What interested you in the mother-daughter relationship?
Childhood bonding and its evolution through time, and the subtle elements that reveal that evolution.

Why did you want to work on the unfolding of time? Do you see yourself making other films on the subject?
As Kierkegaard said: “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards”. I think we determine ourselves and make our choices based on the conscious and unconscious memories that marked our childhood. I wanted to make use of time not as a narrative ruse but as a mirror that we can slip through. A time that’s neither present, past nor future. I’m interested in the subjects of time and losing one’s bearings.

Where did you film and how did you discover the location? Why did you choose it for this film?
I filmed in Brittany on a little island called Bréhat which is part of Côtes-d’Armor. I’ve known the place since I was a child and it’s deeply anchored in my imagination. It’s a place that evokes the fantastic and the tactile. It’s a powerful place outside time, with no cars and it’s still very untamed. 

How did you meet the actors?
I already knew their work as actors. I took a train to go and meet Mireille Perrier at her home. Seeing her in her own world, having lunch with her near the stove and then getting back on my train that evening. It was like visiting a member of my family. Meeting Robinson Stevenin also felt very much like family, getting together over a meal. Having a meal together really gives you a different sort of access to people, to their way of moving and carrying themselves. Moreover, each of them had a connection to Bréhat, so that was like a sign, an obvious choice.

Is there a particular short film that has made a strong impression on you?
Abbas Kiarostami’s The Bread and Alley.

What’s your definition of a good film?
One that surprises me.