How did you come up with this story?
Samuel Le Bihan: My daughter has autism, and after writing a book about a mother raising an autistic child (Un bonheur que je ne souhaite à personne, 2018), I wanted to explore the question from a father’s point of view. I initially focused on what this difference inspires in other people; how it transforms, troubles, and transcends an entourage. Having a child with autism isn’t easy! It requires more energy and commitment, and all parents will have a different experience.
In France, autism spectrum disorder is still poorly defined and not discussed enough. In fiction, we portray ultra-gifted individuals and people with Asperger’s. It wasn’t until Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano released their movie The Specials two years ago that we actually started talking about it. Our country is lagging behind; there are medical issues and problems with the integration of people with disabilities. Through a moving and sometimes funny storyline, Pierre and I were able to combine a work of art with a social objective.
What inspired the character of a distant father who finds himself catapulted into a new and uncomfortable world?
Samuel: His is the story of a selfish, self-centered man obsessed with work, success, and his own independence. A man on the run who is trying to forget the expectations of his own demanding father. In his mind, it is easier to pay for things he doesn’t want to take care of personally. But his life changes radically when he finds himself living for someone else aside from himself. The childcare worker who looks after his son forces him to fulfil his paternal role, give his time – the very thing he doesn’t want to relinquish! – and offers him a different life choice. He emerges more mature, enriched, and more human.
Pierre Isoard, how did you research the subject?
Pierre Isoard: I spent two years learning, reading, and meeting with charity directors and parents. I wanted to know as much as possible about what I was going to be portraying, and to respect those who experience it on a daily basis. Autism takes so many different forms and doesn’t just affect children! I therefore spent days in special-needs schools attended by young people with autism, speaking with the supervisors and observing the different educational approaches. The American method is based on the repetition of simple tasks and considers autism first and foremost as a problem with neurological connections. The French method is more focused on psychoanalysis. This movie enabled me to totally immerse myself in a topic I had preconceptions about. It really opened my eyes.
How did you make this subject matter into a work of fiction?
Pierre: I was already working with Samuel on a TV show when he presented me with the synopsis for this movie. Our two visions worked well together; he has a personal experience of autism while I have a more general one, and we quickly agreed on the tone to adopt. We wanted humanity without pity, combined with humor, perspective, and no compromises.
Our objective was to show how complicated day-to-day life can be. Meltdowns are one of the biggest challenges. They are sudden, violent, and unexpected, but they are also logical for the person experiencing them. Their minds are unable to file and sort information and therefore they “overheat.” There are therefore some very difficult scenes in the movie. The father, who bought his clear conscience by giving his son enough money to want for nothing, teaches us through his frame of reference and experience. As a result, audiences discover the subject at the same time as him.
Why did you cast a boy without any disabilities to play the role of a child with autism?
Pierre: TV movies like this one have small budgets and are filmed quickly. It would have been difficult to ask a child with autism to adhere to such strict time demands. What’s more, I really wanted to portray a number of meltdowns, and causing this amount of suffering in a young person with autism was totally out of the question. Choosing the actor was particularly stressful. In the end I picked Roman Villedieu and had high hopes for him. He was helped by a coach and embodied the character with incredible talent. There are also several autistic actors in the film. A few of them are extras playing themselves, and a mother even contacted me to ask if her son could take part.
Text by: Juliette Démas
Translated from French by: Alexander Uff
An absent father finds himself forced to form a bond with his autistic son after the death of his ex-wife. J’suis là t’en fais pas offers an unflinchingly honest portrayal of the reality of this disability that affects 1% of people globally, including 3.5 million Americans.
Interview with lead actor Samuel Le Bihan and director Pierre Isoard.