Charlotte Gainsbourg began filming her mother in order to see her in a way she never had before, both overcoming a shared sense of reserve. Through the camera lens, they expose themselves to one another, begin to step back, leaving space for a mother-daughter relationship to unfold.
“I had no idea how to make the film – so I moved forward empirically, as a novice, with room for mistakes.
My film editor, Tianès Montasser, was of enormous help. I allowed myself to drift and move forward instinctively while she dissected the material in a very organized way. And at a certain point, while I was still searching for the film, she urged me to do the shooting myself, on the spot, without any preparation. So I bought a camera and a tripod. My youngest daughter, Jo, helped me with the equipment I had not mastered yet.
Jo also made it possible for me to approach my mother in a more informal way: it was my mother, Jo, and me at her house in Brittany. Three generations of women, together as a family. Jo’s presence loosened the atmosphere and downplayed the filming situation. Then, the crew returned, and we re-shot the Brittany segment more professionally with better sound and beautiful locations.”