Forgive me , the title of the album posthumous Johnny Hallyday My country, it is the love , is a declaration of love dedicated to his wife Laeticia. More than a month after the release of the first clip of the disc, I will talk to the devil , the video for this ballad was published Tuesday on YouTube. Filmed on November 6, near Fontainebleau by Christophe Acker, the director of the movie clips Roma Amor of Benjamin Biolay, or Saturday night Vauban of Miossec, it has been viewed over 140,000 times in just a few hours.
” READ ALSO – No, this is not Laeticia Hallyday who plays in the movie clip Forgive me of Johnny Hallyday
The video for Forgive me puts the spotlight on a woman representative Laeticia Hallyday. Even if his face is never revealed, his silhouette is blonde and her dress suggest that this is it. The widow faces the memory of her husband, home alone, while the video archives of the rocker are projected on the white walls of his house.
Since its release, the clip of controversy on the Internet. Some fans decry the omnipresence of Laeticia, other similarities are glaring with the video of My last letter of David Hallyday, conducted in September by Laura Smet, and shared on the 13th of November. Christophe Acker explains in Figaro behind the scenes of this video.
Christophe Acker. Christophe Acker
FIGARO.- When is it that you have been contacted to carry the clip from Forgive me ?
Christophe Acker.- in Early October, via my producer. Warner Music asked me to write a synopsis for the title of the album posthumous Johnny.
Laeticia was in Paris at that time, is it that you have met him?
no, not at all. My only intermediary was Warner, who was the spokesman of Laeticia when it was necessary to adjust the details or discuss it. But in fact, I’ve never met him during the process. I had echoes, but it was always by the house of disks.
What was the message you wanted to get across with this video?
“Rather than try to put in scene a young brunette woman, it seemed obvious to me to choose a woman that looks like Laeticia”
I heard the title, I deduced that he was talking to Laeticia. The song is a love song and for me it was obvious that this is it. An address to his widow. My main reference was a film directed by Michel Gondry for the Whites Stripes, which was called Dead leaves and the dirty ground . This is a clip with a lot of video projection. In it, the protagonist was living what had happened before, through these archives. I had the idea to write this film by imagining someone at home alone and the house resumed life with archival footage of Johnny in full from different eras. All the colors and lights were from these projections, and have restored some life to this house where this woman alone wandered. Rather than trying to stage an actress brown, it seemed obvious to me to choose a woman that looks like Laeticia. I was quite convinced by the idea, and it was validated by it, through the Warner.
The wolf, the eagle, the Harley… was It important for you to incorporate all the symbols associated with Johnny?
It flowed under the meaning. I wanted to make a clip very evocative both of the singer and Laeticia, his wife. Actually, all these symbols were impossible to dissociate from the image of Johnny Hallyday.
You have immediately thought to put an actress who embodies Laeticia, or you have asked to Laeticia?
I think that there has been this discussion between the house of discs and it. This was not a desire special for me to want to play it. It is still a very delicate situation to embody his own role. And then, I wanted the physique of the actress closer to his own, I wanted to sow the disorder precisely. We have recruited a model agency. It was cast for his back, to his overall look, to have this silhouette is very recognizable.
From the beginning, you had intended not to show his face?
Yes, it is an evocation. I wanted it to remain like that. A little outstanding. And as we can see what you want also.
what is it that you evoke the reactions of the fans of Johnny?
“I also created the clip for the fans. By giving the symbols representing Johnny, honoring the memory of the singer and trying to bring it back to life through the projections”
It is very shared. There are two camps slugging it out. I have a lot of respect for Laeticia Hallyday, even if one does not know. I know that this is a woman bereaved who has been with her husband until the end. I find that it is a gesture quite beautiful. Vis-à-vis the fans, I understand very well the reactions of each other. I don’t have a disappointment particular but I have also created the clip for them. By giving the symbols representing Johnny, honoring the memory of the singer and trying to bring it back to life through the projections. This is a tribute. I understand very well that some do not support the presence of Laeticia and others find it moving. I think it’s pretty fair view of what is happening in this moment around the disappearance of the singer.
internet users have highlighted the similarities of your clip with David Hallyday, My last letter , what do you think?
It is really the chance of the calendar. I was not at all aware of any of it. Maybe him and me, we have demonstrated great originality to put wolves and eagles in our clips ( Laughter ). For once, we have been working since early October on the video. I am especially inspired by Gondry. These similarities between the nature, the animals, the wolf, are quite funny but this is not very surprising when it is a question of Johnny.
Is it that you have had a reaction to Laeticia following the broadcast of the clip?
No. I think Warner will soon contact me. Before the clip was aired, they were fascinated by what I’ve written end-to-end. I think they have had the return of Laeticia, and she had to be happy with what we did.
” SEE ALSO – Johnny Hallyday: Laeticia Hallyday criticized with the clip Forgive me
Johnny Hallyday : Laeticia Hallyday criticized with the clip Forgive me – to Look on Figaro Live
