My Fantastic Journey to Indochine. . .

Vincent Perez is a young actor who is on the rise. Revealed to us in Cyrano, he confirmed his talent in La Neige et le Feu, and explodes in Indochine opposite Catherine Deneuve, the biggest star ever.

"Regis Wargnier gave me the screenplay to read during the filming of La Neige et le Feu. I was leaving on an airplane for the United States, and I was immediately moved. I said to myself : 'What an adventure, what a wild trip!' I did a screen test with Catherine Deneuve. She was adorable, doing everything to put me at ease…"

"We were in Vietnam and Malaysia for five months. And the whole crew came back haunted by Asia, by the extraordinary encounters that we had there. It is a bit like my character Jean-Baptiste, who almost becomes Vietnamese, even though at the beginning, he refused to let himself be seduced by Asia. He is a sailor with his military stripes, strict…This role really made me think. I fell completely in love with the character. I was really afraid I wouldn't be up to this role, the film, Catherine…"

"It is evident that this role elevated my career, but also my life. The filming gave me confidence in myself. Over there, I walked with my feet in chains, dressed like a Vietnamese, carrying a newborn baby. I slept alone under the beautiful stars along the Bay of Along. One cannot be unaffected by that. I hope that the film is going to make it possible for people to take this extraordinary journey with us."

"It was Charlie Chaplin who made me want to act, write and produce films.While I was attending boarding school, I would put on shows. I would do amateur theater. I stopped my studies at the age of fifteen to enter photography school. I stayed for two years. Then with a pal, I started taking classes in comedy."

He entered the conservatory, but it was the school of Chereau where he took his classes. "My first notable role was in Hotel de France directed by Patrice Chéreau. It was a difficult role. Then I did La Maison de Jade, where for the first time, I had the pleasure of being opposite the camera. And a meeting between two incredible women, Nadine Trintignant and Jacqueline Bisset, my companion. Gerard protected me in Cyrano. He helped me to love my character. Then, I played  in Capitaine Fracasse directed by Ettore Scola; still a history of theatre. In La Neige et la Feu I had the bizarre experience of filming it while the Gulf War was going on!"

I Love It That People Desire Me. . .

"They say that I'm an attractive guy? You know tastes and colors… It's bad to talk about beauty… It's a bit exaggerated. It is desire which just begets more desire. It's not a bad thing to be desired. In Indochine, all the actors were magnificent. The film was beautiful with superb lighting. It is pleasant. Men must dream about cinema as much as women! I love my job as an actor. I need to always keep advancing. I'm not dreaming of any role in particular, but I do have my desires. I had never filmed over so many months before. My principal project La Reine Margot with Adjani and Bruel is behind schedule though. Now, I'm writing a film. I also directed a short film with Dominique Blanc. I am assembling the seven hours that I filmed while filming Indochine. I would like very much to return to the theatre. I also like painting, classical music and traveling."

An Invitation to Travel. . .

If you want to take the most unique trip of your life, go see Indochina! Go see these countries on film for the first time! Go take a trip back to the thirties! The sailor, the white costumes, the rubber plantation, Catherine Deneuve. Come follow the extraordinary adventures of a man haunted by Asia….

[Written by Marc Thirion ]

[Translated from French by Janette Sylvian - many thanks!]