SUITS YOU, SIR
Enter the void: Albert Serra’s strange ode to Tahiti and tailoring.
Idecided to make a film in France, with a French star in French language,’ explains Catalan director Albert Serra (The Death of Louis XIV, Liberté), talking up his new film Pacifiction. But while he secured Benoît Magimel (The Piano Teacher) to play his lead, he was adamant that he didn’t want to set his politically tinged story in Paris. ‘I got bored,’ he grins. And so he chose Tahiti, casting Magimel as De Roller, the Polynesian island’s French High Commissioner, who lopes around in a white summer suit, beach shirt and orange espadrilles.
‘It’s a subject that is really contemporary,’ says Serra of the story, which sees De Roller meeting-and-greeting with visitors and locals alike. ‘It’s about all societies and all the problems we all sense and feel and who has the power… and who is defending the interest of poor people, if anybody!’
Nominated for a César for Best Actor for his performance, Magimel was perfect for the role, felt Serra.
‘I like him very much because he had already ambiguity, because of his past life – [including] a car crash under the influence of drugs,’ says Serra. ‘So he’s been quite controversial. And I like this idea. He’s ambiguous, but with a past.’
Magimel helped craft the look of De Roller, choosing his sunglasses, while Serra designed the character’s distinct white suit. ‘All the costumes were made by the costume designer except this one,’ says Serra. Unfortunately, when Magimel got to set in Tahiti, he’d gained weight, and was bulging out of this made-to-measure masterpiece. ‘At the beginning I was super-scared. “Fuck! We made the perfect suit and then the guy got bigger!”’ Serra rants. ‘But slowly I got used to it. Now it has more vulgarity. I pushed him to walk in a more vulgar way, as if he was a football player!’
‘It’s about all societies and all the problems we all sense and feel’ ALBERT SERRA
PACIFICTION IS IN CINEMAS FROM 21 APRIL.