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THE WORLD OF CINEMA OPENS ITS DOORS TO PATRICIA BLANCHET
Patricia, according to my source at Harper's Bazaar, you've been chosen to create all the shoes that will be worn by the new, as yet undisclosed, actress who will play Barbarella in the remake to be released in 2018.
How did you come to land such a contract?
A while ago, a funny, whimsical, artistic guy came into the shop on rue Beaurepaire. I immediately thought he was lost. But no, he came in because he loved our unusual window display and our wonderful models. He was full of praise for my fantastic models, "each more beautiful than the last". He arrived around 2pm and we stayed together until after midnight. We really enjoyed ourselves. Well, the guy in question was none other than Christopher Doyle. A very famous cinematographer who has worked on films by Wong Kar Wai, Zhang Yimou and Gus Van Sant, to name but a few. We said goodbye and he went back to California. No more news, nothing. It was as if that fabulous afternoon had never happened. Then, a few weeks ago, I received a phone call in English. But it was a fast, thick English. I couldn't understand a thing. They put me through to another woman who spoke in French. But it was the same thing, a super-fast French with a terrible accent.So how did you conclude your deal?
I hung up. I also thought it was a hoax. So they sent me an e-mail that I had time to read and above all to understand. In fact it was a costume designer attached to Paramount who was calling me on Christopher's behalf. She'd been on my website, loved the models and absolutely wanted to use them in a film. She immediately suggested Fast and Furious.Did she? Which film? The latest one?
Yes, I think so. They release three or four a year, don't they? But anyway, I said no straight away. I didn't want to end up in a blockbuster where I didn't have a say.So you said no? It takes guts at that stage.
No, you have to know what you want. I don't like cars. They bore me and I didn't think they suited my world.
Cela aurait pu vous fermer définitivement les portes de Hollywood.
Que je n'ai jamais cherché à ouvrir en l'occurence. Je pense au contraire qu'il faut toujours affirmer avec vigueur qui l'on est. Je ne voulais pas de ça, je lui ai fait savoir. Du coup il y a eu un petit moment de flottement mais vous voyez après un temps de réflexion, cette femme est revenue à la charge avec un projet qui était plus dans mes cordes et mes envies.Et donc Barbarella !
Voilà, exactement. Autant vous dire qu'à ce moment je n'ai pas hésité la fraction d'une seconde. Barbarella, l'original est un film que j'adore, qui me fait rire, rêver. Un vrai film de cinéma, un peu série Z mais tellement exaltant. Cela représente un peu la liberté.N'avez pas vous peur que le nouveau soit un peu plus corseté? Plus convenu ?
Peut-être, c'est même tout à fait envisageable. C'est l'époque qui veut ça. Mais je peux vous dire par contre que niveau costumes, ce sera beaucoup plus délirant et en même temps beaucoup plus travaillé que le premier du nom. Et donc je suis ravie d'apparaître au générique de ce qui devrait être un sacré film.D'autres participations à des films ?
Ecoutez, il semblerait que je sois abonnée aux remakes car j'ai des contacts très avancés pour celui des Gremlins. A voir !Propos recueillis par Vladimir Chahine pour le quotidien La Pravda©