My husband’s story: “Lea Seidu and I cried at the end of the filming”

Taken from a 1942 novel by the Hungarian writer of the same name, Milan Fust, My Wife’s Story is a new film by Hungarian director Ildiko Enied. My wife’s story depicts the joys, sorrows, discoveries, and frustrations of an atypical couple. He, Jacob, is a Dutch intercity captain. She, Lizzie, is a Parisian socialist. Their love story in the 1920s begins with a crazy challenge: Jacob bets on a friend in a cafe to marry the first woman to cross the threshold, and this woman is Lizzie, a mysterious, free and independent creature.

Today in cinemas the feature film is performed by a shocking trio: Lea Seidu, Gij Naber and Louis Garrel. AlloCiné could talk to director Ildiko Enied and actor Gigi Naber at the Cannes Film Festival, where the film was officially screened.

AlloCiné: Ildikó, you chose the adaptation of Milan Fust’s novel because it played an important role in your adolescence. Why did he make such a big impression on you?

Ildikó Enyedi: This is a philosophy that comes out of it, which is universal and based on questions that interest adults. And I kept this teenager curiosity. These questions are important to me and I think the novel deals with them perfectly.

Gij, did you read the book too? How did you form your character?

Gijs Naber: During the preparation period, I read a book and then I tried to tell a story and get acquainted with a novel but a different scenario. Hoda, I read it and it is wonderful news. This is the battle of this man who tries to get rid of the demons and tries not to control everything.

Do you feel close to your character and the reflections he or she may have in the film?

Gijs Naber: To some extent, yes. As Yildiko said, the film asks universal questions: Who are you really in a relationship with? How do you find your purpose in life? Are you a person who controls everything if you are the type who allows yourself to be kidnapped? How funny it is that I played this character during my acting career when I was asking myself the same questions.

Before that I was asked to cast in the casting of Ildiko’s student short film – which I later heard – called Sandor Choma for the exams. And I told myself that I had to let go of myself without a specific goal and that I was trying new experiences. And I’m very happy with that, because the short film is perfect and Ildiko saw it. And now I find myself in Ildiko’s film presented at the Cannes Film Festival. When I found out what my wife’s story was about, I thought she came at the right time.

Aside from the book, what was your inspiration for the film, especially with its very refined aesthetics?

Ildikó Enyedi: In fact, because we have always been in the spirit of this honest and hard-working Protestant, we have chosen apparent simplicity, a kind of transparency that actually works quite well, especially in support of lighting and photography. View. In style, we wanted things as simple as the life of the protagonist. Its cargo is also copied, made of metal, wood and ropes, and nothing else. It was the driving force behind cinema, Marcel Rev.

This is a film with seven chapters, seven lessons. And let’s say that each lesson opens a new door to life perception. First very equal forces play, then slowly the balance of power changes and Jacob realizes he has to let go. And I hope the public will see that the film is positive and at the end everyone can tell themselves, run and relax.

While watching the movie, I wondered if I could marry the first person who entered the room. Would you be able to?

Gijs Naber: I do not know, but it’s a good question (laughs). Admittedly, it is a good test to know where you are in life. And I think in this movie, he thinks that the only thing he has to do is marry the first woman who enters the room, because that’s a situation he can control. And then his world collapses. But in the end it is not so different from love at first sight. The main thing that comes next is to know whether two people will stay together and how they manage to understand each other, love each other and be in phase. My character struggles with that feeling, but so does Leah. And he started this adventure only with a joke, but it changed him deeply. So I guess this can happen to us too, so why not try something sometimes and see what happens?

Ildiko Enied: I have been with my wife for 32 years and everything happened very quickly. One evening we were already talking about having children (laughs).

Gijs Naber: But, you know, when you start thinking about what might happen, then you get lost. Of course, this is something that people do naturally, because running after a big decision and not thinking about the consequences is one of the hardest things to do.

Ildikó Enyedi: Jacob, the crazy character, makes this decision out of whim, bet. What immediately comes as a big surprise to him is that the player meets the player. So from the beginning it’s a kind of agreement. And then, very quickly, it becomes more and more unpredictable and rich. And he opens new doors, even if they are sometimes painful.

This is a film with seven chapters, seven lessons. And let’s say that each lesson opens a new door to life perception. First very equal forces play, then slowly the balance of power changes and Jacob realizes he has to let go. And I hope the public will see that the film is positive and at the end everyone can tell themselves, run and relax.

What was it like filming with Leah Seidus? Have you already conceived this actor for this role?

Ildikó Enyedi: No, but when I met him – I can not really explain why – I felt great compassion, great energy and great charisma. The role is very different from what Leah had played before and she released me directly. And it was the same with the crazy case. I saw him in the short film we talked about earlier and he played a very different character there, as opposed to what he was supposed to play in L’Histoire de ma femme. Through the film I saw two challenging and interesting personalities with whom I gladly shared this experience.

There was something very disturbing about them and it showed up during rehearsals. We needed to rehearse together and then separately. For Leah it was more difficult because we never put ourselves in terms of her character, we try to capture her and understand her through Jacob’s eyes.

Crazy Naber: I was obviously very enthusiastic about the idea of ​​shooting with Leah, I knew her works, namely La vie d’Adèle and so on. So I was really excited. We had a good relationship from the beginning thanks to rehearsals and conversations. We also connected with the story and she went through big waves of emotions like this scene where we dance and which is a symbol of our characters ’love.

And we had a very warm shooting environment. Everyone felt comfortable and family. At last Leah and I burst into tears. The journey was intense but incredible.

Interview with Megan Shocket on July 14, 2021 in Cannes.