Christelle Lheureux director of “La Maladie Blanche”

How did this project, La Maladie Blanche, came about ?

CL : I used to go to this town in the Pyrenees every summer. When I was there I realized I wanted to write a short script, shot it in a place I like and with people I like. You know, make something simple and just try to tell a story, because before I was doing more experimental films.

Is this based on a real legend ?

CL : No, I made it up from nothing. Of course it is related to some feelings I had but it was not done consciously. I was just trying to approach the fear you have when you are a kid. I wanted to work with the idea that when you are a kid you are ready to believe anything.

The film features a wild boar very close to a child. How did you shot that ?

CL : We had two trainers because it is really dangerous. We could have easily shot a wild boar in the area, either walking around in the town at night, or in the forest. But to me it was really important to frame the little girl and the boar at the same time. In fact we got the most famous wild boar actor in France (Laughs). He did some documentaries for ARTE (Laughs). For one shot it took us three hours to set it up so the boar would not go up the stairs while the little girl was there. It was not easy.

How did the audience react to your film ? CL : I was a bit surprised. I love it when people laugh and that varies a lot from country to country. I liked the way people laugh here (laughs).

There are similarities with your film and the work of Apichatpong Weerasethakul, with whom you have worked in the past. I was wondering how much has he influenced you ?

CL : I actually know him for more than 10 years. We are good friends and we did two short films together. We also did a workshop together with my students in Chiang Mai. I don’t think I am so much influenced by him. I think we influence each other. We talk a lot and share ideas. We are very interested in each other’s work and we trust and help each other a lot. For instance, on my next film, which will be my first feature, I am going to shot part of it in Thailand and he is helping out. I have 6 scenes to be shot in Thailand, 20% is shot there and the rest in France.

by Fernando Vasquez