Youssouf Abi-Ayad, the revelation of The Sea Air sets you free
Discovered in the theater under the direction of Christophe Honoré, he burst onto the screen for his first appearance in the cinema in Nadir Moknèche’s film
How did the desire to become an actor originate in you?
Youssouf Abi-Ayad: In the world I grew up in, in Algeria, I never heard of theater. And cinema was limited to the films I saw on TV. Superhero films, cartoons… And yet, from the age of 6, I knew that I wanted to act. Without knowing what was hidden behind this word. So when I arrived in France at 11 years old, I immediately tried to make films, acting as well as directing, but without knowing where to start. I would go online and type in “casting” to try to find leads. Then thanks to my college choir, I discovered what the stage is. I loved. That’s how I got into it. And that I went on to: departmental school then competitive exams. I obtained those from the Paris Conservatoire and the TNS the same year. And I chose Strasbourg which had, from my point of view, more of an idea of theater in terms of troops. That’s what attracted me
What did you learn there?
Very strangely, not much more than at the departmental school I attended, EDT 91 in Essonne. Because Christian Janin, its director, was himself from TNS. But I would say that at TNS, I saved time. Ten years in three years because the teaching is so concentrated. In a way, I’ve become a kind of gaming machine that at the moment allows my brain to handle having six to seven projects at the same time, requiring me to switch from one style to another. There I learned this solidity and this ability to empower myself.
Do you also direct?
Yes and that was another of the reasons why I chose the TNS because we were entitled to carte blanche. So I created my first pieces there and then when I left, I created my company in Strasbourg. So, I do both a bit, I also direct a traveling festival in the summer in the Grand Est, with open-air performances. I am an associated artist at the CDN of Colmar, CDN of Tours…
Was it at TNS that Christophe Honoré spotted you?
No, during the auditions of the Young National Theater, which brings together the eleven French higher drama schools
What appealed to you about working with him on the two plays in which he directed you: The Idols And The Sky of Nantes ?
Before meeting him, I must admit that I had only seen one film of his. What attracted me to The Idols, this is the subject of his piece. These homosexual artists who died of AIDS. I have always had nostalgia for this time that I never knew. In this case the tragedy and the darkness of these years when this disease intruded into the most intimate places and caused so many disappearances while triggering a desire for freedom and responsibility. To prepare for the audition, I read Before the night by Reinaldo Arenas. Then I discovered Christophe’s intelligence and approach to the subject, nourished by his work in cinema.
Was cinema in the back of your mind all these years or was theater really your only priority?
Cinema has been with me for a long time. Because I dream of fantastic and very strange worlds which are much more difficult to realize in the theater than in the cinema. Narration in cinema is something else and it’s not the same rhythm. Afterwards, in the theater, the actor is a little more king because he is the one who controls the rhythm, the setting or even sometimes the decor. Whereas in cinema, we enter a world and that’s precisely what made me want it. But I always told myself that there was no point chasing all that, that it would come if it had to happen. I focused on what I had managed to build in the theater, on the people I had met. So I prefer to strengthen what I have built and if things are added to it, so much the better. And so far, I’ve been lucky that everything fits together perfectly. I didn’t have to make a choice.
SEA AIR MAKES YOU FREE: SENSITIVE AND ATTACHING (CRITICAL)
How did Nadir Moknèche choose you to The sea air sets you free to play this young man of Algerian origin who hides his homosexuality from his family and accepts the arranged marriage that they organized for him?
Again by testing. The role immediately fascinated me, it resonated with me. So I immediately asked Nadir a lot of questions about his script, I was surprised that it wasn’t so dark. And these first exchanges immediately allowed me to understand clearly the film that Nadir
What specifically appealed to you about the script?
The fact that this scenario escapes many of the clichés of coming out stories. And precisely the fact that we don’t tear each other apart violently. Let everything be duller. Nadir explained to me that he had already experienced this violence and did not want to talk about it. There, everything became very clear to me. I liked what confused me at first. The simplicity, the clarity of the story. In Nadir’s cinema, the violence is incredibly gentle.
How did you work on your character?
I only found out I was hired two months before filming, when I was playing The Sky of Nantes. And I went straight to the last performance of the play. Without preparation airlock. So I will say that I really worked day by day. To place each scene in the context of the previous one, since we are not filming in chronological order. That’s the most difficult thing about theater. You don’t have to manage the audience, you don’t have to manage your volume, you don’t have to manage how it sounds. It’s just about understanding your little part. Don’t overdo it without fading yourself. Since the camera captures things in spite of us.
Did Nadir Moknèche give you references to help you compose your character?
No not at all. Because, basically, I don’t know of any film that tells what Nadir says here in the way he tells it. What helped me was seeing his Lola Pater because The sea air makes free is in the same vein.
And what is he like on set?
Stress ! (laughs) That makes sense. He had this film in mind for a long time. It was a huge challenge for him and he couldn’t give up when the budget was tight. The days being full, there was no question of multiplying the shots so we had to be on point, the room for error was limited. But he never made us feel it.
What appealed to you about working with Kenza Fortas?
The fact that we don’t play the same way at all. It’s exciting to have two worlds coexist in this way. Again, it fit our characters. I believe the film is about our relationship.
Where will we find you next?
From October 12 to 18, I will play at Bouffes du Nord Stabat Mater, which is directed by a friend Maëlle Dequiedt, mixing games and music. I also regularly do Drag queen shows and I will resume The Sky of Nantes in 2024
And do you have in mind the idea of directing one day?
I think about it from time to time. But when I see the time it takes to put together a cinema project and finance it, there is a part of me that doesn’t want to wait any longer. In the theater, the response is faster. But why not try it through short films? Today, I am a little further along in the theater than in the cinema. And I don’t know if I have the energy to start from scratch. In the cinema, I more want to be offered things or express desires as an actor. I’m 31 years old, I know what I’m missing and I’m no longer afraid to go there. So initiating projects without carrying them out myself, I would love that.
By Nadir Moknèche. With Youssouf Abi-Ayad, Kenza Fortas, Zahia Dehar… Duration 1h30. Released October 4, 2023
