TIFF 2009 Interview: Jacques Audiard and Tahar Rahim (A Prohet)

When you ask me at the end of the year what ranks as my number one picture, I’ll most likely point to this Cannes winner. Below is an interview which a conducted mostly in French, which means the answers are in French – and sorry a site that promotes subtitles didn’t place any in the video. In the first portion, you have the A Prophet director and co-writer Jacques Audiard answering questions and then, Tahar Rahim inserted within the same video – seeing the questions I asked after the jump:

It started by me asking Audiard, about minorities represented on film – my notion is that there aren’t that many that come out victorious with perhaps Pontecorvo’s Battle of Algiers as an expection. I would you say this was the key facet that drew you and Thomas into the project?…

From there I told Audiard, how surprised I was by how much power and influence that incarcerated people have on the outside world – and asked him if this an accurate depiction of the system…

Letting him know that I had only seen his last three films, I was wondering what attracts you do these underdogs/lone wolfs/loners/male protagonists with street smart intelligence…

I then got into the notion that Malik never goes to prison, he would have never improved his life. And while it is offset by the conditions and 6 years of hell, in the long run: “crime does pay”. He becomes powerful like Niels’ character and he also takes on responsibility for the first time by adopting a family. I was oddly thinking if there were ever concerns on how younger audiences might interpret this…

And finally I got into his thought about American independent cinema of the 70’s, and if it was something you consciously or unconsciously a main influence for this work…

When I spoke to Tahar, I was interested in how his character is a prisoner in a literal sense, but before he lands in jail – he is a “domestic” prisoner based on social conditions. He doesn’t fit in because he has lost touch with his roots. I sent him a not so loaded question on if he felt if this was a representative example of France’s cultural make-up and perhaps a key challenge for many 2nd generation immigrants…

I then wanted to know how does Jacques bring out the best in his actors? – Having seen Vincent in Sur mes levres/ Romain in The Beat that My Heart Skipped De Battre and noticed the exceptional, memorable performances from those thesps…

Then I mentioned to Tahar, how after having seen the film at Cannes – I looked up your acting credits – I’d seen the A L’interieur (The Inside) credit and wanted to know if he was a public figure with his television work. Clearly the actor is living an instant claim to fame. And finally I asked him what the hardest scene in terms of acting.