The promises are: Is the character of Isabelle Huppert based on a real person?

The promises are: Is the character of Isabelle Huppert based on a real person?



A composite character inspired by several elected officials

Contrary to what one might think, Clémence Collombet, embodied by Isabelle Huppert, is not the portrait of a single person. Thomas Kruithof, to build his character and write his script, has relying on many meetings with local elected officials, including the suburbs. Among these, Philippe Rio, mayor of Grigny, and Catherine Arenu, mayor of Chanteloup-les-Viges, shared their experience with the director. The latter, who is also a doctor like Huppert’s character, would have particularly marked the director.

Instead of calculating clémence collombet on a precise political figure, Kruithof preferred to model a composite character. It was inspired by specific dilemmas and tensions for the mayors of the suburbs, often in the face of complex social issues, electoral promises difficult to maintain and ambitions that sometimes exceed the local scale.

A film anchored in reality

If The promises It does not tell the story of a particular person, it is however in a tangible political reality. The film highlights the difficulties of the field, the power relations between elected officials and the government, as well as the power games played behind the scenes. By relying on concrete testimonies, Thomas Kruithof manages to give a surprising authenticity to the character of Isabelle Huppert, avoiding the masked biopic trap.

Therefore, Clémence Collombet stands out as the reflection of many figures of the French municipal landscape, a summary of the struggles and contradictions that animate those that exert power at the local level.

Source: Cine Serie

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