QThis interview is a test. QThis interview could be the appetizer of a future electoral campaign. Vincent Lindon wants to become president of the French republic. Not in a movie. He really wants to move to the Elysée. He supports it Le Mondein a long articlevery detailed, titled The political obsession of Vincent Lindon. «President? I’d like to” admitted the actor already in 2015.
According to the French newspaper: «If Lindon could he would start all over againhe would enroll “in the schools that must be done to have his papers in order”, Sciences Po, ENA, then he would begin “the path”: general councilor, deputy, to reach prime minister and finally president of the Republic”.
Vincent Lindon, between cinema and politics
All right, but perhaps the path that Lindon has taken (in cinema) is not so eccentric after all. And the model would be neither Ronald Reagan nor Volodymyr Zelensky, actors who circumstances have ferried to the command post. Rather Yves Montand, with whom he has more than one trait in common, in addition to charm, «recognizing himself in the double status of actor and citizen».
Vincent Lindon in D’argent et de sng by Xavier Giannoli.
Vincent Lindon occupies a space of his own in French cinema. Nobody like him he worked in so many films engagepolitically engaged: from Welcome (2009), where he was a lifeguard who trained a young migrant determined to swim across the Channel, to the films of his friend Stéphane Brizé, for whom he wandered in a context of serious precariousness (The law of the market2015) and was a trade unionist who rebelled against the system (At war2018).
But it is above all the role of Simon Weynachter, customs magistrate in the series D’argent et de sang(About money and blood) by Xavier Giannoli, taken from the investigation book of the same name by Fabrice Arfi, to place the final piece in his political portrait. Also because 12 episodes on a topic that on paper was really not very appealing – the colossal VAT fraud on coal quotas that occurred in France between 2008 and 2009 – achieved unprecedented success in France. And he played a significant role in it: the living portrait of the “law and order” principle. Director Xavier Giannoli said: «Vincent was filled with authentic anger during filming».
«Let’s not exaggerate» he replies I Woman. «Xavier and I have in common that we are perpetually angry people. I don’t think I’m on this earth to keep quiet.”
Why is he perpetually angry?
Because there are too many injustices in the world and too many things over which I feel powerless. And the anger transpires, comes out into the open. All I have to do is turn on the camera and put more words in my mouth, but the mood is already there. This character is everything that I am, in constant search. Of fatherhood, of faith, of justice, of truth. AND a mix of desire for service, for restitution for the privileges I have had, of the desire to enforce morality and order. I was ripe as a fruit to deal with all this.
Neils Schreider and Olga Kurylenko in D’argent et de sang.
He has been dealing with it for a while, but this time he is on the other side, he is with the authority, and not with those who suffer.
Of all the films I have made, this is the most political, the most “citoyen”, the most republican. Simon Weynachter wants to settle the score, I don’t know if he is right or left, but he is a man with an idea of justice, he doesn’t want to pick on the rich in a Manichean way at any cost, but he certainly wants the poor to be better off. He thinks that people have rights and that they should be respected. It doesn’t matter where you come from, what your social class is, what color your skin is, the law is the law. The law cannot be mocked. And among those who organized the colossal carbon quota scam there are also politicians and industrialists. All people who felt they were above the law. They felt they were untouchable, that they could afford everything. “I have money, I can do what I want.” Or: “I come from this family, no one will dare touch me.” But at the red light everyone must stop.
Aren’t these topics too serious for a TV series?
It’s not, it’s a 12 hour movie! But you can’t ask viewers to stay at the cinema for 12 hours. There will not be a second season. The story ends here.
“Better to see 40 films than a TV series”
Do you watch the series?
Not much, to watch a series for several seasons it takes… shall we say 80 hours? Well, 80 hours is 40 movies. And I prefer to see 40 films. TV destroys the star system. If people want to see you at the cinema it’s certainly not because they see you every day on TV. You only saw Gary Cooper in the cinema. The same goes today for Tom Cruise.
Little television, therefore, neither acted upon nor suffered. Other entertainment?
I have no social networks, no one knows what my cat’s name is or if I ate mozzarella yesterday. I don’t advertise, I don’t want to present myself as Johnny Depp covered in tattoos and with a wolf dog (imitates the intensity of Johnny Depp’s gaze, ed).
It’s a luxury to be able to say no, Johnny won’t be able to afford it.
My destiny is my character. I don’t mind if someone advertises or is on Facebook, as long as they leave me alone. I have no problem if they give me lessons on the environment and macrobiotics, but if you go to China to do a commercial on a private plane and then lecture me on how I have to respect the environment, then it’s not good. To give lessons you must be above reproach.
Vincent Lindon in The Law of the Market.
The series was an extraordinary success. Did she surprise you?
I can’t walk down the street anymore…
Not even before though.
There is no comparison. 27 million people watched D’argent and de sang. But I live my life even if they recognize me. I have no press office, I have no agent, secretary, manager, committee, stylist, nothing! I don’t play the popularity game. I am truly “monsieur tout le monde”, an ordinary man.
Only Bill Murray like him
Does it really interface with the system without intermediaries? He is one of the few actors in the world (another is Bill Murray, in America, in fact directors often can’t find him).
In all modesty, yes, I am unique. I do the shopping, I ride my motorbike, I take the train to Montparnasse station to visit friends in the countryside in the morning at half past eight, when the train is full as an egg. And I buy the ticket myself. And if I want a coffee I go to the bar and queue. Of course, if I’m shooting a film the production gives me an assistant who comes to pick me up in the morning. But when the movie ends I go back to doing my things alone. On set I don’t have a dressing room, also because I don’t wear makeup. If I have to wait I’ll sit somewhere until they call me. During the break I eat at the canteen like everyone else, not alone in my trailer. When I’ve finished the day’s work I come home and often go to a bar I know and have a glass of wine with chips and chat for a bit at the counter. Nobody bothers me. The more you put on your star sunglasses, the more you try to hide and convey the “stay away from me” message, the more attention you will attract.
Vincent LIndon in Welcome (2009)
Excuse me, what are you doing this afternoon?
I have to go to the framer to pick up a photo. Then I have a fitting for a costume that was a little tight on me. Then I go to the editing room to see the changes they made to a documentary about me. Then I’ll go to Beaubourg for a show and finally I’ll go on a scooter for a drink. Tomorrow morning I’ll go jogging and then I have to go to a shop they recommended to me to buy some towels for the bathroom. And I’m happy as hell. Even when I was president of the jury at Cannes (second Le Mondethat’s where he would test his presidential stature, ed) I went on foot, there were no official cars or security guards. Never had a problem. And I had a simple room, not a suite.
The relationship with money is the heart of the series. There are people there who are willing to do anything to get it even if they don’t know how to spend it. And those who grew up surrounded by money have been irremediably corrupted by it.
Money is meant to have some to live well, not to feel like in those heist movies where you say: “Ok let’s do one last heist and then we’ll retire.” That last shot is always fatal. Do not do it! Enjoy what you have, stop.
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