I’m fine, don’t worry: filming was complicated for Mélanie Laurent

I’m fine, don’t worry : a missing brother

In 2006, Mélanie Laurent found her first major role in I’m fine, don’t worry. That of Lili, a 19-year-old young woman who learns of the disappearance of her brother Loïc on his return from Spain. Loïc would have decided to leave the family home following an argument with their father Paul (Kad Merad).

Upset by the absence of her brother with whom she has a close relationship, Lili stops eating and falls into anorexia. Faced with the distress and concern of his daughter, Paul reveals to her the existence ofa letter in which Loïc wrote reassuring words for his sister, and others insulting to their father. When she leaves the hospital and as the letters multiply, she goes looking for him.

Isabelle Renauld, Julien Boisselier, Aïssa Maïga and Simon Buret complete the cast of this adaptation of the eponymous novel by Olivier Adam. A feature film with which Kad Merad won the César for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, while Mélanie Laurent won that of Most promising Actress. A well-deserved reward for the actress, given her performance but also the collaboration which has not always been easy with the director Philippe Lioret.

“It hasn’t been rosy every day”

In the film’s press kit, the filmmaker claims to have been seduced “from the first meeting” by “intelligence, vivacity and the little flame that shines in” Mélanie Laurent. He adds:

She spoke to me about Lili with such precision that it was obvious that the character already found a real echo in her. Mass was said, it was impossible for me to imagine anyone else. She trusted me, so I decided to do the same and not give her a tryout.

After this reciprocal artistic love at first sight comes the shooting, which knows some tense moments. Philippe Lioret says on this subject:

For her, it has not been rosy every day. The role was difficult, even physically, and I was particularly demanding, even more…

Remarks which echo those of Mélanie Laurent during an interview granted to premiere during the promotion of the feature film:

We bumped into each other for whole days, from five o’clock to ten o’clock! He’s adorable, but he’s a bully. (…) At the beginning, I did not let myself do. Then I calmed down. I hate working in conflict.

Upon arrival, the filmmaker and the actress are both extremely proud of the result. For Philippe Lioret, what Mélanie Laurent “gave to the film is impressive”. He concludes :

She is an immense actress, coupled with a very beautiful person.