying to create a climate which is not realistic, which starts from things experienced to move towards something else.

We don't know why they want to separate…

It’was important not to make a film with dramatic discussions. The viewer must work, imagine and reflect on this couple. It’s important not to say everything.

In the film, there is an allusion to François Truffaut. What importance did the New Wave have in your imagination??

It’s a movement that changed the history of cinema. The New Wave is a group of very different filmmakers. Truffaut is different from Rivette, Rohmer or Godard. For me, Truffaut is the most important, not only as a filmmaker but also as a human being. I really like his way of being in the world, without compromise, his work with children, his love for literature…hellip; He means a lot to me. I was very struck by Les Deux Anglaises et le Continent when I saw it the first time.

Every time I come to Paris, I visit Truffaut's tomb, there is something mythical and mystical. I often think of him, of what he would do. He says we have to shoot against the script and we have to edit against the shooting. I really like this idea. This is advice I follow.

Screening meeting Sunday June 16, 11 a.m. Le Sémaphore, 25 rue Porte-de-France, Nîmes. 5.20 €. 04 66 67 83 11. I subscribe to read more