“It's a movie about self-confidence, about vanity,” stated the actress, little sister of Ramzy, who co-wrote the characteristic movie by Katia Lewkowics. “I put plenty of myself into the story,” she says.

“20 further kilos and a cap as a haircut”, Nour is a younger lady who is simply too “buddy” with the boys, not female sufficient, a woman not girlish sufficient to not take rakes. Incarnated by Melha Bedia, Nour is “a bit of fats”, Nour is “Sturdy”, title of the movie (launched on March 18) by Katia Lewkowics (“Why are you crying?”, “Rise up straight”). Ramzy’s little sister, Melha Bedia, is on the origin of this story, of which she can be a co-writer.
Surrounded by her greatest buddies, the very effective Adèle (Alison Wheeler) single mom who has hassle protecting a man, and Steph (Bastien Ughetto) who nonetheless hesitates between women or boys, Nour lastly decides to alter, to alter, and to begin pole dancing. She is going to comply with the teachings of Sissi, performed by Valérie Lemercier, with a barely shady previous and all of the panoply (false hair, false eyelashes, false nails), trainer who greater than tricks to evolve across the barre will give him the very best recommendation: “By no means surrender”.
Nour is “Sturdy”, and this two-way title was discovered by the director, as a result of Nour is powerful in character too. The ethical of this movie about distinction is that “the vital factor is to be your self”, however this innocent comedy stays superficial and does not likely take care of the actual topic, the ferocity of the eyes of others.
Assembly with Melha Bedia, through the movie preview on the UGC Ludres.
“While you be ok with your self, you be ok with your self”
Director Katia Lewkowics clarified that the aim of this movie was to not make “a feminist manifesto” however moderately to go in direction of humor, was that your concept in writing it?
Melha Bedia: Fully, is that this a feminist movie, is the topic feminist, we’re all feminists, it's pure, I don't have to say it. Katia Lewkowics, Alison Wheeler, Valérie Lemercier, all of us be in agreement on this, we’re feminists however we now not must be sidelined. In fact, this can be a movie about people who find themselves not likely as much as customary, about what society sends us again, we discuss lots about girls who’re struggling, however there are additionally males. I’ve plenty of buddies who’re struggling, in our technology we don't essentially have the directions to be a girl or a person, that's what we tried to inform on this movie with actual folks, for as soon as.
Had been you as tomboy as your character, extra like soccer than pole dance?
Fully, I put plenty of myself in historical past, I performed soccer, even now. I used to be at PSG for women, I used to be going to begin a girls's soccer profession in the US, however my mom stated no. Sure, I wished to place plenty of myself to make it as honest as potential, I most popular to begin from myself and my buddies to attempt to make a movie as generational as potential, as a result of all movies about younger folks, it not often matches us, we not often really feel represented. That is the primary biopic of an individual who continues to be not too well-known however nonetheless alive.
At first of the movie, your character, Nour, assumes his physique…
It's a movie about self-confidence, about vanity, that's what occurred to me in actual life. It’s extra the others, your entourage and the society that hustle you, that time out to you that you’re not as much as customary, if folks don’t inform you about it and if society doesn’t ship you a nasty picture , you don't notice it. While you be ok with your self, you be ok with your self. Afterwards, it's a each day trouble for everybody, not solely when you find yourself fats, when you find yourself nearsighted, or when you find yourself Arab.
“I made my bulges a power”

However do you’re feeling extra comfy with that?
I used to be utterly overweight, I misplaced weight however I used to be 106 kilos. After I had made it a pressure, as a result of I’m a humorist and I’m fortunate, after I make jokes on the massive guys, that I name my present “Fats and livid”, that I discuss it freely , I self-carry and self-valve, that's effective for me. However I do know lots of people who don't have the possibility to go on stage, to have a bit of little bit of unfold, and I consider these folks after they go dwelling and watch a romantic comedy with a lovely blonde, they don't don't acknowledge, on social networks all girlfriends have extra likes, in vogue magazines there isn’t any lady who appears such as you, it will get sophisticated. I’m a little bit of a case aside, I made my beads a power, however while you shouldn’t have humor, it’s sophisticated when you find yourself thirteen-fourteen, there are individuals who will carry you, who will communicate badly to you, who will decide you, it's horrible, particularly at college.
A couple of weeks in the past, “Télérama” made a exceptional cowl on grossophobia, and testimonies evoked insults, rejections …
Two years in the past, I didn't know what grossophobia was, it's new but it surely has at all times existed. I’ve plenty of girlfriends who make muses, who make journal covers, and I additionally produce other girlfriends who’re completely different, actresses, and who won’t ever have a canopy; I’ll by no means have the quilt of a girls's journal, as a result of there are advertisers, promoting, it doesn’t give a great picture, a giant one is just not good for promoting… I actually wish to the modern, female press on social media.
The file of “Télérama”, a documentary on France 2, your movie … you discover that issues evolve within the media, that there’s a conjunction?
I really feel like the massive planets are lining up. I’m a part of this minority however I’ve different minorities, when it’s the myopic flip I will likely be there, when it will likely be the virgins I will likely be there, the Arabs, the Muslims … I’m accumulating, stuffed with minorities it turns into the bulk. Anyway, on the physique and speaking about it’s transferring. I’ve no want to inform myself that this movie will assist folks and entire generations, but when some folks handle to acknowledge themselves, it's cool. I acknowledged myself in only a few movies.
“My brother noticed me on the ENA”
After being alone on stage, did you wish to go to the flicks?
I had the possibility to begin cinema, with small roles, earlier than happening stage. I actually took a very long time to put in writing my present, as a result of my brother didn't need me to do that job, I had good grades at college and he noticed me on the ENA. I toured Diam’s for 2 years and realized the stage together with her. I began with a primary position in a collection, “Les Lascars” on Canal +, then I made a primary movie with Marc Lavoine, “A toutformation”, and roles in “Tout schuss”, “Pataya”… I actually put a bit of finger within the cinema earlier than happening stage, and I’ll resume my present at first of the college 12 months, as a result of for me it’s critical.
Now Ramzy has accepted your selection higher?
Sure, he’s very glad, he’s proud, however he was onerous on me.
Was it obligatory to play it within the movie?
I didn’t have the selection. I used to be considering of Didier Bourdon for the position, as a result of I'm a fan, and one morning my mom known as Katia and stated to her: However you're going to take my son too. It’s the primary time I’ve boosted Ramzy’s enjoyable.
For the pole dance sequences, did you comply with coaching, similar to Valérie Lemercier?
I did six months of pole dance, it's so onerous. I had a lot a priori about these women, I discovered a benevolence, a sorority between the ladies who helped me, we helped one another, we realized issues, and particularly I met women who moved me, there have been all social backgrounds, all our bodies, it was nice, it taught me lots. Valérie has been a dancer for fifteen years, she is presented and really slender, she could be very very robust, in thrice she succeeded every thing, whereas I took extra time, I feel I misplaced 5 layers of pores and skin .
A phrase comes up a number of occasions within the movie, “I’ve a CDI”, has it grow to be so extraordinary?
We see it in all households, it's one thing that comes from the technology earlier than, when you will have a everlasting contract you possibly can construct your life, purchase an residence … When you’re performing, when you find yourself on the lookout for a job, or when you find yourself an artist, for fogeys your life is just not traced. For a mother, her daughter will need to have the bac, cross the license, discover a boy, get married, purchase a home, a labrador … and that's it.
Interview by Patrick TARDIT
“Forte”, a movie by Katia Lewkowics with Melha Bedia, Valérie Lemercier and Alison Wheeler (launched March 18).
