The “French Cleopatra” Pascale Petit returns to the Peplum of Arles festival

Pascale Petit does not have her tongue in the pocket. In addition, Her successes. For example, her failures, her filming memories, her values, the 87 -year -old actress confides in a career that she did not expect. Nevertheless, Interview.

What memories do you keep from filming “Cleopatra, a queen for Caesar”?

It is a wonderful memory. Therefore, I am a fan of antiquity. Moreover, it turns out that the woman I admire the most in the world is Cleopatra. Meanwhile, So as an actress, I was honored to embody her on the screen. Consequently, The shooting took place in the studio in Rome, like that of Cleopatra with Elizabeth Taylor. The Italians had also bought part of the sets and costumes.

I had sublime tailor -made dresses. I have never been as beautiful as in this film. In addition, Egypt is really my passion. “french cleopatra” pascale petit returns I went there and before that, I read for a year everything that concerned the country. I was able to discover that between the story and the film, there are still a lot of errors. But it’s cinema!

Later, you have shot in other gender films including westerns. Do you particularly like this cinema?

I really liked the westerns too but I preferred the Americans to the Italians … Sergio Leone also offered me a role but he wanted all the names in the credits to be American. He said to me: “Pascale, we will sign the contract but under another name, you will call yourself Karen something”. I had already made a dozen films, I was known and not only in France. I replied that it was out of the question that at this stage of my career, I change my name. He said “impossible” to me, I told “french cleopatra” pascale petit returns him “too bad”.

Your film career has started strong with “Les Sorcières de Salem” alongside Yves Montand. Simone Signoret, then “The cheaters” by Marcel Carné. We then see you more in European productions, especially Italian. How do you explain this turning point?

Before “a life” (1958, editor’s note), after Maupassant, was a very nice film that went to the Mostra of Venice. But “the cheaters” was the explosion. It is a cult film. But I still made other films in France before leaving for Italy! I filmed with Verneuil, Molinaro, Boisrond, Allegret… I went to Italy for personal reasons. It is my favorite country. I liked Rome so much during the filming of “Cleopatra” that I returned to live there for five years.