“Refugees are very different from migrants who think that the grass is greener elsewhere and who are right even if they experience disillusionment once there,” explains Benjamin Biolay to 20 minutes. Refugees have no choice in the face of the violence that threatens them. » The Afghan refugee he hosts in A few days no more of Julie Navarro fled the violence in his country and finds himself isolated in France while he only dreams of joining his family in England.
A dedicated volunteer played by Camille Cottin will help her snobbish journalist character look beyond her navel. “The film taught me a lot,” recognizes Benjamin Biolay. I sometimes thought of migrants with compassion when looking at the Mediterranean, but I didn’t think enough of refugees before this scenario opened my eyes. »
An admiration for associations
The film also made him discover how associations that try to help refugees in a hostile environment work. “They are constantly faced with the Kafkaesque side of the administration and with human tragedies that eat away at them,” he comments. No matter how hard they try not to be too empathetic, it’s impossible. » Benjamin Biolay has a deep admiration for these people putting aside their own interests to favor those of others. “It’s a hyper-sacrificial existence, they don’t have much privacy and they can burn out like senior executives in ultra-stressful companies,” he describes.
The artist and his actions
The effectiveness of art in changing the political situation leaves the singer doubtful. “The only ones who could make things happen are those who administer our country and given the latest laws passed in the National Assembly, it does not seem to be moving in our direction,” he sighs. He also doesn’t believe that artists can have much impact with their works. “We can love the songs of Georges Brassens and not shout “death to the cows” as soon as we come across a police officer. We can distinguish between what a singer says and his actions. Activism works better when it’s off, a committed artist will have more impact when he does it outside of his job,” he declares.
Even when it comes to communication, Benjamin Biolay is not sure he is up to the task. “People from associations speak so much better than artists because they are more precise,” he admits. The actors are always a little too pathos when they talk about these subjects. »
Give to help
The singer is nevertheless ready to commit but he remains lucid about his possibilities for action. “You can’t be 100% consistent when you’re a star and you’re flying and all that…,” he admits. You can either donate to charity or give money directly to the people concerned. » Whatever Benjamin Biolay says, A few days no more can help raise healthy awareness by calling for solidarity. “I hope so,” sighs the singer. U.S. too.