La Dormeuse Duval
SYNOPSIS
Dans un village sur les bords de la Meuse à la frontière franco-belge, Basile Matrin, magasinier d’usine, mène une vie
monotone aux côtés de son épouse Rose. La jeune Maryse Duval, revenue de Paris laissant son rêve de comédienne
derrière elle, va involontairement faire basculer le destin de Rose et de son mari. Le voisin et ami de Basile Matrin,
correspondant local du Quotidien de la Meuse, est témoin du drame comique qui se joue en face de chez lui. Il va
entrer à son corps défendant dans cette « dramédie » …
In a village by the Meuse river, located near the French-Belgian border, a factory storekeeper named Basile Matrin
leads a dreary life with his wife, Rose. The young Maryse Duval, who had just come back from Paris, has abandoned
her dreams of becoming an actress. She will unwittingly turn their life upside down. Basile’s great friend and
neighbour, who is a reporter for a local newspaper
« Le Quotidien de la Meuse», witnesses the comical drama that is unfolding on the street outside his house,and will
unwillingly be drawn into this «Dramedy» ...
Interview with the director Manuel Sanchez
Where did you get the idea of La DorMeuse Duval ?
I lived in the Ardennes since I left Paris. I came to write with Muriel Harrar, my wife and co-writer, a script inspired by the
life of Mrs Rimbaud. This project was put on hold and I left like doing an italian-style comedy. I reread all of Rimbaud’s
poems -who was born in Charleville-Mézières- and I was intrigued by all the amazing images of the two poems : Le
Dormeur du val’ and Ophélie. There is also the discovery of the Frank Bartelt’s work who’s a writer and poet who lives in
the Ardennes in the edge of the Meuse. After reading his novel les Bottes Rouges, I reached out to him to tell him how
much I liked his writing, his sense of humor and the poetic pattern which goes through his novel. La DorMeuse Duval is
an adaptation of this book which stages a reporter of a local newpaper who linked himself with his neighbor, a factory
worker. I come from the working class and so I can relate in a comical way to a drama set among the working class. Frank
Bartelt totally trusted us and we did with Muriel Harrar a faithful adaptation of the spirit of the novel which is focalized
on the disappearance of the young Maryse Duval whose name is Marise Caillois in the book
It’s your second full-length feature film. In your first film Les Arcandiers the river ‘’la Loire’’ was very present. Why
choose ‘’la Meuse’’ this time ?
I spent all my childhood on the edge of la Loire. Now I live in the ardennes which is crossed by another big river : la Meuse. I like everything that flows :
rivers, rain, words just like Maryse Duval in the movie. It rains a lot in the Ardennes. Rain is a part of the landscape and the lives of people here. Though,
i don’t see it in a negative way. Rain has its erotic dimension just like the river which penetrates into the valley of the Meuse by mixing with the collins
whose curves are gracious. In my first film Les Arcandiers, the Loire is associated with death, in La DorMeuse Duval the Meuse is both Eros and Thanatos.
Intierwiew with the writer Franz Bartelt
It’s the first adaptation of one of your novels. How do you like it ?
With distance and confidence. I’m mostly curious to see what story can be told with the story first made for the
book. And see how an imaginary world can create another one, which definitely will enhance it. With that said,
Many of my novels were staged in theater and a couple of my short stories served as support for short movies.
Others of my writings didn’t pass the stage of script for now. This movie is indeed the first full-length feature film.
Did you already knew Manuel Sanchez’ work ?
I was an admirer and still am of Les Arcandiers. It’s a universe which mixes with finesse reality and poetry (…)
and a humor which corresponds to the definition of Chris Marker : Humor, manners, distress. After, it’s based on
chance and other circumstances that allowed me to work on two scripts for short movies with anecdotal budgets,
directed by Manuel Sanchez, which gave me the opportunity to notice and appreciate his ability to go through all
his projects, whatever the difficulties he will be confronted to. It’s the best guarantee.
You were present during the filming, what were your impressions ?
Actually, I wasn’t present during the filming. I went for two or three courtesy visits, like a neighbor. For a man who is used to work alone and peaceful, a
shooting seems to be like a general madness. Probably you have to be mad to go in such an adventure. But without madness, we would still be believing
the planet isn’t round.