This interview originally ran as part of our coverage of the 2013 Hamptons International Film Festival. 2 Autumn, 3 Winters opens in NYC at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center on Friday, June 6, with more cities to follow.
In 2 Autumns, 3 Winters, Arman has just turned 33. He longs for change. Maybe he’ll eat healthier? No, he decides to go jogging and as he turns a corner, he bumps into the beautiful Amélie. The first meeting is a shock; the second will be like a stab in the heart. Benjamin is Arman’s best friend. Unlucky in life, his fortune is destined to change. Over the course of two autumns and three winters, the lives of the three intermingle and are filled with meetings, accidents, love stories, and memories in this stylish, original French romantic comedy.
2 Autumns, 3 Winters
What inspired you to tell this particular story?
Sébastien Betbeder: I wanted to tell a love story about three years. In this story I wanted drama and humor to be mixed, as they are in life. The first source of inspiration is my experience and those of people around me.
As the writer/director, how did Arman and Amélie come to be? Are they based on people in your own life, or are they composite characters?
SB: Arman and Amélie look like people I know, who are part of my life. They are also fictional characters: what happens to them is sometimes “better than life.” But they live anecdotal times too. It is this “mix” that interested me.
What role do you believe fate plays in our romantic entanglements?
SB: A big role! I believe in fate, the possibility also of the cause. Arman and Amélie were to meet, but they need help.
What do you want audiences to take away from your movie?
SB: I hope my film will make audiences happy, and I hope they will feel themselves reflected in the characters.
Do you have one piece of advice for aspiring filmmakers?
SB: I do not really have any advice. The only thing that matters is to be as sincere as possible in what we write and how we film.
2 Autumn, 3 Winters opens in NYC on Friday, June 6, with more cities to follow. Find tickets.
