Love Me Tender, as seen by Anna Cazenave Cambet

Can you tell us how your film came about?

I had read the book Love Me Tender when it came out, and it really moved me. It shed light on and said new things about motherhood, at a time when I was also asking myself questions about my identity as a mother, a woman and a writer. A little over a year later, I was approached by producers to do an adaptation. It took several months before I put pen to paper, during which I met with Constance and we felt sure about it, she and I.

What was the atmosphere like on the shoot? Have you got any stories from the set?

There were a few moments during filming that were a bit strange, when the weather in particular nearly ended up jeopardizing our work schedule. Many times, my cinematographer Kristy Baboul and I offered up some sort of pagan prayers to bring out the sun, and several times we had absolutely magical moments when the sun came out for one take only. Since then, I fear that we’ve become more superstitious than ever.

What can you tell us about your actors?

What was challenging about Clémence’s character was finding an actress who was very built and tall, with shoulders. Clémence’s character swims a lot and moves nonstop. So, I wanted her body to show a sort of discipline. When we thought of Vicky Krieps, it became obvious and from the first day on set, there was no doubt: Vicky became Clémence.

What did directing this film teach you?

I learned how to stay calm as much as possible. It’s a creative state that I strongly believe in. I don’t look for tension on my set. It’s even something that I avoid. It can be hard at times, but I try as much as possible to let everyone find enjoyment.

What made you want to be a director?

I first studied photography. Becoming a director seemed out of reach, having grown up in the Southwest, far from the big cities. But cinema seemed to be to only medium that allowed me to marry my connection to photography and my writing. So, I decided to do it.

What are your influences?

I am inspired by cinema, as well as other art forms. Nature is also very important to me: the ocean and forest in Landes. At the moment, I untidily live with the photography of Daria Svertilova, the music of Billie Eilish, and the literature of Carmen Sosa-Villada. As for cinema, I am a bit obsessed with Cabaret by Bob Fosse, and Faute d’Amour (Loveless) and Le Retour (The Return) by Andreï Zviaguintsev.