This is a funny story that Laurent Lafitte chose as the subject of the director’s first feature film. The former resident of the Comédie-Française, an iconic figure of French cinema, stepped behind the camera for the first time in 2020, during the filming of the film “The Origin of the World”.
Adapted from the eponymous play by Sébastien Thierry, this dark and satirical comedy stars a forty-year-old Parisian. The latter one day notices that his heart has stopped, although this does not prevent him from leading a normal life.
Take a photo of the origin of the universe
After seeking advice from his best friend, Michel, a veterinarian, Jean-Louis turns to a guru who believes he can cure him. But for this, the latter will have to provide him with a photo of the origin of the universe. He then decides to convince Michelle to seduce her mother into taking said photo in her place.
A longtime project of actor-turned-director Laurent Lafitte, he envisioned no other story than this one for his first feature film: “I got such a great response from this story, I was so dreamy that I didn’t want to write anything else for my first film.”
Initially, the latter wanted to play the role of Michelle, because in her eyes, she is the funniest character in the story. But after reflection, the role was finally assigned to Vincent McCain, and Laurent Lafitte took the main role of Jean-Louis: “I became a very different Michelle and decidedly less funny than Vincent McCain. I quickly abandoned that idea and chose to be a white clown.”
Changes in the film adaptation
The role of Jean-Louis’ wife was expanded for adaptation purposes and was written for Carine Viard, who gave one of the best performances of her career. In order to break away from the codes of the play adapted for the cinema, Laurent Lafitte also wanted to add many exterior sequences, especially to reinforce the basic social aspect of the play.
The Origin of the World, whose title clearly refers to the famous painting by Gustave Courbet, failed to find its audience in theaters. But there’s no doubt that in time, and perhaps thanks to its release on Netflix today, this film will earn its well-deserved cult status!
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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.
