The actress stars in a feel-good comedy in the vein of Full Monty and inspired by a true story of the group “Salt & Pepper”, a choir of Dunkirk senior rock fans.
For several years, she was discreet. Prolific during the 2000s and 2010s, Mathilde Seigner has slowed down since 2019. She returns to cinemas this Wednesday with choir of rockersa comedy about a singer who turns a choir of retirees into a rock band.
A feel good comedy in the vein of Full Monty, inspired by the true story of the group “Salt & Pepper”, a choir of senior citizens from Dunkirk who released an album of covers of rock standards. “They are very well known in their region, but they have signed with Universal”, exclaims Mathilde Seigner. “It’s a crazy thing.”
The actress is very proud of this film which defends “good values”. “We need it in this ultra-tough period. We only talk about the Covid and the war. It’s very anxiety-provoking. It’s terrible. We put people in fear all the time. I think it’s a restorative movie, which feels good. It’s a movie for Christmas. It’s a fairy tale.”
“In cinema, there is no retirement”
Mathilde Seigner was touched by this film which “promotes seniors”. “The subject is loneliness. The older you get, the more likely you are to be alone,” she recalls. “I lost my dad 2 years ago and my mom is alone and I know how much when you find yourself alone at a certain age life is a little sad.” In the film, the seniors she coaches light up while singing. “It’s a quest for happiness.”
Even today, few films highlight seniors, although the cinema is one of the rare mediums that hires them frequently. “In the cinema, we work until our death”, laughs Mathilde Seigner. “Besides, in the cinema, there is no retirement for actors. We play girls, then mothers and then grandmothers. We have a job until the end of our lives. is great.”
At almost 55 years old, Mathilde Seigner is not yet old enough to play grandmothers. Last year, she still played the daughter of Josiane Balasko in A visit to my daughter. But the time to take stock has come. “I decided a year ago to take a break to live a little and stop working and enjoy my son and see him grow. It did me a lot, a lot of good.”
The taste for strong roles
After 34 years of career, Mathilde Seigner is not yet thinking of retirement, but she needed to “recharge”. “You don’t have a life when you’re filming all the time.” She now wants to “change course”. Here is the hour of “endangerment”: “I really want to redo more dramatic roles.” An idea born on the set of his latest film, The Children of the Righteous.
In this historical drama by Fabien Onteniente, she plays a woman who saves Jews during the Second World War. She will be sent to a camp – from which she will come out alive.
“It gave me back the taste for these strong roles. I hope to receive more like that. I would like to go to films like November.”
Mathilde Seigner still does not know what the rest of her career has in store. For now, she has signed a series on agriculture. “I really wanted to play a farmer. She is going to save farms all over France. It’s for television. It’s a project that is close to my heart.”
“I haven’t decided on the rest yet.” She will know within “three to four months” if she puts an end to her break. “I can’t stay like this forever,” concedes the actress. “I have to get my life back.” A desire which, she hopes, will not come into contradiction with her artistic ambition of the moment, and her search for a “film that makes sense”.
