“There is a little Communist Party side. » Under bursts of laughter in the wedding hall of Saint-Denis town hall, the tone is set by Ken Loach. The British director, guest of honor at the 23rd Cinematographic Days which continues until this Saturday in Seine-Saint-Denis, stands behind the table draped in strict blue, as the press conference begins, this Tuesday in end of the day.
With two Palmes d’Or (“Le Vent se leva”, in 2006 and “Moi, Daniel Blake”, in 2016) and three Jury Prizes (“Secret Défense” in 1990, “Raining Stones” in 1993 and “La Part of Angels” in 2012) the filmmaker has an impressive track record for films always imbued with social realism. If cinema is his profession, Ken Loach’s remarks remain eminently political. On this day of strike on French territory, this eternal rebel hailed a “turning point in the history of the class struggle”. Meeting with an indelible figure of British cinema.
You have filmed a lot of the poverty of working-class neighborhoods throughout your career. Returning to Seine-Saint-Denis, in the poorest department in France, was it important to you?
KEN LOACH. Indeed, I have already been here (Ken Loach came to Sevran in 2019 to present his film “Sorry We Missed You”), and I know the city of Saint-Denis a little. I see a lot of points in common between this territory and those that I am used to filming, in the United Kingdom: it is a city of workers, with a lot of diversity. It is to try to tell their stories that I make films, to talk about areas marked by suffering and poverty.
You arrive in France on the day of a national strike against pension reform. What does this period of massive mobilization mean to you?
This moment is special for our two countries, the United Kingdom and France. People are really resisting, it’s a very exciting moment. It was high time to say “enough!” “. The state is not caring enough for people in need, we need socialist change.
Do you think that these mobilizations could cause a shift?
What will happen to all this? No one knows. It’s a hopeful moment. I’ve never known a time when unions were so popular, be it nurses, postal workers, firefighters… All these people we respect and care about. What unites is that, whatever the social or ethnic origin of the individuals, the bosses perceive them all in the same way. Above all, they seek to know how much an employee’s work will bring in.
You are a filmmaker who has never stopped showing his commitments through his work. Has the reception of your films evolved over time?
In the 1960s, when I started my first films, it was a very different time than today. She was much more politicized, and it was sexy to be left-wing! (laughs) And also easier because the ruling class was sure of itself, so a film that didn’t go their way didn’t matter to them. But over the years, it has become less certain of its future and I like to believe that my films have also become clearer, closer to social problems. Previously, cinema showed more of the flaws in the system; now, he also addresses the solutions, this is what the elites fear.
To the point of having resorted to censorship?
Yes quite. Even if that’s no longer the case. The violence intensified today. I am accused of betraying my country, of promoting terrorism, of being a propagandist… The level of wickedness is quite high! I remember being called “worse than Leni Riefenstahl”, who was the embodiment of propaganda under Hitler… In the same vein, a very serious British newspaper wrote that he wouldn’t see my film “The Wind Rises” — which deals with the Irish revolution — because, by comparison, “he didn’t need to read Mein Kampf” to understand Nazism!
“For me, culture comes from people, there should be no limits. Saint-Denis is a perfect example. There are several cultures, different backgrounds. All these universes are to be mixed. »
Ken Loach
Do you have examples of French filmmakers who embody the committed vision of cinema that you defend?
I don’t see as many films as I should (laughs). Cinema, as a medium, is extraordinary, truly out of the ordinary. It tells you absolutely everything: it’s about characters, conflicts, history too.
The city of Saint-Denis has submitted its application to be European Capital of Culture in 2028. How do you view this initiative?
It is most encouraging. And that invites us to ask ourselves the question: how do we define culture? For me, culture comes from people, there should be no limits. Saint-Denis is a perfect example, especially with its population: there are several cultures, people come from different backgrounds… All these worlds are to be mixed.
Do you have any new films coming?
I made a film last year (“The Old Oak”) but I don’t know when it will be released. I can tell you that this is happening in a region where mines have closed and which is welcoming Syrian refugees. But I can’t say more for the moment, it would bring bad luck!
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