On paper, Last summer by Catherine Breillat, discovered at the last Cannes Film Festival, has all the makings of a controversial film. The passionate encounter between a happily married bourgeoisie (Léa Drucker, impeccable as always) and her 17-year-old stepson (Samuel Kircher, Paul’s brother, a discovery) ticks all the boxes. Especially orchestrated by the director of Romance.
And yet, the delicacy of the whole nip the scandal in the bud. “The film is not subversive but sulfurous in the way it talks about women’s desire,” explains Léa Drucker to 20 Minutes. At no time are the seriousness of the situation and the impact it can have on the protagonists minimized. »
It is towards a drama of passion that the story turns where we also notice Olivier Rabourdinremarkable, as a worthy husband in adversity.
The awakening of buried desires
The woman she plays is not crazy, but the presence of this young man awakens buried desires in her to the point of making her lose her mind. The sex scenes are sensual, but remain modest. “I asked Catherine Breillat how she planned to shoot them and she was very specific, explaining to me that the flesh did not interest her and that she intended to concentrate only on the faces. » The first kiss between the lovers, of incredible intensity, proves that this decision is judicious.
“In the cinema, we have more often seen men with younger women than the opposite,” analyzes Léa Drucker. It’s also interesting to question the impulses that can push a woman who loves her husband to defy taboos at the risk of destroying her family. » The actress gives herself fully to the role of this bourgeois woman devoured by her passion. “I didn’t think I would have to give so much of myself for the intimate scenes,” she admits. It is above all her soul that the actress bares when she gives herself to her young lover.
Another Caesar?
Her sensitive performance could earn her a new César after the one she obtained for Up to the hilt in 2019. “There are roles, like these, that force you to dive into the unknown. This is what makes the profession of actress so rich,” insists Léa Drucker. This is also what arouses the viewer’s interest.