Pop star Lio has taken on the role of jury president for the revelation prize at the 52nd Deauville American Film Festival in Normandy, France, while speaking openly about her personal struggles and her intention to abandon music for a return to cinema.
The 65-year-old singer and actress, whose real name is Vanda De Vasconcelos, arrived in Deauville following a painful year marked by the sudden death of her son Diego last year. Speaking in the gardens of her hotel after appearing on the festival red carpet, she explained that she was seeking comfort and a fresh chapter after four decades in the spotlight.
Lio first gained fame across Francophone Europe in the late 1970s and 1980s with a series of popular pop tracks including Le Banana Split, Tétéou, Fallait pas commencer, and Les brunes comptent pas pour des prunes. The annual Deauville American Film Festival, held in the seaside resort town of Deauville in Normandy, is one of France's leading film events, dedicated to celebrating American cinema and emerging filmmaking talent.
Reflections on International Politics
In addition to discussing her career, the performer shared her thoughts on current international and domestic events with what she described as a cold but real anger. She said that when she watched how Russian President Vladimir Putin behaved toward Europe, and considered the elections in Germany and those being prepared in France, she did not know what was going to fall on everyone, though it was already happening.
Expressing concern for her family in light of political instability across Europe, Lio said she thought constantly about her children and grandchildren. She added that she believed they were preparing to live through extremely troubled times.
Early Stardom and Industry Pressures
Her decision to lead the revelation jury alongside young actors Manon Clavel, Marion Barbeau, and Sayyid El Alami holds particular meaning, as she was barely 16 years old when she first met the French public. On the evening prior to her interview, she appeared radiant on the red carpet flanked by her fellow jury members, whom she noted could have been her own children.
Reflecting on her initial arrival in France from Belgium without warning and under the radar, Lio recalled how an open highway had seemed to stretch out before her until people began taking steps to stop her. She explained that young artists were often halted from all sides and constrained, listening too much to what others told them.
Despite early missteps, the performer emphasized her commitment to maintaining her autonomy and independence. She stated that she had simply wanted to sing, had made mistakes, had fallen, and had gotten back up, eventually choosing a place a little inside, mostly outside, and always on the tangent. While acknowledging that she might not have handled everything perfectly, she described herself as a fighter.
Facing Showbusiness Before MeToo
Long before the emergence of the MeToo movement against sexual harassment and abuse in the entertainment industry, Lio experienced a showbiz environment that operated without safeguards. She admitted that behind her strong public confidence, which some observers had mistaken for arrogance, she felt in permanent danger.
Describing her early career, she explained that she was unaccustomed to photo shoots where entire teams surrounded her, touching her and making constant comments. She recounted how, as a 16-year-old girl, she was subjected to a 45-year-old man twisting himself in front of her and shouting at her to give of herself. She added that vulgar jokes about women and children were pervasive across the industry at the time, noting that although her success earned her invitations to high-profile dinners, she remained quiet and found the environment terrible.
Generational Shifts and Family Dynamics
As a mother of six children aged between 21 and 39, Lio reflected on whether the younger generation is better equipped to confront sexist and sexual violence. While she agreed that progress had occurred, she noted clear differences even among siblings within her own family.
She explained that her eldest daughter, Nubia, grew up carrying the weight of the male gaze, despite remaining very free and having romantic relationships with women. In contrast, her youngest daughters, Garance and Léa, experienced that pressure far less. Lio observed that while society frequently discusses deconstructing relationships between men and women, young women like her youngest daughters are already focused on constructing positive relationships by surrounding themselves exclusively with people at the same stage, a shift she believes will alter the future significantly.
Transition from Music to Cinema
Her appearance at Deauville followed a recent radio interview on France Inter, during which she shared her emotional exhaustion and doubts about continuing her musical career. She explained that an artist must reinvent themselves constantly, but acknowledged that being a pop singer at age 65 is not as straightforward as it was at age 25.
Lio revealed that she had strongly desired to release her final album last year, titled Geoid Party in the sky, in order to close the loop on her singing career. However, she questioned whether pop music remained her proper place today, stating flatly that music was finished for her.
Instead, she expressed a desire to refocus her career on feature films, having already acted in around 20 movies for acclaimed directors such as Claude Lelouch, Diane Kurys, Catherine Breillat, Yolande Moreau, and Katell Quillévéré. She noted that cinema provided far more comfort and care for performers than music halls, admitting that she was looking for a situation where she would be pampered after a difficult period.
Revealing that she had recently received two magnificent feature film proposals from two different female directors, Lio admitted that while sadness sometimes leaves her with days where she feels like doing nothing, she remains open to compelling projects. She explained that when offered the festival presidency, she decided it was the perfect opportunity to throw herself back into the cauldron, confirming that if she undertakes any further artistic work, it will be in cinema.
