Filming in Aube with an actress from “Plus belle la Vie”... for a good cause

"Wow, so cool!": when we tell the children of the Action enfance village in Bréviandes (Aube) that the former teacher with whom they are shooting a short film in Troyes is really a film and television actress, there is inevitably enthusiasm. And for good reason, if Éloïse Valli was a teacher for two years at the École alsacienne in Paris, it was through evening drama classes that she exercised her passion for comedy, which later became her profession. The former actress of "Plus Belle la Vie", who we recently saw in the film "4 zéros" by Fabien Onteniente at the cinema, in the TV film "Flash(s)" on France 2, or in the comedy "Friendzone" on Netflix, is participating for the second time in a film supported by the association.

Finding her in the role of a school teacher in the Action Enfance fait son cinéma competition allows her to reconnect with her beginnings, through a foundation that works in the field of child protection. A subject that is very close to the heart of the one who has been the patron of the association for three years. "Having been placed myself and separated from my brother, it obviously spoke to me straight away," explains Éloïse Valli. The fact of bringing brothers and sisters together - not necessarily in the same house, it depends on what the children have experienced - but in any case leaving them together in the same village and that they see each other when they come home from school, I find that extremely important. And at least, there are much fewer after-effects later on in siblings."

For the shoot alongside Éloïse Valli, 16 students from the 3iS film school in Paris… From the director and his assistants to the producer for financing, including the management, image and sound, it was a real shoot like the pros that took place in a classroom at the Les Jacobins college in the city center of Troyes, where most of the film was shot from February 20 to 23.

"It's a huge experience for us, because we've never filmed with children, and most of them have never had any cinematic experience. It's something unforgettable for them and even if it's very hard to manage, I enjoy making the film with them," enthuses Alban Kergoian, the young director. For this short film, the student can count on the support of his main actress, who is very comfortable with children due to her past as a teacher. "Here, we filmed a few scenes with them. She knew how to talk to them, and she took a big weight off my shoulders, it helped me a lot," he emphasizes.

And the pitch of the film in all this? "Rami et Julie" tells the love story of 2 CE1 pupils, a sort of school version of Romeo and Juliet. "The problem is that their respective classes (a rowdy group and a slightly calmer group) don't like each other at all. Rami and Julie's goal is to bring the 2 classes together so that they can reconcile and the 2 children can live their love in broad daylight", says Alban Kergoian. A lovely story filmed in a school atmosphere that is sometimes more real than life, where the children willingly play the troublemakers. "We won't lack credibility in the action", smiles the young filmmaker.

To make up the numbers, the students called on slightly older children in the village. "It's a bit of a struggle because they're little ones, and they don't know how to manage themselves," grimaces Shawn, 13, who plays a schoolboy who is always in the clouds. At his side, Mathéo, 13, plays one of the two main roles, that of Rami. "The only problem is that we don't get paid," he laughs. A great experience for the teenager who got caught up in the game. "When you don't have many lines, it's not too hard to act. Then, when it's a long film lasting an hour, you have to remember the lines and say them at the right time, that's what's hard in cinema," he notes.

The 20 children present on the set went through a casting phase to best fit the short film project. A tradition now for this competition organized each year in the 15 Action Enfance children's and adolescents' villages throughout France. "They are fully into the project. For us, it's motivating to see them like that. And for them, it also allows them to get out of the village framework," rejoices Quentin Lehoux, educator at the Action Enfance village in Bréviandes.

An enchanted interlude for children who have sometimes experienced complicated life paths within their family. “These are children placed by decision of the judge, in a situation of danger at home, and who live daily in the village. The objective is for them to have a life that resembles as much as possible a standard lifestyle. They are in school, they have their own room, live in a house, share their meals with the educators. They go out, do their homework… all the things of a child’s daily life,” explains Quentin Lehoux.

And the beautiful adventure will continue in June with an evening of screenings and awards ceremony at the Grand Rex in Paris. There will be a public vote, and it will take place on aefaitsoncinema.org after the short films have been finalized.