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AE: I love in all your films you have these women who were incredible beauties in their youth and they're still beauties in their old age. In American movies it's rare that we have actresses of a certain age, but you show that women can still be so fabulous even in their 60's and 70's. You've even got Charlotte Rampling fully nude in Swimming Pool, God bless her.
FO: (Laughs) Yes it's important because just because your 50 years old (doesn't mean that) you don't have a sex life anymore. And it was funny because for Jeanne when we spoke about the character, she didn't want to play a boring grandmother, she wanted to be still a woman, and you can see that in the film. She wanted to be pretty in front of her grandson and she wants still to seduce him. So that's what I love in actresses--they don't stop being a woman, and very often even after 70 years-old, they're still a young girl in their head.

AE: I was really surprised by a Time to Leave, it was so different stylistically from the other films of yours I've seen. It was very pared down, much more simple. It wasn't really about filmmaking tricks, it was really about the story.
FO: Yes.

AE: And I was so pulled into the story and it really made me think if I was in that same situation, because I'm close to the age of the lead guy, what would I do if I was terminally ill? Your film was so real, it wasn't this rosy picture of I'm going to make amends with all my old friends.
FO: It was important for me to follow the journey of the character and then at the beginning, maybe, the character is not very nice. Then to try to like him at the end, to understand his behavior and why he acted like that.

AE: Everything he did seemed authentic. Bad times can bring out the worst in people actually, not the best.
FO: Yes, of course. I wanted him to be a real person, not a hero. It's very different from an American movie. There's not a scene where he says, “I love you to everybody.” I wanted to show someone who tried to do his best, but it's maybe not the best. I didn't want to idolize his situation because when you see the people in this situation very often they are in very difficult position and they can't admit to the situation.

AE: If you knew you were going to die, what place that had been important to you in your life would you want to see again?
FO: I love the beach. I love to be among people, children, to see all these people, and there is the sun, the water. I think it's the best place to die.

AE: In one sex scene in Time to Leave it was surprising to me that you were so explicit because in American films you will never see that.
FO: It's in the shadow.

AE: But it's still visible.
FO: You don't like that?

AE: I love it , I'm there for that, believe me. Are either of those actors gay?
FO: You have to ask them (laughs).

AE: Are you going to make an American film at any point?
FO: If you give me the money, the final cut, and my freedom.

AE: Will that ever happen (laughs)?
FO: (Laughs) I don't know.

AE: I love that your movies are so twisted--seeing a film like Criminal Lovers--that is one of the most twisted movies I've ever seen in my entire life. Where do you get that sensibility from?
FO: I don't know. I should be sick, maybe I should visit a shrink.

AE: (Laughs) Your films are twisted but how would you describe yourself away from the movies?
FO: Ah, I think I'm twisted.

Time To Leave opened in New York on July 14, opens Los Angeles and San Francisco July 21, and September 1 in Chicago. Visit François Ozon's official website www.francois-ozon.com or www.strandreleasing.com for more info on the film.

Lydia Marcus is a Film Critic and Entertainment Journalist who has written extensively about queer and indie film since 1995. She has contributed numerous cover stories to Frontiers, Girlfriends, and the LN (Lesbian News), where she also writes the monthly “At The Movies” column. Her reviews, features and photos have also appeared in many websites and publications including The Los Angeles Times, AOL, The Advocate, Planetout.com, Gay.com, IN LA Magazine, GO NYC Magazine, and AfterElton/AfterEllen.com. Email Lydia at filmcritic@earthlink.net

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