long vowel mark (usually only used in katakana)

gasper:

story
Louis, a popular writer, returns home for the first time in 12 years to tell his family that he will die soon. His mother, Martine, prepares his favorite dish, and his sister, Suzanne, who does not remember her brother who left her when she was very young, is waiting for him, dressed in an unfamiliar fashion. Unlike the two who are excited, Antoine, the older brother, greets Louis without hesitation, and his wife, Catherine, is meeting Louis for the first time. They continue their meaningless conversation over hors d'oeuvres and main courses, as if they were afraid that Louis would confess something to them. Confused, Louis decides to confide in her around dessert time. But when his overheated brother's fiery words reach their zenith, the unexpected emotions that each of them had been keeping hidden come pouring out.

Director Dolan's direction shows maturity.

First of all, please tell us about the film as a whole. Compared to Dolan's previous films ("My Name is Laurence," "Mommy," etc.), the core of the film has not changed at all, but the style has been changing and growing, and I felt that this time it is a film for mature men.

gasperI think you are right. This is a turning point in his filmography. I feel that this film marked the beginning of his maturation.

Maturity is not only in the thematic aspects of the film, but also in the way the story is told and directed. For example, in your previous films, I think there was a bit more exaggeration in your direction, but this time, I feel that the direction is solid and stripped of unnecessary things.

You played the main character, Louis, in the film, didn't you? He is the protagonist, but he also acts as a catalyst for the family.

gasperI think that definition is spot on. For me, this role was a challenge. I was challenged by this role, because most of the emotional aspects of the film are mediated and activated by him.

Louis remains silent, but on the other hand reacts to the words and actions of others. Not with words, but with facial expressions. It was a big challenge for me because I was required to express this to the fullest and leave my presence.

The camera used a lot of close-ups to pick up the actors' detailed facial expressions.

gasperI have that kind of introspection and shyness in me, too. Especially when I was young, when I was a child, I was a bit shy. Not for the same reasons as Louis, but I was a very shy child.

The more you talk about it, the less you convey the opposite.

What do you think is the difficulty in acting and communicating emotions without using words or body language?

gasperI was not sure how difficult it would be, but I did not find it difficult at all. But I didn't find it that difficult, because I knew that the director would catch my performance, even if it was just a small facial expression. I knew that the director would catch my performance, even if it was just a small facial expression, and because of that trust, I didn't have to exaggerate.

They give us close-ups, and by minimizing the acting, they make it so much more effective. I think that when you use a lot of close-ups, you really express the suffocating nature of the film's indoor drama. I think silence is more eloquent than words.

This film is based on a play by Jean-Luc Lagarce, and it is a paradoxical story in which people talk a lot, but what is really important is not born or conveyed. In the sense of hiding one's true feelings, I think the words function exactly like a mask.

People other than Louis talk and talk and talk, saturating the space with sound. In this way, they deprive Louie of the opportunity to speak, or they become afraid of the silence of the place, which is why they speak.

Silence means I have to face myself in a deeper way. That is what I am afraid of. I think that everyone is afraid to let themselves fall into that kind of deep abyss, and that's why we all talk so much.

The film depicts a warped family love and the difficulty of communication due to verbal misunderstandings and silence. What did you think of these images of family? Did you sympathize with them?

gasperI think it is the type of film where everyone in the audience can relate themselves to some scene, rather than projecting themselves onto the film as a whole.

I think it is the power of the words by Jean-Luc Lagarce and the power of the film itself. The film depicts a universal theme of "Oh, I have experienced this kind of family conflict somewhere before. Speaking for myself, there were so many parts of the film that I thought, "Oh, this is me.

Great actors who lead us to unexpected places.

I think that's why there must have been moments when you realized that being an actor is an interesting job.

gasperAs you say, each scene depends on who you are acting with and with whom you are acting. Therefore, I get excited as an actor when I have a good co-star.

I can also improve myself. This time, the other actors were all great actors, so it was a very exciting job. When you are in front of really good actors, they can lead you to unexpected places.

I guess you could say the film is theatrical. Was there a lot of improvisation?

gasperI have almost nothing to say. This time, I adapted some of Jean-Luc Lagarce's language and dialogues in a cinematic style, but I tried to respect Lagarce's language as much as possible, and Mr. Dolan asked me to act as if I were acting in a theater play.

You talk so eloquently, but the silent performances in the play must have been quite stressful for you. (Laughs)

gasper: Thank you very much. It was comfortable, as far as positions go. I could just observe and react to everyone's performance. You just have to take what the great actors throw at you.

You just described yourself as talkative, but in fact, I feel that you tend to listen to what others have to say. When I was young, I was often told, "You seem to be in a daze. Do you understand?" Or, "Hey!　You need to get your act together! I was told, "You're so vague. So, Louis was the perfect person for me.

It is in my nature to take time to think and talk. In today's society, time for such things as being alone with one's thoughts has been lost, though. I feel that young people in particular are living on the surface without digging deep into their inner selves. They are swept away by the information flowing around them, and I wonder if they are too connected to various places. They seem to be connected, but they are not meeting in the flesh, in their true form.

This is exactly the kind of communication that is involved in this film.

gasperThe original play by Jean-Luc Lagarce itself contains such a message, ironically. Theater often relies on words to create a play, but I think it is a humble part of a playwright to say that words are useless after all.

What do you consider important when selecting artworks?

gasperI have recently started to think about not only the content of the movie, but also what kind of acting I am expected to do and whether I can grow as a result of being in the movie. I choose films based on whether they pull me out of my safe zone and bring out a new side of me.

My career hasn't been that long, but there have been times when I've had the dreaded, "What about this project?" I had a lot of fear. I sometimes had to turn them down, but now I have come to realize that it's not such a big deal.

This is because Nelson Mandela said, "If I fail at something, I lose nothing. Either I win something, or I learn something. I like this quote from Nelson Mandela: "Either you win something or you learn something, it's one or the other. I keep this in mind.

Dolan with a bare heart.

I have heard that he is the kind of person who bursts into tears when he hears other people's speeches at award ceremonies such as Cannes. He is a very emotional and sensitive person. How was he like on set?

gasperHe is a truly sincere person without any lies. That's why he's so tearful. Some people may wonder if that is an exaggerated expression of emotion, but it is true.　But it is true. It is rare for someone to bare his heart to that extent, so it is understandable that some people have that impression of him.

But every day on the set, he really bared his emotions, and I saw many times that he was in tears as he watched the scenes being made in front of his eyes. I think that is the power of Director Dolan. He never compromises, and he never backs down. With a very sharpened sensitivity, he works with 100% his own responsibility. There is no room for shame in that all-out attitude, in his case.