French actor MATILA MALLIARAKIS (above, right) is unusually serious for a 27-year-old. Star of the full-on gay drama Beyond The Walls, he has spend the past decade learning his craft in theatre, on TV (The Returned) and film (Adele Blanc-Sec). In Beyond The Walls he plays a young guy who falls for swarthy Albanian-immigrant barman Guillaume Gouix, then later has a kinky relationship with a sex-shop owner. He spoke to QX film critic Jack Leger…
How did you get involved in this project?
I read writer-director David Lambert’s script three times in a row, then watched his short film Live A Little Bit More. I felt a real distinctness in the way he told stories and wanted to be part of this.
What makes Beyond The Walls distinct?
Love is extraordinary. It’s an inexhaustible subject, yet it’s difficult to deal with. To prepare, I dove into Roland Barthes and Jean Genet and other authors who dealt with sexuality. I observed things around me and listened to accounts of love stories. Because of the film’s sudden plot turn, I became interested in prison life. All this allowed me to get closer to David’s words.
What do you have in common with your character Paulo?
My parents live in Ariège! It’s the most beautiful shit-hole that I know!
David Lambert writes and directs in a bold way that challenges stereotypes. Was the character fully developed in the script?
Beforehand we worked on creating a character who didn’t want to look the world in the face. Paulo’s just a bit self-conscious! We tried out different haircuts and hesitant delivery that’s sometimes almost inaudible. He wears clothes that don’t suit him. Everything that helped us find the character and his actions was important to me. It’s my job!
How have people reacted to you after seeing the film?
People are both for or against Paulo. So I have had some very interesting conversations, strongly argued. I only stood by and listened. Once we complete a film, it does not belong to us anymore.
• Beyond The Walls is available on Peccadillo DVD and VOD
