So Tahar Rahim turned into Charles Aznavour: interview

What was your relationship with Charles Aznavour before the film? «Charles has always been in the lives of us French, a kind of soundtrack of our memories. You come across a song by Aznavour in the coffee, in a taxi, at wedding parties, as if he were an older brother. When I arrived in Paris at the age of 24, to become an actor, in the headphones I listened to the CD with his successes. Retinkles us now, I think I found in him the energy I needed ».

Why did he decide to sing with his voice? And how did it succeed, since Aznavour's is so particular? «I didn't want to sing in playback, in front of the camera I chose to become Charles, with the throat trembling, sweat, his sense of the unique rhythm that made the orchestras go crazy, the unmistakable gestures with his arms and shoulders. I really learned to sing eight hours a week six months before filming, during and even after. When we are done, the directors Mehdi Idir and Grand Corps Malade (The poet Fabien Marsaudeditor's note) told me « We have two news, one good and a bad one: we can keep your voice; but we will redo the first songs, because in the meantime you have gone much better ». So, in the end, the voice is mine, except in the few points where Charles goes too high or too low for me, and then we decided to mix it with his ».

Is it important for you to also take on the physical appearance of the character? «Yes, but not always, it actually depends on the role. Sometimes understanding psychology is enough, there is no rule. My first cinema school remains life ».

Life, and therefore the street as a cinema school? How? « I studied cinema in Montpellier, in the south of France, but I was born and raised in the popular neighborhoods of Belfort in the French Eastern. I liked to observe my neighbors, the older boys, anyone in truth, and in the evening I drawed them. I tried to grasp the essence of everyone, and then to reproduce it. There was a huge variety.  »

Was it a multi -ethnic neighborhood? «Yes, an aspect that I liked very much. It was not necessary to take the plane to travel the world. I entered the elevator, I crushed a button, and according to the floor I landed in Africa, Asia, Spain, everywhere. When I started studying cinema I wanted to keep this habit of observing, to try to capture a person starting from a detail. When I shot Repair the living (by Katell Quilléveré, with Emmanuelle Seigner, 2017editor's note) on organ transplants, I spent some time with doctors in hospitals. I noticed that doctor who brought the shirt in a different way, that other who spoke to patients with a tone … so my first cinema school remains life, the people I encounter. But even children: their innocence and spontaneity are of enormous inspiration.

Why are children important for her? «I am very connected with my childhood, it was the most beautiful period of life. I was carefree. Welcomeness is an extraordinary gift to which at some point you have to give up, otherwise you will never become adults. But I like to find that child, stay connected to myself when I was little ».

From popular neighborhoods to César

Was it careful even when he arrived in Paris? «In a sense yes. Let's say I was optimistic, confident that everything would be fine, that I would become an actor as I had always wanted. I had my settings, but I found help and at the bottom I felt that I would have made it. Above all thanks to my mother, who believed it even more than me; Thanks to my family and my friends. I arrived in Paris without a penny and without knowing where to go to sleep. My brother encouraged me to leave the same: « What is here already knows it here, we might be worth risking ». He did well because a friend paid me a few nights of hotels to give me time to organize me. And in fact a week later I found a room from a lady and two jobs to pay it. Then the first casting began and soon I managed to be an actor.

What directors would you like to turn with? «There are many, when I studied cinema at the Faculty of Montpellier I watched 15 films per week in that kind of cave of Ali Babà who was the media library and I dreamed of one day to let myself be directed by those masters. Among contemporary Italians I particularly love Matteo Garrone, Paolo Sorrentino and Alice Rohrwacher ».

What is your professional dream now? «Working with the greatest directors, in their country, in local productions. With an Italian in Italy, a Spanish in Spain, a Korean in Korea ».

And the personal one? « It is very simple but also so true: to see my children become big and find their place in the world. »