Full Transcript for Chatting with Aussie director Elise McLeod - she's living my perfect French life!

out of five wrong, let's say. 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:35.439 I can't remember exactly that. 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:42.000 Yeah, so you know, you're not alone, you're in good company if you're getting the masculine or feminine mixed up when it's actually the French president can't get it right either. 00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:43.120 So I think you're okay. 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:47.600 He should be getting it right. 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:48.480 That's exactly right. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:49.839 Getting lessons at home. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:51.279 But let's get back to your film work. 00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:54.879 So tell me about what your work involves there in Paris. 00:04:55.279 --> 00:04:59.439 So I work as both an acting coach and a director. 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:04.240 Um, I've worked uh as a coach for 20 years. 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:11.600 I became a director through I direct theatre in Paris and also I worked as an assistant director for about six years. 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:15.519 So I sort of consider after university that was my real schooling. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:20.000 And I'm very well known as a coach where there's not a lot of us here. 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:24.000 I coach for acting, not at all for English, not at all for accents. 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:26.000 Um, it's really about the acting. 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:31.120 And I've directed six short films in the last 10 years. 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:31.839 Oh wow. 00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:35.759 Short film industry in France is very different from Australia. 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:38.560 It's very probably I'd say more respected. 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:41.279 Uh, there's producers who live by that. 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:44.639 Uh obviously, I am working on my first feature as well. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:45.279 Oh, good. 00:05:45.600 --> 00:06:02.720 And I had the chance to do this great film with an Australian artist called Zanny Beg, and we did an art film called The City of Ladies, which was based on a French uh book of the same name, and it's actually considered the first feminist novel ever. 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:04.480 It was written in 1402. 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:06.560 Oh my goodness, 1402. 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:16.240 And at work was and so it was a it was sort of uh there was doc fiction in it, there was documentary in it, there was an experimental film, and it was shown at the MCA in Sydney. 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:18.720 And so that was a great project I got to do as well. 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:25.120 And all all my films are in French, apart from the very last one that I've done called Reclaim the Night. 00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:26.079 Which we're gonna talk about. 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:30.319 Yeah, Reclaim the Night is half in French and half in English. 00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:30.560 Okay. 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:34.720 So I'm getting I'm getting I'll eventually I'll do something in English as well. 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:40.879 Yeah, but you know, the French film industry and even French films in Australia, they are so popular. 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:41.600 People love them. 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:44.959 So, you know, I reckon whatever language you want to do it in, we're gonna love it. 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:46.240 I think. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:56.319 So I'm really excited about this film that Reclaim the Night because you've now got that showing in the St Kilda Film Festival, which is awesome in Melbourne. 00:06:56.560 --> 00:06:59.279 I know I'm so happy because I actually grew up in St Kilda. 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:07.199 Well, I had a restaurant there called Wild Rice, and I did my very first audiovisual project in '96. 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:15.759 I shot it, so 30 years ago, um, which is a documentary called Last Drinks, and it was about the closing of uh the Prince of Wales pub. 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:30.560 And so we we did a documentary where it was supposedly closing, um, which didn't close but just changed hands, but it's spirit changed, and we had interviewed lots of uh musicians and punters, and so we that's being shown at the St. 00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:44.000 Audrey Festival at the Astar, and then the next day my film Reclaim the Night is in competition, which I didn't think it would be because I didn't do it in Australia myself in French, um, but it is because I'm Australian, so that made me very happy. 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:49.600 So it's the first time I have uh not just one, but two films in Australia where I grew up. 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:51.199 That is just phenomenal. 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:52.399 I'm so thrilled for you. 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:55.920 I think it we absolutely you should be congratulated because I know how hard you work. 00:07:56.079 --> 00:08:11.199 I know how hard you work actually, even the networking that's required, because I've been with you in Cannes and I've seen you go flat out and you are meeting with people, even if you're absolutely stuffed at the end of the day, you have to go to particular parties. 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:13.120 Everyone goes, Oh, what a shame you've got to go to a party. 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:13.920 It's not like that. 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:22.079 It's actually going there to connect with people to get work and talk about your projects and to meet producers, and then you get funding for your projects. 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:24.959 It's actually a seriously huge party of work, isn't it? 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:35.200 Yeah, it's funny because I think uh as a younger person, I had no idea that that was half the job, and I thought I just had to work hard and people would discover me. 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:38.480 And then that's the advice I give to young people now. 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:46.799 I'm like, half our job is actually making contacts and creating a network that of people that you want to work with and want to work with you. 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:47.600 Yeah. 00:08:47.840 --> 00:08:54.240 And that's much easier

for you, obviously, in French than only being able to speak English and trying to do that in France. 00:08:54.320 --> 00:08:57.360 So that's another boost for you having that fabulous second language. 00:08:57.519 --> 00:08:59.200 Now tell me about Reclaim the Night. 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:00.320 What's it about? 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:02.320 So Reclaim the Night. 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:02.799 I don't know. 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:05.519 Do you know does the title mean anything to you? 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:09.440 Yes, so the safety for women and there's been the whole movement. 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:27.440 So Reclaim the Night was actually a protest that I went to when I was a teenager in Melbourne, and it first started in the 1970s in England, um, and it was a response to women being uh attacked or murdered or abused at nighttime. 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:31.440 And so the idea is to have safety for women at night. 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:41.440 And so the the short film is a fiction inspired by actually me being attacked at night in Paris at Halloween. 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:50.320 And so it's a story of two best friends who come together and celebrate Halloween together, and one has the best night of her life and one has the worst night of her life. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:51.519 Oh, I love that. 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:55.519 I mean, I don't love that she had the worst night of her life, but I love the concept of that story. 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:56.399 That's that's great. 00:09:56.480 --> 00:10:05.200 It'd be very powerful when you can see the juxtaposition of the two of them having the same night, supposedly the same experience and completely different experiences. 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:06.159 Yeah, exactly. 00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:14.000 And one's one's about liberation and reclaiming the night for its freedom, and one's the reason why we need that is you know the violence that can happen. 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:14.879 Yeah. 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:27.519 I know that recently there have been rallies, I think in the US, that I think there were some in Australia as well, and they named them Reclaim the Night, as I recall them. 00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:28.080 Yeah, yeah. 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:31.360 So it's something that started in the 70s but still going, isn't it? 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:32.080 Exactly. 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:36.720 And I and I actually remember with my girlfriends going to it when we when we were teenagers in Melbourne. 00:10:36.960 --> 00:10:37.279 Yeah. 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:39.200 It doesn't exist in France though. 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:40.159 Really? 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:40.720 Yeah. 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:44.399 I mean they have a lot of movements, but that's one that has never really come to France. 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:46.480 Wow, that really surprises me. 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:56.240 And apparently just before I shot last year, so I shot some of it in on the 8th of March for International Women's Day and the protests there. 00:10:56.399 --> 00:11:08.159 And the night before they've actually programmed a sort of reclaim the night protest, and the prefecture, the police department, refused the authorization to do a protest at night. 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:10.240 That's just ridiculous. 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:12.399 I mean, that that's the whole point, isn't it? 00:11:12.799 --> 00:11:14.240 It's absolutely the whole point. 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:15.919 But you know what would be great for my film. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:21.200 You know what I think is really sad though, is that it started in the 70s and we're still having to fight for it now. 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:28.399 You know, it's it's still considered, you still hear those kind of comments like when a woman gets attacked, oh her dress was too short, or this or that. 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:30.879 And you think, what era are we living in? 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:39.919 Like, seriously, a woman needs to be able to walk down the street and be safe and not actually have concerns about being attacked. 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:41.600 But of course, that isn't the case. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:42.480 That's not reality. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:49.759 And it's a shame that well, I'm I was born in the late in the end of the 60s, beginning of the 70s, and and I'm in my late 50s. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:12:00.240 So it's been over 50 years and they still can't seem to get it happening for people, which is I think a tragic indictment on the way in which our society doesn't value that. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:05.360 Also, they uh oh yeah, it's just we've still got so much work to do. 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:05.759 Yeah. 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:14.799 And if you look at the political environment of the world right now, uh the first rights that then start to get lost again is women's rights. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:16.159 Yeah, the first thing. 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:25.360 The first thing that goes, and we're seeing that women be stripped of rights in a number of places around the world and places where I never thought I would see it, but it is something that's so important. 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:32.480 So your work is so important as a statement, but also to connect people to France when they're not there. 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:34.240 So, you know, because it's set in Paris. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:36.720 So it's it's in English and French, you're saying? 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:48.320 Yeah, because the two best friends, one's American and one's French, and they to get together and they speak English together, and then in the rest of the world, the main character, Ulea Amara, she um speaks French. 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:50.000 Okay, and so we want that. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:53.600 I sort of like that because it's similar to how I live, you know. 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:58.399 I'm I'm moving through two languages, part of my life's French, part of my life's English. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:00.480 It's realistic, it's the

way the world works. 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:01.440 Yeah, exactly. 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:02.480 Yeah, yeah. 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:12.720 And and so I've got the actress Ulea Amara, is this fantastic French actress who won a César for the very first feature film that she acted in. 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:16.639 And I was lucky enough to get her on my short film because I coach her actually. 00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:17.519 Oh, wow. 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:18.720 Oh, that's amazing. 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:28.240 I know, and then I I had the absolute joy of meeting Jasmine Van Denter, who's the producer, and also the main actress in uh the other main actress who's American. 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:31.120 And so we've been working together for a couple of years as well. 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:33.440 Oh, good team, great team. 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:39.120 So can listeners of the podcast who are hearing this now, can they come to see it in Melbourne? 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:40.240 Yep, definitely. 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:49.759 It is, I'm pretty sure you have to look on the St Kilda uh Film Festival site, but it is 4:30 on Saturday, the 6th of June. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:50.240 Perfect. 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:50.879 And guess what? 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:51.759 I'm gonna be there. 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:52.399 I'm so excited. 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:53.120 Yay! 00:13:53.279 --> 00:14:03.039 Well, I will put the link for that on the website so that people can go in, have a look, and then if they're in Melbourne and if that's something that's going to float their boat, then they can absolutely come along and see that. 00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:17.120 Yeah, and for those who are nostalgic about the 90s and the Melbourne music, uh music scene and St Kilda, come on the Friday night, it's at 7:30 at the Astor, which is such a beautiful old cinema. 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:18.639 I can't believe we're showing it there. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:20.720 I love the Asta, it's brilliant. 00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:26.000 That's where they have the opening film most years for the Alliance Francaise Film Festival. 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:30.080 So there are movies there a lot, but they have a French film there then. 00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:34.639 Um, and obviously, you know, being in St Kilda or just next to St Kilda. 00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:36.320 That's East St Kilda, isn't it? 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:38.960 Yeah, that's East St Kilda there, yeah, right over the road from St. 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:39.360 Mary's. 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:44.720 I remember seeing the the double they do double screenings when we're younger. 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:45.279 Mm-hmm. 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:46.559 I used to live around the corner from there. 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:48.320 I used to see these beautiful home. 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:49.919 And classic movies. 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:50.480 Yes. 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:54.320 I love that they put the classic movies on because you don't get to see them

on a big screen much anymore. 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:57.919 You also don't get to see short movies on the big screen that much. 00:14:58.000 --> 00:14:59.440 So that's why this is so good. 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:04.399 I think it's such a shame that we don't have shorts before before features like they we used to. 00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:04.879 Yeah. 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:05.200 Yeah. 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:06.559 I just love that idea. 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:09.919 Yeah, I I think it actually it's it's such a brilliant idea. 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:16.799 And it's it'd be good if there's French short films that they could go in the film festival, put a short on before the main feature in that. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:21.840 Same with just when you've got a theme going, you could put one on that runs with a theme. 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:22.960 Yeah, exactly. 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:28.879 I did have an idea with my mum, but I don't think I'll ever do it of starting a short film festival in Bright, you know, up there. 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:32.000 It's such a beautiful ski just in autumn. 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:35.600 But you know, we're we're too ambitious, too many things to do in life. 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:42.480 I know it's just so much to do, and and just not enough hours in the week or hours in the day, or just not enough time. 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:48.720 Because I've kind of thought of doing uh at home here of having a big screen and doing bush movie nights here. 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:49.919 So, you know, we can play your. 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:50.879 So you do that. 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:51.759 That's such a good idea. 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:52.320 I know. 00:15:52.480 --> 00:16:00.159 So I will do it one day, but you know, by the time I do everything else that I've got planned in my life, I could be, you know, 675 by the time I get around to doing it. 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:01.440 But anyway, it's on the list. 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:02.559 It's on the list. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:04.320 I put on that idea as well. 00:16:04.399 --> 00:16:27.759 With our uh we have a country house in Burgundy, and uh we we bought this old ruin uh 14 years ago that me and my husband have completely done up, and we've got this great big shed, which is in we call it the hangar in French, and we've transformed it into a uh sal de fet, a party room. 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:36.480 Love it, and so it's got tomates on the ground, and it's got an open kitchen, and we've got a big wall which would be perfect for um doing screening. 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:38.799 Yes, that's a great idea. 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:46.879 Well, I was going to ask you about your Burgundy place because obviously I've missed you in Cannes this year, as I haven't come across at that time, unfortunately. 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:54.000 But I'm very much looking forward to coming to your place in Burgundy at some stage because when I'm back in France, I I love Burgundy. 00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:57.519 It's just one of my favourite places, so I will love to come and visit you there. 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:04.559 Now, that old place that you've renovated with Charles, it must be a lovely escape from the hustle and bustle of Paris. 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:06.400 And he's also a fabulous cook, isn't he? 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:13.519 So you not only is the you know great escape, but you've got him cooking, and he's very handy, so you know you've got the whole thing going. 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:14.640 Best bloke of the world. 00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:16.400 Best bloke in the world, exactly. 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:17.680 So, what are the plans there? 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:20.799 You've got you might show movies on that big wall, but what else? 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:33.519 So at the moment, uh Charles is just doing up another um uh old stables and turning that into three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a lounge room, and then we've got the big house. 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:40.640 So eventually we're gonna have five bedrooms and four bathrooms and three lounge rooms, and so we've got a few different ideas. 00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:43.119 One, I'll do acting workshops for actors there. 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:55.440 We'll do some artist residence, and then I'm gonna organise for Australians and Americans and English uh sort of tours so that they come make their base at our place. 00:17:55.759 --> 00:18:02.240 Uh, Charles will be cooking for them, and then we'll also obviously go out to some of the fantastic French restaurants as well. 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:08.880 And uh we're not far from Chablis, so we're only 45 minutes drive from Chablis, which is my favourite white wine. 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:23.599 And then we're also close to Sancerre, so there's all the and then Fontainebleau, the chateau over there, and then Verzelet, which is this famous small, little beautiful town in Burgundy with a uh cathedral on it. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:35.039 And so it's the idea is sort of to invite people to Burgundy after they had their Paris time and discover that region uh with little day trips and good food and fun. 00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:38.480 You must be not far from Avalon as well, is you near there? 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:39.039 Exactly. 00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:50.559 So Veselay is just after Avalon, so we're about I think an hour maybe depends because there's a really slow drive you can do to Veselet, which is an hour and a half, but you you take all the little roads. 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:53.839 I think Avalon's probably more like 40-50 if you take the freeway. 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:55.039 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:58.880 I do love to get off the main roads and get off the freeway. 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:03.759 I'm always banging on about how when you go with slow travel, you take the back roads. 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:05.200 That's when the magic happens. 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:10.480 You just stumble across stuff that just, you

know, little villages that you didn't even know existed, and little restaurants. 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:20.799 And some of my most favourite memories from France are when I I didn't expect to be doing something, and all of a sudden I've stumbled across a little place, and that's just got something magical there that has stayed with me forever. 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:42.240 And I'll probably never go back there to these particular places, but it's such a special thing when you're driving along and you you come over a hill, and then all of a sudden you see a village over the rise, and especially if it you're driving in the morning and there's a mist and the village is just waking up and you can go and get a pastry and a coffee and and sit and just watch people as they start their day. 00:19:42.319 --> 00:19:44.240 And I just love doing all of that. 00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:53.119 And I think that when you're doing it in a place like Burgundy, there is such a beautiful warmth from the people and all of the places that are there. 00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:55.119 I just I can't rave about it enough. 00:19:55.200 --> 00:20:02.240 And I have people that call me quite a bit to plan their trips and their, especially their road trips, and they say, Oh, I don't know which place to go to. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:03.440 Do I do this one or that one? 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:06.559 And I'm always saying, look, go with what's good for you. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:09.119 Like have a look and see what each region offers. 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:20.000 Go with what's right for you, but do not exclude Burgundy off the list because Burgundy is often not seen as such a big tourist hotspot, and that's what's good about it. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:21.200 I know exactly. 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:27.440 Well, the drive, one of the fantastic drives is from our place, and then you drive all through the little roads to Switzerland. 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:33.680 And it only takes, like if you do a slow drive, it's about six hours, but it's you go through Bern, it's so beautiful. 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:38.559 Like that, and in autumn, springtime or autumn is just magic at that time. 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:44.240 And I like going to do you go to uh Ville Grenier's, you know that outdoor secondhand markets? 00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:45.119 Yes, yes. 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:48.720 That is the best way to discover all different little towns. 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:53.920 Actually, recently on the 1st of May, they would have had their great big bricant weekend. 00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:57.759 In Burgundy, there's bricants everywhere on May Day, and everyone goes berserk with their bricants. 00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:00.000 Yeah, they're sort of every weekend there. 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:08.319 Starting from spring all the way through to autumn, you can have yeah, there's even a little book where there's all the outdoor those outdoor markets that you can go to. 00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:09.359 Oh, love it. 00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:10.000 Love it. 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:20.000 Actually, I did go to one that was near Bone, and it's an outdoor market, but it's kind of, you know, things are there on consignment, but there's an outdoor section and there was an undercover section. 00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:30.240 The outdoor section, clearly that stuff never goes undercover or it's just there because there were vases and or even just glasses and crockery, and we're tipping the rain out of the cups from the night before onto the ground. 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:35.839 It's just covered in, just covered in, you know, stuff that's blown onto the from the trees and all that kind of stuff. 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:40.880 But you you can actually probably get a good bargain because it's a little bit weather beaten and it's good. 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:41.759 It's really good. 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:42.480 Yeah, yeah. 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:50.079 I mean, that's the only frustrating thing when Australian Australian friends come and when I take them to the markets, they're like, that's all this crockery and all this beautiful old stuff. 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:52.480 And it's like, can I really carry it back home? 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:53.440 Yes, I can. 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:54.240 Yes, I will. 00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:55.119 Yes, I can. 00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:55.839 Absolutely. 00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:57.039 Or buy another bag. 00:21:57.119 --> 00:21:57.680 Yeah, I will. 00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:59.519 I'll pay for the extra luggage sometimes. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.519 So do you get to travel much? 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:02.319 I know you got a car. 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:05.759 Do you get to travel much with your with your work around France? 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:09.119 Yeah, when you've got a film there's a lot of film festivals. 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:12.400 There's a huge amount of short film festivals as well. 00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:16.000 So when you're selected, you get to travel around all France, really. 00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:17.519 I've been to all sorts of places. 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:23.759 I remember one time I was actually at the you know there's an Australian New Zealand Film Festival at Saint Hopie? 00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:25.039 Oh, I didn't know that. 00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:25.519 No. 00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:26.240 Oh really? 00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:32.480 There's an um by this fantastic French man called Bernard Boy, and it's called uh Antipod. 00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:38.720 And so he he has uh a week-long festival in Saint Hopi in like October. 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:43.039 Um, so I've I've been lucky enough to have a few films selected there. 00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:57.839 And um one year I had one short film that was there, and then I had like three other festivals in the same week, and I had my mum with me, so I was just hopping around on the train, going to all these different festivals, taking it taking it to discover these places, and we

were seeing my film. 00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:01.680 What a beautiful way to just travel around and then with purpose. 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:02.400 I love it. 00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:03.039 Yeah, yeah. 00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:03.759 Yeah. 00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:11.599 So what would you say is your favourite if you had to pick one spot in France, not Paris where you live, and not Burgundy where you live, where you've got your two places. 00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:15.839 But what would be your favourite place to go to in France, do you think? 00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:17.759 This is the problem with France. 00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:20.079 Is if you I've driven a lot around France. 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:24.319 We've done tons of road trips together, Charles and I, and we've got friends everywhere. 00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:28.240 And when you drive around, France is so incredibly beautiful. 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:31.599 You sort of understand why they're so goddamn arrogant. 00:23:31.839 --> 00:23:32.480 Yes. 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:37.119 Yes, it's like I mean, it changes constantly. 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:40.079 Um I mean, that's a really mean question. 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:45.920 So I'm gonna say uh at the moment, I'm really into Bretagna. 00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:46.559 Into Brittany. 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:47.680 Oh yeah, same. 00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:49.279 Yeah, I love Brittany. 00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:53.839 The food is fantastic, the beaches are great, the stone houses are beautiful. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:58.559 I go to the Finistère Nord, where I've got different friends. 00:23:58.640 --> 00:24:01.279 I'm lucky enough to just like go and stay with friends everywhere. 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:06.400 But I also love the Cavenne north of Montpellier, all that area. 00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:19.200 It's really beautiful in those sort of like hills and rivers and and and set where there's you know that beautiful town and the lake with all the oysters and oh gorgeous. 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:21.200 Then you go to Provence. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:21.759 I know. 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:31.039 And then I haven't even mentioned where I grew up, where I went first, was over near the southwest in Bordeaux and Libourne and Biarritz and all that. 00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:33.200 So I don't know, there's so many places I love. 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:36.880 People often ask me, you know, what's your favourite place in France? 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:47.200 And it changes every time I go, and it changes even every week when I'm here, depending on what book I'm reading, or you know, what kind of thing I've seen or what shots I've seen on Instagram. 00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:50.000 Normandy sticks out as always being a bit of a fave. 00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:51.920 Chinon has always been a fave. 00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:52.480 Oh, yeah. 00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:53.440 In the Wire Valley. 00:24:53.519 --> 00:24:54.640 I love, love, love Shinon. 00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:57.839 But I went to Brittany, when was that, a year or two ago? 00:24:58.160 --> 00:24:58.960 Yeah, I've been close. 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:00.559 I'm really close to the Loire Valley. 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:03.759 I can get to all those chateaus within an hour and a yeah, yeah. 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:07.519 And riding tours around there, riding a bicycle around there is just incredible. 00:25:07.839 --> 00:25:08.000 Yes. 00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:10.319 Well, they have that big it's in June, I think. 00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:26.640 They have the bike ride, and I can't recall what it's called now, but where they all have to ride vintage bikes and they dress up in 50s gear and and they ride for, you know, all day and drink wine all the way along the along the route, and it sounds like so much fun. 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:33.039 So yeah, I think that actually there's a picturesque aspect to every single region of France. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:36.079 There's a brilliant food aspect because they've all got the different foods. 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:39.039 Most of them have got some kind of wine or Normandy. 00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:40.079 I love the cider. 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:43.359 There's just so much good stuff, it's very hard to pick just one. 00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:44.480 So I know it's amazing. 00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:55.119 It's funny because you talked about Normandy and I'd totally forgot about Normandy, but Normandy was the place that I really used to go a lot, like 25 years ago when I first was here. 00:25:55.279 --> 00:26:00.480 So it's like it's different people, different activities in your life to bring you to a different region. 00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:01.440 Yeah, true. 00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:06.480 But I I think the great idea is actually just to choose a one region and explore that. 00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:07.039 Yeah. 00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:09.119 I've actually started doing that each time I go. 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:19.119 Instead of trying to drive from one end of the country to the other, I'm now focusing on one region or two regions next to each other and spending because from Australia it's a long way. 00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:23.759 So we don't reg, unless we've got to go for a purpose, we don't regularly go just for a couple of weeks. 00:26:23.920 --> 00:26:26.160 You normally go for quite an extended period of time. 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:32.400 So I like to go for about six weeks, and that six weeks is obviously a bit of Paris, a book end of beginning and end. 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:41.519 But then you've got a good four to five weeks where you're just exploring one or two regions next to each other, and you can really take it slowly, delve into it, and immerse into it. 00:26:41.599 --> 00:26:47.200 And I think that doing that with Burgundy around where you are, that's just such a beautiful, fabulous area. 00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:54.480 And and at different times of the year, you see different stuff, you know, because at the time of the year when

they do the harvest for the wine, there's so much going on. 00:26:54.880 --> 00:27:01.839 Yeah, and then this time of the year or in May, when they're actually out there cutting off all the little bits of the buds that go in different directions as well. 00:27:01.920 --> 00:27:03.839 There's just always something going on there. 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:09.839 And in in Burgundy, there's also like that really beautiful natural parc national. 00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:14.799 Um in the Morve, that is just so beautiful, and there's great rivers to go swimming in. 00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:19.680 I do um I love swimming, and so I go I swim a lot in rivers around where we live. 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:28.640 Yes, actually, our mutual friend Ruby Bookaboo, she has told me how she loves to go to your place in Burgundy and then just get down the river because she loves swimming in the ocean or in a river. 00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:30.400 And uh that's one of her favourite things to do. 00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:34.720 She says, I can't wait to get to all this place, I've just got to go and swimming in in somewhere that's natural. 00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:38.319 It's kind of like for her version of grounding, I think. 00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:39.119 Yeah, yeah. 00:27:39.759 --> 00:27:40.720 I'm a bit the same. 00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:42.640 I always need to know where the swimming spot is. 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:43.839 Yeah, yeah. 00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:48.960 So now, what are your plans with your film after the St Kilda Film Festival? 00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:53.119 So now it's just a wedding game, finding out what other festivals we get into. 00:27:53.279 --> 00:28:02.400 We've really really just started, so and then hopefully I'll be get travelling around France and other fantastic places at the end of the year going to festivals. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:05.440 And uh right now I'm working on my first feature. 00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:07.039 Oh, is that a secret? 00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:08.400 Or can you tell us anything about that? 00:28:09.279 --> 00:28:10.079 I can tell you about it. 00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:35.920 It's called The Heart of the Pelican, and it's a road movie about three sisters who have to travel across France because their mother has decided to end her life in Switzerland by euthanasia because their mum's got early onset Alzheimer's, and she lived through it with her own mother, and she she was there for her own mother, and she doesn't want to live through it herself, nor does she want to inflict it on her daughters. 00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:47.920 And so it's a real it's a sort of intimate story about how we deal with death that's gonna come and the big choices of someone else within a family. 00:28:48.160 --> 00:29:10.799 Um it's and also obviously because I like to have pretty well sujet engagé, we say in French, uh sort of important subjects, but always treated with a little bit of humour, a uh sort of bit poetic with the sort of ridiculousness of life in those times of uh drama or trauma, I guess. 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:11.279 Yeah. 00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:12.799 That's so important though, isn't it? 00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:15.039 That's how we cope with those times, I suppose. 00:29:15.359 --> 00:29:15.920 Yeah, yeah. 00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:17.599 And also I love a road movie. 00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:18.880 I've always loved a road movie. 00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:20.160 Yeah, oh I do too. 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:24.880 Um because it look it you can you can actually travel vicariously through the characters in the movie. 00:29:25.119 --> 00:29:33.519 And in fact, obviously, I also chose that they the drive that they do is through Burgundy and to Switzerland because it's just so beautiful. 00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:38.799 Yeah, life life is beautiful as well in those moments of complication. 00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:55.519 I think that that's part of the um the complexity of life, but then when you can see the beauty in in the relationships, in the people, in everything surrounding those times, it's it's kind of special when you can tease it apart and look at it without it being it's it doesn't have to be morbid. 00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:58.000 It's just it's it's real life, you know. 00:29:58.559 --> 00:30:03.039 Yeah, and and living is so important in the face of adversity. 00:30:03.359 --> 00:30:05.279 Yes, yeah, oh absolutely. 00:30:05.440 --> 00:30:07.680 In fact, we see that more and more at the moment. 00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:17.440 Actually, my last two short films, Songlines and The Teaser to the Heart of Pelican, I actually shot in Burgundy, and that was so much fun shooting in the country. 00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:28.160 It would have been and the people were so nice, and it was just so beautiful, and then we everyone stayed at that at the house and Charles cooked for them, and it was just a magic, magic moment. 00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:29.519 It would have been brilliant. 00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:32.000 That sounds like all your worlds colliding together. 00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:32.799 Exactly. 00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:34.160 Love it, love it. 00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:35.920 So, how did you choose Burgundy? 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:41.920 When you were choosing, because you were in Paris initially, how did you choose that as the place, or did you just stumble across the place that was for sale? 00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:43.279 How did that come about? 00:30:43.839 --> 00:30:50.720 We actually for years were going to Normandy to a friend's country house, an American friend, and they just lent it to us. 00:30:50.799 --> 00:31:00.559 And Charles obviously did lots of work there, and we did a veggie garden for them and stuff, and so we knew we wanted a country place, and then they sold their place, but it was way too expensive for us. 00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:09.920 And then we had a very really good friend, actually, another Australian, French Australian, Dominique Delaney, who I work with, she's in cinema as well.

00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:24.720 She has a house in the same town as us, and the first time we went there was about 25 years ago, and so we knew that village from from her, and we don't have any money. 00:31:25.519 --> 00:31:56.240 Legal situation was a little bit dodgy, and uh we went and visited a place once just for fun when we were staying at hers, and obviously we we couldn't buy it, and then like four years later, we were in Australia, and I get this email from this real estate agent saying we've got this property, and it was in douchey, and it was at a price range we could do it, which was 40,000 euros, and it it was an abandoned house for 30 years, and we went and looked at it, and we're like, Okay, we're gonna buy it. 00:31:56.480 --> 00:31:56.720 Done. 00:31:56.880 --> 00:31:59.440 So it was sort of under under a good star. 00:31:59.599 --> 00:32:11.359 And I think when we first sent photos to friends and family, particularly in Australia, they thought we were absolutely insane, and where they never didn't know that we were actually capable of doing anything with that. 00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:16.160 And it's one of those things where now I'm like, if I knew what it took, probably wouldn't do it. 00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:19.200 Naivity is fantastic when you've got a big project. 00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:34.160 Yes, I was looking at houses for ages, and I've just in the last probably in the last year or two, I've just said to Paul, realistically, how much time are we going to be there now that our kids are really settled into lives here in Australia? 00:32:34.319 --> 00:32:37.200 We're going to want to be back here for lots of life events with them. 00:32:37.279 --> 00:32:41.039 And we're not French, so we won't be able to live there with unless we can get visas for it. 00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:44.400 So I thought we're probably going to only be there for maybe 12 weeks of every year. 00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:45.680 How much can we renovate? 00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:46.640 How much can we get it done? 00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:51.839 And do we want to spend that 12 weeks a year that we only get to go to France just renovating and working on a house? 00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:52.799 And so I thought, you know what? 00:32:52.880 --> 00:32:56.559 I think I'd rather just rent other people's houses that are already done and do that now. 00:32:56.799 --> 00:32:57.759 Or come and stay with you. 00:32:58.079 --> 00:32:58.799 There you go. 00:32:59.119 --> 00:32:59.519 Exactly. 00:32:59.920 --> 00:33:02.000 You've got a you've got a room in that place. 00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.799 Charles and I have no children, that's just us. 00:33:04.880 --> 00:33:06.000 We're like, there's tons of rooms. 00:33:06.480 --> 00:33:08.000 Come and say, it's fantastic. 00:33:08.640 --> 00:33:09.519 Absolutely. 00:33:09.759 --> 00:33:11.119 It's changed my life though. 00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:13.599 I we literally are there every single weekend. 00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:17.200 Like I spent half my time in Paris and half myself time in the country. 00:33:17.359 --> 00:33:22.319 In fact, tonight, today I haven't got work this afternoon, so I'm gonna go down for the night and then come back tomorrow morning. 00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:23.759 Oh, I love that. 00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:32.000 Oh, yeah, it's like we I just take the train, it's an hour on the train, half an hour in their car, and there's trains every hour, so I go very, very frequently. 00:33:32.240 --> 00:33:34.480 Do you just leave your car at the train station down there? 00:33:34.799 --> 00:33:35.839 Yep, and it's free. 00:33:36.079 --> 00:33:36.400 Brilliant. 00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:42.799 But we all have crap cars here, so it's like we we then have nice big cars, nice cars and big cars, they're all like crap. 00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:46.799 But that's okay, because then you know no one's gonna nick a crap car, so it's fine. 00:33:46.880 --> 00:33:48.240 Just leave it there and off you go. 00:33:48.720 --> 00:33:49.359 Perfect. 00:33:49.680 --> 00:33:55.279 Now, Elise, we often ask three questions on the little bell's francophiles, and I'm very interested to hear your answers. 00:33:55.440 --> 00:34:01.599 So, first thing, and because Charles is such a great cook, this will be an interesting one to hear your response. 00:34:01.839 --> 00:34:07.599 What is your favourite dish to order when you're out in France or perhaps to cook at home? 00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:14.880 This is I am literally the worst person for this question because I'm vegetarian. 00:34:15.599 --> 00:34:17.199 No, but I love that and it's good. 00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:21.760 I know French food is just not fabulous for vegetarians. 00:34:22.719 --> 00:34:23.199 What are you doing? 00:34:23.440 --> 00:34:29.440 You know, like you know, traditional food, you really got the like now, it's a lot better because things have changed finally. 00:34:29.679 --> 00:34:33.920 But I spend a lot of time eating goat's cheese salad and ratatouille. 00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:35.920 Oh yeah, yeah, true, true. 00:34:36.159 --> 00:34:37.519 Gosh, I love a ratatouille. 00:34:38.000 --> 00:34:39.280 Yeah, yeah, exactly. 00:34:39.519 --> 00:34:42.400 Um, so uh I don't know. 00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:44.559 I we probably should have asked Charles that. 00:34:44.719 --> 00:34:46.559 He would say like confit de canard. 00:34:46.880 --> 00:34:47.360 Oh, yeah, yeah. 00:34:47.760 --> 00:34:52.559 Both eating out and um and cooking it himself. 00:34:52.800 --> 00:34:56.000 Um, so yeah, I think I have to bypass that question. 00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:56.559 I'm terrible. 00:34:57.199 --> 00:35:02.000 I mean, I'm a huge foodie, and so are the French, but we just don't marry totally. 00:35:02.320 --> 00:35:08.320 No, and I think when I've eaten out with you in Cannes, you had just like the vegetarian pasta or a risotto or something like that. 00:35:08.559 --> 00:35:09.199 Yeah, exactly. 00:35:09.280 --> 00:35:11.519 It's it's it's there's one

dish. 00:35:11.679 --> 00:35:14.880 There's one dish on every menu that's for vegetarian in France, probably. 00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:15.280 Yeah. 00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:28.079 And it's often not very French, but I know I mean there is like the uh there's this thing called coca with in the south of France, which is like these pasties with this sort of tomato-y olive sort of thing, which is really, really yummy. 00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:34.880 Um, and I think the the what I do like in France is now I eat fish. 00:35:34.960 --> 00:35:38.559 I started eating fish since I live in France, and I love oysters. 00:35:38.800 --> 00:35:45.679 Going out and having fresh oysters in the market uh on a Saturday or a Sunday is just fantastic. 00:35:45.920 --> 00:35:46.320 Beautiful. 00:35:46.480 --> 00:35:49.280 And I have them quite often at home, so I'm a big oyster fan. 00:35:49.840 --> 00:35:59.679 I love the oysters up in Normandy, and when I've had them in Enfleur, and it's right there, you know, they come in and they're fresh, and they just got them that day. 00:35:59.760 --> 00:36:01.920 And the oysters and the mussels they have up there. 00:36:02.000 --> 00:36:02.880 Oh my gosh, I love them. 00:36:02.960 --> 00:36:04.159 The mussels in the cider. 00:36:04.239 --> 00:36:05.039 Oh, it's nothing better. 00:36:05.280 --> 00:36:10.079 Yeah, and moon threaten, then you can't go past a good moon threaten like Normandy or Bretagne. 00:36:10.239 --> 00:36:10.639 That's fantastic. 00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:11.599 Beautiful. 00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:13.920 In fact, I love I love a galette. 00:36:14.159 --> 00:36:15.280 Oh, I did that cheese. 00:36:15.440 --> 00:36:19.119 I totally, totally I love all the French cheeses. 00:36:19.280 --> 00:36:21.119 Yes, oh, I'm obsessed with the cheese. 00:36:21.440 --> 00:36:32.159 And I've got a really good cheese lady at my tiny little market in my town who does the biggest collection I've ever seen of goat's cheese and sheep's cheese. 00:36:32.480 --> 00:36:34.639 Well, see, that's good for me because I can't have cow dairy. 00:36:34.719 --> 00:36:36.880 So goat and sheep over there, brilliant. 00:36:37.199 --> 00:36:39.519 So when you come and visit, you are definitely taking. 00:36:39.840 --> 00:36:45.519 She does like this really it's called a chev creme, and it's like a cam and bear, but out of um goat's cheese. 00:36:45.679 --> 00:36:46.639 Oh, fantastic. 00:36:46.880 --> 00:36:48.559 What's your favourite cheese? 00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:49.599 Oh la la. 00:36:49.920 --> 00:36:52.719 Well, all that I get every week that creme de chev. 00:36:52.880 --> 00:36:56.000 I also get a gouda, a gouda chev, which is really good. 00:36:56.320 --> 00:36:57.360 A gouda chev. 00:36:57.760 --> 00:36:58.800 So from a goat. 00:36:59.119 --> 00:36:59.760 Oh, I didn't know. 00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:01.280 Yeah, it's really good. 00:37:01.519 --> 00:37:05.679 And then I like the brevis from the sheep's ones from Task as well. 00:37:06.079 --> 00:37:09.519 And then I like rock fur, which is brebe as well, which is sheep as well. 00:37:10.079 --> 00:37:12.719 Yeah, so I'm not I'm not fussy about my cheese. 00:37:12.800 --> 00:37:13.920 I can I'll eat anything. 00:37:14.159 --> 00:37:15.840 I like the small ones as well. 00:37:16.079 --> 00:37:16.719 Yep, same. 00:37:16.880 --> 00:37:19.920 The really runny ones, the stinky ones, the blue ones, all of them. 00:37:20.159 --> 00:37:21.760 I don't discriminate them on all of them. 00:37:21.840 --> 00:37:23.039 Yeah, I'll be happy with anything. 00:37:23.199 --> 00:37:25.920 Yeah, I could roll around in the stuff and I still wouldn't have enough of it. 00:37:26.239 --> 00:37:27.920 Fantastic, fantastic. 00:37:28.159 --> 00:37:32.960 Now, you might do this for work a bit, but even just when you're driving around, do you listen to French music much? 00:37:33.360 --> 00:37:35.440 French music, yeah, a bit, yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:37:36.079 --> 00:37:43.519 Culturally, I'd say I read a lot of novels in French and I watch a lot of French cinema. 00:37:43.760 --> 00:37:55.679 Music, it's funny because I DJed with the News Eve for some friends recently, and I put on a lot of French music, and obviously they're all French friends, and they're like, Oh, it's okay, Alice, you now can get you citizenship. 00:37:55.840 --> 00:37:56.239 Yeah. 00:37:57.039 --> 00:37:59.599 Oh, but did you want to know my favourite song at the moment? 00:37:59.840 --> 00:38:06.239 Yes, I do because we've got the Little Bells Francophile's fabulous Frenchie Spotify playlist, and I just keep adding to it. 00:38:06.320 --> 00:38:10.800 It's like way over a hundred songs on it now, and they're all different, eclectic. 00:38:11.119 --> 00:38:16.800 Some are like the old classics, some of them are just like, you know, there's Angelle, there's all these other different artists. 00:38:16.960 --> 00:38:18.719 So it's really good, and I just listen to it. 00:38:18.800 --> 00:38:23.519 I often listen to it when I'm driving around in France because there is so much English music on the radio in France. 00:38:23.679 --> 00:38:28.159 There's so much Australian music on the radio in France, but I listen to this often when I'm driving around. 00:38:28.239 --> 00:38:31.840 And obviously, when I'm at home here in Australia too, I I listen to it and I love it. 00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:33.199 What's your suggestion? 00:38:33.519 --> 00:38:35.119 So it was a hit last year. 00:38:35.199 --> 00:38:39.119 It was called Bleu Soleil, featuring Louisa. 00:38:39.760 --> 00:38:40.400 Yes. 00:38:40.639 --> 00:38:42.000 I think I know that one. 00:38:42.320 --> 00:38:43.039 It's really pretty. 00:38:43.119 --> 00:38:53.519 It's sort of sort of talking about, I mean, it's a real summer bit, and it's like she's talking about having her feet in the water and being free and doing whatever she wants, and it's it's very pretty. 00:38:53.760 --> 00:38:54.719 It's very feel-good. 00:38:55.039 --> 00:38:56.719 That

sounds like a perfect day, actually, doesn't it? 00:38:56.960 --> 00:38:58.400 Being free with your feet in the water. 00:38:58.719 --> 00:38:59.360 Yep. 00:38:59.840 --> 00:39:00.320 Perfect. 00:39:00.559 --> 00:39:02.880 Well, I will look that one up and I'll whack that onto the playlist. 00:39:02.960 --> 00:39:04.400 That sounds like a great addition. 00:39:04.559 --> 00:39:07.199 Now, the last question for you, beautiful Elise. 00:39:07.679 --> 00:39:10.159 Can you tell me, talking about perfect days? 00:39:10.320 --> 00:39:13.039 Describe for me your favorite French day. 00:39:13.679 --> 00:39:16.000 Uh that's just describing my life, isn't it? 00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:16.639 Because I love that. 00:39:17.119 --> 00:39:19.360 Don't even say that I'm so jealous as it is, but yeah. 00:39:19.679 --> 00:39:22.239 So just give us a little insight to well, what is that like? 00:39:22.639 --> 00:39:24.880 I've been here for I've been here for 30 years. 00:39:26.400 --> 00:39:27.519 And that's only this time. 00:39:27.599 --> 00:39:28.239 That's a long time. 00:39:28.320 --> 00:39:30.960 I've lived in France way longer than I lived in Australia. 00:39:31.199 --> 00:39:34.159 I lived 19 years, and here I've been about 34 or up. 00:39:34.639 --> 00:39:38.320 Um uh so depends where I am. 00:39:38.480 --> 00:39:41.199 So I'll pretend that I'm going to b I'm in both places. 00:39:41.360 --> 00:39:46.880 So in Paris, I get up and I walk to work, which I love doing. 00:39:47.039 --> 00:39:52.000 I don't like what my biggest complication about Melbourne is being in a car all the time. 00:39:52.159 --> 00:40:06.639 So I walk to work with my dog, and that's get to my office about 20 minutes later, and I've got I've got a fantastic view onto Rue Montagoy, which is this like pedestrian street in the centre of Paris. 00:40:06.719 --> 00:40:08.480 So that's a really nice space. 00:40:08.639 --> 00:40:24.559 Uh, I love sitting in a cafe at some stage of the day and just having a coffee and just l listening to people and watching people, you know, that's one of the pastimes in France is observing human beings, and uh, that's one of my favourite things. 00:40:24.880 --> 00:40:28.400 Uh I love riding my bike in Paris as well. 00:40:28.719 --> 00:40:32.960 It's just great, you just get around and see everything, and that's really lovely. 00:40:33.360 --> 00:40:39.760 Uh perour when everyone's having a drink, even just walking around while they just watch people, it's great. 00:40:39.920 --> 00:40:48.239 Um, and then I do like love going to any of the hundreds of galleries or museums that exist. 00:40:48.880 --> 00:40:57.599 And I do like the seasons, I like how everyone everyone, everything changes, you know, the light changes, the people change, there's different sort of behavior. 00:40:58.000 --> 00:41:01.920 Um, and then if I go to the country, I love markets. 00:41:02.159 --> 00:41:05.760 I am absolutely the biggest fan of food markets. 00:41:06.480 --> 00:41:11.840

One time I was in Spain and I was trying to find a market, and we couldn't find one, me and Charles. 00:41:11.920 --> 00:41:17.679 We were in this tiny little town, and they sent us off, and someone took us sent us to the supermarket, and I was so disappointed. 00:41:17.840 --> 00:41:22.000 And then as we were leaving the town, I saw the market and I literally danced down the street. 00:41:22.079 --> 00:41:23.039 I was so excited. 00:41:23.199 --> 00:41:24.880 So I love going to a market. 00:41:25.199 --> 00:41:26.000 I don't know, yeah. 00:41:26.079 --> 00:41:28.320 I guess it's sort of pretty much me. 00:41:28.880 --> 00:41:33.199 Food, human beings, culture, walking. 00:41:33.599 --> 00:41:40.480 And when you're doing all of that, you you're obviously immersing in that culture, but also the architecture of wherever you're at. 00:41:40.559 --> 00:41:44.000 You know, I love the way the architecture changes from one part of France to the other. 00:41:44.159 --> 00:41:52.960 I love the architecture of buildings in in Paris and walking around and actually looking up, not always just looking down at my feet or or not at a phone all the time, you know. 00:41:53.199 --> 00:41:57.039 Yeah, do you know the artist called Invader in France? 00:41:57.119 --> 00:42:00.559 And he's been doing little tile invaders. 00:42:00.800 --> 00:42:09.119 He started in Paris literally about 30 years ago, and now he puts those little um the they're but they're all over the world. 00:42:09.199 --> 00:42:20.559 There's some in Melbourne and stuff, but now there's actually an app that you can you've got, and you can like take a photo of them and you get points, and so it's really good because it just makes you look everywhere as well. 00:42:20.719 --> 00:42:24.719 It's such a great thing because you've got to have family like, oh my god, there are this, and there it is. 00:42:24.880 --> 00:42:27.360 And there's a lot of street art in Paris as well, which is fantastic. 00:42:27.519 --> 00:42:28.000 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:42:28.079 --> 00:42:28.960 I love, love, love that. 00:42:29.119 --> 00:42:32.880 Actually, I might put that app, I'll put a link for that on the website too, if I can find it. 00:42:33.039 --> 00:42:34.159 So people can actually download that. 00:42:34.800 --> 00:42:36.960 I can send you, I'll send you a thing of it if you want. 00:42:37.199 --> 00:42:37.679 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:42:37.760 --> 00:42:38.320 That'd be great. 00:42:38.719 --> 00:42:40.480 I think there's at least three in Melbourne. 00:42:41.199 --> 00:42:42.079 But they're all over the world. 00:42:42.239 --> 00:42:43.519 There's tons in Paris. 00:42:43.599 --> 00:42:45.679 And I think he started literally 30 years ago. 00:42:45.840 --> 00:42:47.920 I first photo about it in 97. 00:42:48.320 --> 00:42:53.039 Is he a little bit like um Foo or like Banksy when they how they started and they just had things on the wall? 00:42:53.280 --> 00:42:54.800 Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. 00:42:54.960 --> 00:42:55.360 Yeah, yeah. 00:42:55.519 --> 00:42:56.320 Love that. 00:42:56.559 --> 00:43:02.239 Well, merci so much for spending this time with us today, Elise, because I have loved feeling like I'm back in France with you. 00:43:02.480 --> 00:43:06.719 And I can't wait to see you when you're in Melbourne, which is only, you know, a week ago. 00:43:07.840 --> 00:43:10.639 I know, with your film Reclaim the Night. 00:43:10.719 --> 00:43:12.000 And I'm dying to come and see that. 00:43:12.079 --> 00:43:14.559 So I will see you there on the 6th of June. 00:43:14.800 --> 00:43:16.480 And I've got just a last question. 00:43:16.719 --> 00:43:18.320 When are you coming back here? 00:43:18.719 --> 00:43:22.559 Well, I could come back this year if I can wangle it. 00:43:22.719 --> 00:43:26.000 One of my sons is saying, Mum, why don't we just go over and do a couple of weeks of road trip? 00:43:26.079 --> 00:43:28.400 And I'm very tempted to just take off. 00:43:28.559 --> 00:43:32.159 But I'm also, you know, I know, I know, I should just go and do that. 00:43:32.239 --> 00:43:41.519 But now that I'm living in the country here and I've got a market every weekend around me, and I've got all these other things, it's a place that I'm actually loving living in. 00:43:41.679 --> 00:43:47.760 Not that I don't want to go back to France, but I've never been here through all of the seasons because I go to France for such a long time. 00:43:47.920 --> 00:43:54.480 So I'm actually really enjoying being here through all of the seasons for this year, but then I'm absolutely beside myself of not not going to France. 00:43:54.559 --> 00:43:57.599 In fact, the to the point there have been tears, you know, there have been tears. 00:43:57.679 --> 00:43:59.440 So I I am definitely coming back next year. 00:44:00.079 --> 00:44:01.599 Going for a very long trip next year. 00:44:01.760 --> 00:44:05.760 But um, you know, and I'm not sure whether that'll be May, June, or July, but this year it's gonna take some time. 00:44:06.079 --> 00:44:07.519 You'll have to come see us next year. 00:44:08.000 --> 00:44:08.880 Absolutely, definitely. 00:44:08.960 --> 00:44:09.280 Yeah. 00:44:10.000 --> 00:44:15.119 I I've heard so much about it, and I think I think I missed a weekend when Ruby had asked me to come. 00:44:15.280 --> 00:44:21.199 I think I arrived on the Sunday and she was going there on the Friday or something, and so I've missed a couple of times when things were going on. 00:44:21.360 --> 00:44:23.840 So I'll definitely have to do that. 00:44:24.159 --> 00:44:27.039 Allo, seed two, a cell affanal, should we? 00:44:27.199 --> 00:44:30.000 That is all for another Little Bells Francophiles episode. 00:44:30.159 --> 00:44:35.280 I hope that you've enjoyed being transported to France with me and the lovely Elise McLeod today. 00:44:35.440 --> 00:44:54.079 We're now into the seventh year of the Little Bells Francophiles, and in this season we have already had some fabulous chats, and there will be more across the year with some more authors coming up: Precant hunters, Parisian cooks, or people who've made the leap and followed their dream to move to France, plus loads of other French stories via our podcast chats. 00:44:54.320 --> 00:45:06.960 To be notified when new episodes are released, subscribe on your favourite podcast platform, or follow Little Bells Francophiles on Insta, and that's where you will also find lots of my personal French photos, as well as some from our Little Bells Francophiles guests. 00:45:07.199 --> 00:45:13.039 For all of the links from today's chat, head to the Little Bells Francophiles website to blog post number 201. 00:45:13.199 --> 00:45:14.960 That's episode deux an. 00:45:15.599 --> 00:45:24.559 Or just pop the word Elise E-L-I-S-E into the search bar at the top right on the Little Bells Francophiles website and this episode will pop up. 00:45:24.719 --> 00:45:27.679 The website link is in the show notes to today's episode as well. 00:45:27.840 --> 00:45:33.360 Then come and join me next time on the Little Bells Francophiles and we can all escape to France together. 00:45:33.599 --> 00:45:35.199 Au revoir, lovely Elise. 00:45:35.519 --> 00:45:36.079 Au revoir. 00:45:36.639 --> 00:45:37.119 Merci. 00:45:37.519 --> 00:45:39.840 Oh it was a pleasure to speak to you, Louise. 00:45:39.920 --> 00:45:40.960 It was so nice. 00:45:41.280 --> 00:45:45.360 Au revoir de moi, Louise Prichard, bonjony, ERBN Tomesami.