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District 13 :Ultimatum

Coverage by Nobuhiro Hosoki

Story : Damien and Leito return to District 13 on a mission to bring peace to the troubled sector that is controlled by five different gang bosses, before the city's secret services take drastic measures to solve the problem.

Opens February 5, 2010

Runtime:1 hr. 41 min.

Interview with Actor David Belle

Q: How did you get into acting?

David Belle: My brother paid for me to attend some courses at the Actors Studio so that I could have some Idea of the foundation of acting. And I had an agent, who sent me to casting sessions that allowed me to have some degree of experience. Then I met Luc Besson, who wrote "District 13" for me. I had done a few TV-movies—nothing extraordinary. Everything really started and took off in "District 13."

Q: Now that you've worked with Luc Besson twice, what was the element that fascinated you to work with him again?

David Belle: Well, first of all, let me say that Luc Besson is a friend. I like all the films that he made. And when someone like Luc Besson asks you if you can act on a sequel, you have to be crazy to say "No." (LOL) Making a film for  him is like a way of becoming known, even if you disagree with some of the scenes. But any films that he made is going to have a lot of echo and resonance in the media. Look at the first director of "District 13", Pierre Morel. He shot "Taken", which was a good film and now I hear that he's gonna shoot a remake of "Dune".

So I would say that Luc know how to test people out. He really has a sixth sense about it. He knows when someone has potential. I'll be honest with you; I didn't see myself as an actor with my little amount of experience. But you start with that film, and you want to continue in that. Then you get to a point and say, "All right, either I'm going to go as far as I can in this or I'm gonna be suckered. Because it's true that I got this role due to my experience with "Palcool", but thanks to this role, I have a new vocation which is acting in movies! And I'd like to explore that. I really feel good in a film. And I find it source of great satisfaction. 

Q: What kind of training would you do on a daily basis?

David Belle: Well, I have to say that I don't train now the way I used to. I just keep myself in shape. If I know that I'm gonna be shooting a film, then I go through intense preparation for two or three weeks before we start shooting the film. But for the moment, I just do a small personal exercise that allow me to know exactly where I stand, to maintain  my physical conditioning. 

Q: "District 13" is known for not using any CG, wire action. What were the challenges that you took this time?

David Belle: That's like what I was just saying, everything is important. You know, the injuries that I had in a first film didn't take place in a big stunt. Because on the big stunt we had a lot of pressure, so you are really on your toes. But it's the small stuff, where you say, "Ah, that's easy, I'm not gonna have any problem.” That's where you injure yourself.

You can injure yourself because you didn't sleep well the night before.  The problem is we were stressed for the entire length of the film. We've already done a scouting of the location, and we've already said to the director that this is what we can do.  So we say, "we can do it."  But the question is: are we gonna do it as well as we like. That is, when we do it, we want to do it in a good form. That's what causes the fear. 

Q: How's your experience working with co-star Cyril Raffaelli? Did he teach you any of his fighting skills?

David Belle: You know, Cyril— before he was an actor—was a stunt man. So the way he views thing is like a real old- time stunt man, not like the new generation. If someone told him, "You’re gonna play the role of an ice skater, he would spend two months learning how to ice skate.

Even if that’s not his thing, he would know how to ice skate, so he could do that. If someone told him that he's gonna have to be a horse rider or parachuter, he learns those things. He's someone that really completes things, and he's like a sponge: he picks everything up. So when you are around him, you learn all sorts of things. He taught me so much, in terms of acrobatic combat, choreography, and simple fighting stunts. 

Q: You've talked about "Palcool". Could you elaborate what that really is?

David Belle: Well, "Palcool" is a method of physical training that allows you to confront the [specific] obstaclesthat you might find in a city environment.

Q: You did a couple American films, "Femme Fatale" and "Babylon A.D." Would you be interested to be in American films, if that opportunity comes? And what kind of film would you prefer to work in? 

David Belle: Yes, as a matter of fact, I'm preparing a little bit for that, from my understanding that there will be a U.S. version of "District 13." Deep down, I had a real desire to act in the American version of this film. When I see a good action film, I just go crazy with longing. I wouldn't care if it's a minor role, I would be happy to start small. But I love to be in a good action film. That's something that really interests me.

Q:  I heard that you went to Japan to promote the first "District 13." How's the experience over there?

David Belle: You know, it really went well. We are really well received. We met the producer in Japan. That gave us the desire to make a film in Japan. When we saw the architecture there, we said "We can make some unbelievable films here." It was really a good experience. We had a great time.

Q: Would you like to go back?

David Belle: That would be a pleasure!

Thank you, David!

David Belle: Arigato!

 

End.