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August 1, 2014

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French love story ‘Delicacy’ takes different path

“LA Délicatesse” (“Delicacy”), written by French novelist and director David Foenkinos, is not your average French love story in which passion and romance dominate. The plain language and lively plot distinguish it from some other cliched works.

With this book, Foenkinos has won great honors — nominations for France’s four greatest awards (Le Prix Goncourt, Prix Renaudot, Prix Femina and Prix Medici), bestseller both home and abroad, millions of sales in more than 30 countries.

The book illustrates the major ups and downs in Natalie’s life. She has a hard time moving on from her late husband’s death in a car accident. When her relationship with her subordinate Markus becomes delicate, there are more difficulties for them to conquer.

Foenkinos did not gain remarkable success merely owing to his talent in writing, but also largely due to the chemistry he developed in this book. He chose a very different path for the story. In a way, his relationship with this book is similar to its plot — delicate and tender.

Foenkinos is fond of details. His sensitivity often brings him inspiration. This book was inspired by the word “délicatesse” (delicacy). It is also this story’s core value. He defined this word both on the cover and within chapters: “This word means more like pastry or sweet to eat. It is also a way to be sweet in your behavior with others.”

“My favorite quote in this book is ‘dictionary stops when heart begins.’ Because when we are attracted to someone, we can no longer define what is going on. There are no words to explain why we do things,” the Frenchman says.

Foenkinos’s style has changed over time. The more experiences he has gone through, the more reflection he brings to his story, and now he felt obliged to write about ordinary life.

“I added touches of seriousness and realism to the plot. My story is now more connected to practicality of life. After all, I believe the heroes within our daily life are those who pay their bills on time,” he says.

That combination of realism and seriousness are the major contributions to the success of this book. His works are prints of lightness, at once crazy and exhilarating, also full of humor. Foenkinos concentrated on subtle and touching analysis of love behaviors, which can be eccentric.

He considers himself “a happy pessimist” because he believes there is a link between tragedy and humor. He often applies his attitude to his stories: “I like stories that can go from happiness to sadness, and go back to happiness. Like life is.”

Just like the way he told the story of “La Délicatesse.”

“I expanded on the rebirth of a woman from a female perspective: how she opened her eyes in a particular moment and embraced her life again,” he says.

After all, the theme and major inspiration of this book is “delicacy.” He ended the book with Natalie opening her eyes from the game hide and seek: This is where she let go of the old life she held onto for years and moves on with Markus.

Normally unsupportive of film adaptation of novels, Foenkinos somehow did not think he was over with this specific story. “I was not sure that ‘La Délicatesse’ would be a good story for film. However, I still wanted to be with my characters in this story, which I have never felt with any of my other books. My brother persuaded me to make a movie adaptation, and he was right.”

Foenkinos, as the screenwriter and director of the film version of “La Délicatesse,” found a cinematic way to tell the story. With the help of French actress Audrey Tautou and her undeniable fame around the globe, this movie brought Foenkinos’ story to a wider audience.

“It was really exciting to create new actions, new characters to make it a movie,” says Foenkinos. “But what is most exciting is when your  characters are in front you! What an experience it is to see Audrey Tautou as Natalie!”

Foenkinos says that through this experience he gained deeper understanding of the word “delicate.”

“After the movie, I discovered that délicatesse could be everywhere, in every detail. The most delicate scene from my point of view is when Markus and Natalie go on their first date. I love the way my character is so respectful and pure. Everything is simply beautiful,” he says.

Foenkinos tries to convey his personal thoughts on certain things through his works, rather than pushing moral courage on a big scale.

In the story, no one thinks the love between Natalie and Markus is promising, not even Markus. Yet as the plot unfolds, the delicate relationship between the two gradually becomes their purest love for each other. When they set off on their personal journey together, nothing else matters.

“I want the audience to know from this story that love should be total freedom, especially freed from other’s opinions,” he says. “Being happy is such hard work and when we find it, nothing else should matter.”




 

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