In Le Rapissement, in theaters this Wednesday, audiences follow Lydia, a dedicated midwife, as her life is turned upside down… be it her romantic breakup, her best friend Salome’s pregnancy or meeting Milos. , a possible new love that will transform him? Lydia becomes trapped in a spiral of lies… until a surprising twist…Admiration“As the title suggests.
We were able to speak with Iris Kaltenbeck, the director and co-writer of this film spotted at the Cannes Film Festival. Did he invent this whole conspiracy or did it start from the news?
“I started from the news I read. It was a line that said, “A young woman borrows her best friend’s son and makes the man believe he is hers.” I read it when I was shooting my short film (Flight of the Rods, Editor’s Note.).”
What is it that suddenly, among thousands of news, resonates in us?
“What is it that suddenly jumps out at us among thousands of news stories? What immediately caught my attention is that there is a story of friendship in this plot. I told myself that this was not the classic story of a young woman. Who would kidnap some child.“
and added: “It resonated somewhat with personal feelings, such as when my best friend became a mother at a time when these issues did not concern me at all. I had no idea what it was like to be a mother. This caused turmoil in our relationship. We went through all the stages of life together and this was the first time that suddenly there was a stage of life that we couldn’t go through together and it was a huge upheaval at the same time. There is a family move.”
I felt very free to move on to the romance and forget about the news
“When you’re a teenager, when you’re a kid, your best friend is a little bit like your family. So I wanted to capture that. And from there, I felt very free to go with the romance, invent the characters, and almost forget about the novelty that was packed into one line..”
Rapture’s strength is the way it deals with the issue of motherhood in a nuanced way, while bringing a break in tone between comedic touches and an atmosphere of suspense. “It was a very strong intention and something I was very protective of when financing the film,” explains Iris Kaltenbeck.
Hafsia Hertz and Alexis Manent in The Rapture
“We often want to categorize a movie: Is it a drama? is it fiction Is it a documentary? is this a comedy I really wanted to bridge all genres and portray a woman.”
He continues: “At the same time, it is a tragedy to allow myself moments of levity and even paint this woman’s portrait towards a thriller.Thus, the film is under tension until the last minute and keeps us on our toes.
The documentary approach to the birth scenes is another strength of the film. Birth scenes are shot as rarely. “Indeed, this was the big question that plagued us with cinematographer Marine Atlan: How do we film a midwifery piece? How to photograph labor and delivery?“
Capturing faces and gestures without comment, without pathos, is what it is.
“This is where I really don’t want to write fiction. We often talk about the first look a mother gives her child… I didn’t necessarily want to direct an actor to say, ‘Your look has to be very emotional.’ This is where I wanted to be right. Capturing faces and gestures without comment, without pathos, is what it is.“
“We were welcomed at Lila’s maternity hospital with great enthusiasm. As it was necessary to make the connection between the documentary and the fiction, I asked Hafsia Hertz to come with us during the filming of this documentary and for a while we followed all the midwife guards and Hafsia was her shadow.“
He continues: “The profession of midwifery is also a profession of care, but there are also many gestures of attention. Hafsia really learned from this woman. Once the mothers agreed and the midwife thought there was no risk, Hafsia was made to do what she normally did. We spent some time filming this midwife’s birth in the heart of the maternity ward.”
Finally, to mention the title of the film, which creates a bridge to the works of Marguerite Dura, LOL W. In honor of Stein’s admiration. “I read The Rapture by Lol V. Stein as a teenager and it was a book that really moved me. It spoke to me very intimately and shed light on the relationship we can have with the difficult events of life.“
Find all the movie releases of the week
The Rapture, written and directed by Iris Kaltenbeck, hits theaters this Wednesday, October 11, 2023.
Comments collected at the Cannes Film Festival, May 20, 2023 by Bridget Baronet
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
