In the cinema… Bernard Campan in a tender and exciting role! Why you should see the kid who measured the world

What is it about?

On the Greek island of Kalamak, Yiannis, a young autistic child, punctuates his days by measuring the order of the world: ships dock, fishermen catch, cafe customers come and go, until Varda, a famous businessman he has never met, disturbs the fragile balance of his daily life. Despite their obvious differences, a deep and moving relationship is woven between this distant grandfather and this uniquely gifted grandson.

After a few months and more similarities, the multi-awarded comedy at the Alpe d’Huez festival, Bernard Campagne returns to the cinema in a very distant register, a drama with emotion and tenderness. The actor, revealed by comedy group Les Inconnus, headlines The Child Who Measured World alongside young Raphael Brotier, in the shoes of an autistic child.

Bernard Campan has already excelled in the drama register, notably in Remembering Beautiful Things or more recently Almost. Here, the actor takes us once again to a dramatic film, in which the actor conveys his light and tenderness as the story unfolds and he grows closer to his family on this Greek island.

Topics in search of roots, filiation, non-communication, art

The Child Who Measured the World Addresses Topics “Search for roots, filiation, non-communication, art“, as well as “This Greece hurts me a lot“, as summed up by its director Takis Kandilis.

The latter, known as a producer and director of programs for TF1 and France Télévisions, wanted to return to his first love of directing when he discovered the novel he was adapting for this film: The Adaptation Child Who Measured the World, a book by Matin Ardith. A book that hastouched deeply“Taki’s Candilis.

“Resilience is one of the important themes of the film. It’s for the character of Alexandre Vargas, played by Bernard Campani, but also for me. One day at the local school, a little boy called me “dirty boy”. I had no idea what that word meant. Then I forgot about this incident. For example, I was never surprised to be appointed to the general management of TF1 or France Télévisions. Today I realize how rude those who hired me were“, confides Takis Kandilis.

“It is also a matter of misunderstanding and non-communication between this man and his daughter and between this man and his grandson, He continues. For my part, I experienced these problems with my children. And finally, there is a return to Greece, a different Greece, damaged and yet intact…”

A range of emotions

We see the evolution of this child’s character, which Bernard Campan’s character meets. Very quiet at the beginning, young Yanis (Raphael Brothier) will open up and talk more and more.

Regarding the choice of Bernard Campan in the main role, Takis Kandylis points out: “He has sometimes played dramatic roles and we could see from him the range of emotions he expresses in the film. But here he does it with incredible amplitudeAs for the casting, and for those who are more observant, some may recognize Babsy Steger, known to viewers of the AB series as Hilgug.

The Child Who Measured the World is also an invitation to see Greece in a different light. “I wanted the real Greece, the one where there are no tourists who suffer. Spetses is an island that is more frequented by Athenians than tourists“.

You can see The Child Who Measured the World in theaters this Wednesday.