Origins of Evil: 5 things you need to know about this family carnage game with Lor Kalami

A film about family

In his personal life, Sébastien Marnier tried to find his place in the family using humor. At the same time, he played the role of an observer there, which taught him to write, and this from childhood. Thus, the origin of evil is inspired by many people who know. The director explains:

“Jeanne is a secondary character, but she sheds light on the film’s intent. After returning from abroad to follow her mother, she finds herself in this haunted mansion as an observer but also an actor. It’s a film about a family. Everyone plays a role, so it’s also a film about actors.”

Draw his experience

In Origins of Evil, Sébastien Marnier recounts a specific moment in his mother’s story. One day, at the age of 60, the latter found her father: he was a banker in Poitiers, more to the right of the political spectrum (and the director comes from a communist family in a town of 4,000):

“My mother loved it from the first moment, when my brother and I were almost forbidden to meet with the right-wing! It was beautiful and sweet to see, but it was very annoying: this meeting violated many principles of my parents. .”

“My mom and dad’s meeting really started with a phone call, with the same lines you hear in the movie. The sequel is much more fictional and romantic. And much more twisted! When Stephanie arrives at her new family, she lies.”

Villa as the central character

When writing the screenplay, the house where the film takes place appeared abstractly in Sebastien Marnier’s mind as a “grand riviera type house”. Then the director recalled that in 2018 he visited an atypical villa, a kind of outstanding and kitsch palace. He recalls:

“When I watched it again while waiting for the movie, it was really weird and scary, and I suddenly realized how I could use it from the basement to the ceiling – I didn’t do anything in the studio. While I was scouting the location, I shot and filmed it, and then I wrote the script from it.”

“I couldn’t imagine any other house for the film. Who but Louise to have a pink marble staircase! And all the camera movements were possible in this 4500 m2! Because Louise’s character doesn’t throw anything away, but she had to. Execute.”

“Logistically, especially for the set team, it was a real challenge. From the writing, I made it clear that this was a house that looked like a mausoleum. Damien Rondo, the head set designer, and his team of fifteen had. They dressed it up and ended up bringing 3,000 items back into that house.”

common point

After Irréprochable and L’Heure de la sortie, Sébastien Marnier stages a new thriller with L’Origine du mal. For the director, these three films also have something in common with stage-class renegades. Thus, in the film “Simple”, the character of Marina Foys tried in vain to rebuild her life in Paris. In L’Heure de la sortie, Laurent Lafitte finds himself facing a world unknown to him.

An atypical composer

Pierre Lapointe composed the film’s music with real instruments. Sébastien Marnier wanted something organic but also emotional and electric: “hence the pulses, the screams, the disturbing croaking of frogs…”

“That is the advantage of working with a musician who is not experienced in practicing film music. There is no automaticity and the result is very unique. So much so that this music is only like itself: it is diverse and yet remains very. Homogeneous.”

“Pierre is a musician I’ve been following for twenty years. We met six years ago and became quite good friends. I can’t find an equivalent in France: he can work at exhibitions, judge The Voice, collaborate. With stylists or the Museum of Fine Arts.”