Gilles Lellouche lives a pure nightmare in the thriller Kompromat. This suspense loosely inspired by a true story confronts a Frenchman with a terrible plot based on false documents. It is the “Kompromat” of the title, an operation intended to put out of harm’s way the enemies of a power in place fomented by the Russian Secret Services in 2017.
“I like these characters of ordinary types who are forced to adapt to extraordinary situations, specifies Gilles Lellouche. I was fascinated by the story of this innocent guy imprisoned in a hostile country. The trap that closes in on him is appalling. Accused of pedophilia, the unfortunate expatriate has no other solution than to escape if he wishes to have a chance to see his country again.
In a ruthless gear
Director Jérôme Salle reunited with screenwriter and novelist Caryl Férey, from whom he had already adapted Zulu (2013), to construct the journey of this Frenchman abandoned in Russia. From his incarceration to his escape, the breathtaking story does not leave a second of respite to the public who takes up the cause of this hunted Everyman. Joanna Kulig, revealed in Cold War and always amazing, proves to be an excellent asset for the escapee by also confirming that Russia is not a place of rest. It’s even the least we can say!
“My character’s desire to live and his pugnacity motivated me”, admits Gilles Lellouche. He made the most of filming in full confinement in Lithuania to flesh out his composition. “The twilight atmosphere and the isolation that we were forced to experience certainly helped my performance. We lived under the threat that a case of Covid would interrupt the filming, ”recalls the actor.
Gilles Lellouche shows as much combativeness as sensitivity in Kompromat. After the successes of North ferry of Cédric Jimenez where he camped a policeman andFarewell Mr. Haffmann where he played a collaborator, he once again established himself as a versatile actor on the way to becoming a heavyweight in French action cinema. “I want more and more complex roles that allow me to dive deep within myself,” he says. That of Kompromat fits this description perfectly.