Best known for his starring role in “Lupin”, French actor Omar Sy is also a politically oriented producer. Before becoming a global star with “Lupine,” Sy began developing “Father and Soldier” with Mathieu Vadepied, a cinematographer-turned-director he met on the set of “Intouchables.” The Passion Project, written by Vadepied and Olivier Demangel (“Atlantics”), sheds light on the Senegalese Tirailleurs, who were part of the infantry of the French colonial army during World Wars I and II. More than a decade later, The Father and the Soldier, directed by Vadepied and directed by Gaumont, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, in the Un Certain Regard section.
In a rare dramatic role, the actor who often plays comic roles plays Bakari Diallo, a man whose peaceful life in rural Senegal is shattered after his 17-year-old son Thierno (Alassane Diong) is drafted into the French army. Bakari sets out to bring his son home and enlist in the army.
While in Paris for the holidays, he met Sy to discuss his motivations for continuing to make socially relevant films and his desire to nurture a rising generation of cinematic talent, particularly in Africa. Gaumont will release “Father and Soldier” in France on January 4, produced by Bruno Nahon Unité (“A Good Doctor”) and production vehicle Sy Korokoro, and the film will premiere two days later with a premiere in Senegalese capital Dakar, planned to attend. In Paris for the holidays, the elegant French actor spoke diverse During a trip at the Peninsula Hotel while playing with his white dog.
How did you come up with the idea for “Father and Soldier”?
Mathieu Vadepied, who was the cinematographer on “Intouchables,” spoke to me during the shoot about his desire to direct a film. He had the idea of making a film about the Tirailleurs from Senegal during the First World War. My first reaction was, “Wait, is that possible?” I realized I didn’t know much about Tirailleurs and had always associated them with World War II. I thought we should make a movie to bring a little bit of knowledge about this and these guys.
Why did he produce the movie and also star in it?
I became her producer while working on this movie. I didn’t decide to be one, it just happened naturally.
I learned a lot from watching the movie. Growing up, there was no mention of Tirailleurs in French textbooks.
The idea was – to arouse some curiosity and pay tribute to the Tirailleurs. When we think of patriots and soldiers who fought for France, we think of “Poilus” (often the nickname for French soldiers during World War I) because that’s what we learn in school. I would put the Tirailleurs as equals because they fought on the same front and for the same cause as Poilus. So it would be fair to treat them as equals.
However, this is more than just a war movie.
Yes, it is a movie about war, but it is not a war movie. There were so many films about World War I and what intrigued us was telling the stories of these soldiers, showing the conditions they fought in, the sacrifices they made, and what they left behind to fight an enemy they knew nothing about. We want to stay very close to the characters and that requires us to depict the war differently, to be almost like a documentary. It really shocked me during the first few days of shooting.
Do you want to save movie production?
I hope to make more and more films. Now there are several projects that I developed myself a little bit, and they will be brought up later. Production gives me other possibilities. What I love about this job is the storytelling and the production is a way of telling stories that I as an actor can’t be involved in, and expressing another side of my sensibilities.
What kinds of stories interest you?
Stories coming from all over the world. There is no limit. I obviously have more things to say about Senegal and France, but it could be from anywhere. It is also about meeting and working with filmmakers whose vision and ideas I want to support.
It must also be exciting to work with emerging talent like Alassane Diong, the young actor who plays your son in “Father and Soldier.”
Absolutely, apart from him, there are a lot of other talented young actors in this movie. Besides Alassane Diong, there is also Bamar Kane, Jonas Bloquet and Alassane Sy who are awesome. We are very happy to give this opportunity to talented and promising actors. Hassan is my nephew! He’s had a career on his own. I put him in touch with an agent, had him make some calls, and I was like, “Every man for himself!” But then I saw him in a short film and I said, actually I need him in this movie. It was perfect for the part. So I spoke to Mateo who auditioned him for the role and really wanted him in the movie as well.
Were you worried that a movie about black soldiers would be handled by a white filmmaker?
No, it was never a problem because Mathieu Vadepede was the first person who spoke to me about it. And it’s not just a movie about Senegal. It is a film about the relationship between Senegal and France. It’s about the Tirailleurs who came to France to fight, so it’s very symbolic. I find it very interesting that there is Matthew, who is French and white, honoring the Tirailleurs. This is meaningful.
What is your involvement in the new film school Kourtrajmé, which just opened in Dakar It aims to provide opportunities and mentorship to filmmakers from diverse backgrounds.
Yes, I had a project to open a school there and Ladge Lee (Director of “Les Miserables”) did it too, so we thought we wouldn’t have two schools. He already had the model of the Courstragueme School in Paris so we just had to adapt it for Senegal. She introduced him to suitable partners, and became the school’s godfather.
Many major media companies, including Pathé and Orange, are investing in Africa, including Senegal. What do you think that?
Yes, because a lot of things happen there. It is the smallest continent in the world. Young people there are better informed than they used to about what’s going on in the world, their tastes have changed and they travel without moving thanks to social networks and the Internet. So it’s an area with a lot of potential. My idea, and the Ladge School there is to give new tools to this young generation so that they can express themselves without having to wait for funding that comes in from abroad, or a festival or some kind of competition that happens every two to three years. What I want is to help them tell their own stories. Today, in Senegal, directors learn to tell stories aimed at festivals in Europe or elsewhere. But it would be nice to have stories told mainly to the Senegalese audience as well. And if they travel after that, great.
Last year, it signed first-look deals with Netflix and HBO Max to produce movies and series, respectively. Are they still in place?
Yes, I have a deal with Netflix, so I’m developing movies for Netflix and I’m going to show them first. If they want a project they take it, if they don’t, I pitch it to another partner. I have a similar deal with HBO Max for series projects.
So far you haven’t delivered a project with either of them, have you?
clings. Be patient a little bit. It’s coming, it’s coming! It takes time, but I have many things in development.
She has starred in huge American movies like ‘Jurassic World’, ‘Transformers’, and X-Men. What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened to you on these sets?
I’ll tell you the craziest thing that ever happened to me was that I met many actors I’ve admired since I was a kid, and always managed to pretend everything was normal. I stayed calm as they say. But then in the movie I just screwed “Shadow Force” by Joe Carnahan With Kerry Washington I have a scene with Method Man. He is not only an actor, but also a rapper that I listened to a lot when I was young. And I completely lost it. I was so nervous, I couldn’t remember my lines, I was miserable. She blamed the English, like “Oh damn, the English!” But the truth is that I liked it. It was in my ear every morning on the way to high school and it was right there in front of me. I think it hit me somewhere he couldn’t beat, like it brought back the teenager in me. He has no idea but he’ll find out reading this interview!
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