The casting of Enzo seen by Robin Campillo
The filmmaker tells us how the late Laurent Cantet and chose to him beginners Eloy Pohu and Maksym Slivinskyi to embody the central roles of the film
To whom we must castEnzostarting with its two main performers who make their first appearance on the screen: Eloy Pohu and Maksym Slivinskyi?
Robin Campillo : In Laurent (Cantet)! In the same way that it was he who had the idea of the film a few years ago. The story of a teenager who did not feel comfortable in his rather bourgeois family, as if he did not belong to the same class as them. Laurent wrote a first treatment with Gilles Marchand then two years ago, when Gilles had to go on another project, he came to see me to find out if it could interest me. I loved this treatment and immediately said yes. It was at that time that he learned that he had this cancer that was going to prevail. But I had never thought he would stretch before the start of filming. I had just passed a pact with him: we were going to do everything from the writing to the editing through the realization when I would have been there on the days when he would have felt less well and to reassure insurance. Life decided otherwise, but it was Laurent who found the main decor of the film, this career near La Ciotat and who was able to choose his main actors, even if I was present during the hearings of course.
What has seduced you at Eloy Pohu who plays the role of the film, this 16-year-old teenager who decides, against the advice of her father, to become an apprentice mason?
Eloy came to the tests with his brother who, having wanted to become a technician, especially wanted to try to be present in one way or another on this set. And to be honest, their first hearing scene was not very convincing. They didn’t play very well. But in their discharge, it was a very complicated improvisation scene and not very well written. Besides, we do not find her in the film, in the end. In short, it was a bit of a trapped gift. But despite everything I immediately saw that he had the personality for the role. So I told Laurent that I was going to take the time to work with him before I play another scene where he should argue with his father – that I will play. For that, I tried to push him so that he puts himself a little more angry. But he couldn’t do it and explained to me … that it never happened to him in life. I found it very funny! (Laughs) So I told him to play as if he were talking about himself. And there he was incredible. But I only gave the back the paths of his personality which he shares with Enzo this very lunar side. As if time stopped and that we were forced to be taken in his thought, in his reflection, in his logic. This hearing scene has in any case unlocked at home. He felt the area where he could be comfortable in relation to the character. And as it does high level swimming, it is someone who naturally has a self-discipline. Once on the set, he knew his text by heart, he did not have the stage fright and an ease of playing quite fascinating.
Enzo: a working story and desire (critic)
And how MAKSYM SLIVINSKYI – Who plays the worker who troubles Enzo on this CIOTAT project – arrived on the project?
MAKSYM had sent us a video that we loved with Laurent because he spoke without interruption by believing his perfect French! But, even if we were far from understanding everything, he emanated from him a really crazy charm, without ever being in seduction. A very strong species of empathy that also goes with his character there. Just like its very positive side. In life, he also works as a worker. He had never done the actor. And it turned out to be particularly excellent. I think for example of a scene of anger that after a first catch, I asked him to play a little loud for his character to put himself a little more angry. And when I edited, I chose the first catch. Because what he had proposed was much more sober but much fairer. It’s really a pretty amazing guy,
His character was Ukrainian in the script where it was because he was chosen that he became?
No, all of this preexisted and even before the Russian invasion. But Maksym brought his personal story to the film from his personal history. We were a little inspired by his journey, his relationship to war. He transformed his character like Eloy transformed that of Enzo. They were so happy to have been chosen by Laurent…. They brought an extremely jubilant and communicative energy to this shooting.
Enzo. By Laurent Cantet and Robin Campillo. With Eloy Pohu, maksym Slivinskyi, Elodie Bouchez… Duration: & H42. Released June 18, 2025
