After she ascended to the Competition last year with Bergman Island, it’s bittersweet to see Mia Hansen-Løve back in the ranks of Directors’ Fortnight with the deeply personal film One Fine Morning.
In the film, Lea Seydoux stars as Sandra, a young mother trying to care for her ailing father, fighting to get him the care he requires, while embarking on a passionate affair with Clément, a charming yet married man. The film also stars Pascal Greggory and Melvil Poupaud. Deadline spoke to both Seydoux and Hansen-Løve about their journey working on the film and how empathy and vulnerability helped them navigate the cinematic experience of shooting One Fine Morning.
“I don’t think I really choose what my films are about,” said Hansen-Løve. “I wrote the film out of necessity. I felt like I couldn’t move forward without dealing with these two topics (love and loss).” The director explains that the story is semi-autobiographical and parallels the feelings and anxieties of dealing with two opposite feelings at the same time. “I think when you are confronted with the illness of someone you love–the illness I depict in the film is a very cruel one–I think when you feel all the pain that comes with that, you feel the need to love more and give more.”
Seydoux describes connecting with the character Sandra on an emotional level and inserting parts of herself into every performance. “There is a path that I need to go toward the character”, said the actress. “Even if the character is me, I have to have empathy for the character even if I play with my own emotions.”
The critical reception for the film has been overwhelming and according to Variety, Sony Pictures Classics quickly acquired One Fine Morning on the heels of its world premiere at the festival.
Check out the full interview with director Mia Hansen-Løve and Lea Seydoux above.