Imagine mastering a new language just to nail a role—that’s exactly what Virginie Efira did while working with director Ryusuke Hamaguchi. But here’s where it gets even more fascinating: after a few drinks, she’s been known to test out her newly acquired Japanese, though she jokes it might sound more like Hungarian! Efira’s dedication shines in Hamaguchi’s upcoming film, All of a Sudden, a three-hour masterpiece shot in Paris, where she describes his unconventional methods as both demanding and transformative. ‘He creates an atmosphere that forces you to stay completely focused,’ she explains, likening it to carrying a heavy stone in your stomach. This isn’t your typical shoot—it’s an immersive experience that pushes boundaries.
These insights emerged during a captivating two-hour conversation between Efira and Chiara Mastroianni at the Marrakech Film Festival. The duo delved into their careers, working styles, and future projects. Efira is set to wrap Asghar Farhadi’s Parallel Tales in Paris, while Mastroianni will star in Nicolas Pariser’s Un Peu Avant Minuit alongside her longtime collaborator, Melvil Poupaud. And this is the part most people miss: Mastroianni and Poupaud’s relationship goes way back—he’s not just a colleague but a childhood friend who nudged her into acting, helping her navigate the shadow of her iconic parents, Marcello Mastroianni and Catherine Deneuve. ‘It was complicated,’ she admits, ‘but Melvil helped me break through the taboo.’
Their career paths couldn’t be more different. Mastroianni started with arthouse heavyweights like Raul Ruiz and Manoel de Oliveira, while Efira transitioned from Belgian TV to crowd-pleasing comedies before her dramatic breakthrough in Justine Triet’s In Bed With Victoria. Here’s the controversial part: Efira describes Triet’s set as ‘vaguely communist,’ where chaos reigned, and everyone had a voice—a stark contrast to de Oliveira’s rigid, mathematical approach, which Mastroianni initially found stifling but later called a ‘magnificent gift.’ It’s a clash of styles that sparks a bigger question: which method truly unlocks an actor’s potential?
The two finally shared the screen in Rebecca Zlotowski’s Other People’s Children, a film that challenges stereotypes about ex-partners and new relationships. Bold claim: Zlotowski’s portrayal of two women sharing a man isn’t about conflict—it’s about connection. ‘It’s not always war,’ Mastroianni points out, while Efira praises Zlotowski’s subtle feminism, which operates not through protests but through personal, powerful storytelling. Thought-provoking question for you: Do films like this redefine how we view relationships, or do they simply reflect a reality we’re too quick to ignore? Let’s discuss in the comments!
