With “Such a Summer” Dennis Cote is interested in female sexuality without false modesty and prejudice. A meeting with a director who dares.
AlloCiné: How it was born Such a summer ?
Dennis Cote : The spark was a book written by a New York historian. The book dates back to 2002. It questions the definitions and perceptions of the word “nymphomania” over the centuries. It fascinated me. The sequel was a fairly conventional writing adventure around a couple of female characters. There was also some challenge. First he and I are a straight white male. The adventure was risky, but I wanted something very soft, kind, delicate, but ultimately very ambiguous.
The film gradually excites the audience and leaves a mark…
I notice the applause under the projections…confused. This is not an easily conveyed film. I don’t think you allow yourself to like a movie right away. Then, yes, I have heard a lot that the film remains the leader, after three, four, five days. I take that as a compliment, of course.
Movies about therapy almost all follow a set outline. Your movie ruins everything.
It can be said. Simply because this therapy does not interest me and does not exist for me. It’s a very fun excuse to watch people live, away from any overly narrative considerations. The film has no timeline or dramatic pivots. It is very horizontal. If I had decided that therapy was important, that these women needed to be “cured” of something, I would start on the basis of gentle condemnation. Imagine the same movie emphasizing that these women are sick, that their sexuality is problematic and deviant. I don’t want to see this movie. I want to see a movie that says, “Leave us alone, we are beautiful (and beautiful) in our contradictions and weaknesses.”
Why this title?
It leaves absolutely no one to guess which movie is in store for us. I wanted something very Roman or Rivetian. A kind of pandora’s box. What are we going to see there? Bourgeois drama? Too light a comedy of manners? I like. Also, what will these women remember from the summer? Maybe nothing, maybe a lot. This is Such a summer.
How did you approach shooting scenes that flirt with the limit?
We had a very good shooting. Without difficulty or an ounce of discomfort. It’s all about communication and preparation. The people I receive are friends first and foremost. We joke and communicate a lot together before shooting. It gives you confidence and makes everything easier. Very rarely do I cast an actor or actress who has to show up one morning at 8 a.m. to do their scene and then say goodbye.
Does the film’s strength also come from its performers? Where are these actors from?
Yes, the actress is wonderful and generous. I fell in love with Anne Rate Paul’s tragic face. He learned French for the film. This was my third collaboration with Larissa Corriveau and it won’t be the last. For Aude Mathieu (Geisha), I wanted someone we’d never seen before. It was his first feature film. Laure Japicon is French, unknown to us, already very comfortable making erotic short films. He was very helpful in getting me comfortable with this issue. And of course Samir Guesmi, for his presence, for his unique voice. It’s definitely a casting that seems odd or out of nowhere.
Source: allocine
Emily Jhon is a product and service reviewer at Gossipify, known for her honest evaluations and thorough analysis. With a background in marketing and consumer research, she offers valuable insights to readers. She has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Marketing and Consumer Research from the University of Oxford.
