Meet Fehdi Bendjima (Instagram), the rising star who’s making waves in French cinema. From stealing the show as Samir in Claude Zidi Jr’s “Ténor” to lighting up the small screen as Djamil in “Une si longue nuit” on TF1, Bendjima’s charisma is undeniable. With a lot on his plate for 2024, the actor’s journey has so far been a rollercoaster of excitement and passion. His childhood in Lyon was challenging and “sadly magical”, but it was also when his passion for cinema emerged during weekly family outings to the movie theatre that ignited a desire to evoke emotions in others. Today, seeing each character as a different life lived, Fehdi Bendjima reflects on his journey and acknowledges life’s beauty, despite occasional waves of melancholy and nostalgia.
Can you share a specific movie or moment that deeply influenced your decision to pursue a career in cinema?
Every Wednesday, when I was a kid, my mum and aunt would take me and my cousins to the movies. And to see those people that I didn’t know made me feel something through this big screen… I was like “that’s what I want to do with my life,” make people escape their life for the duration of the movie, make them feel things, make them travel like I did.” The movie that did it for me was Super 8.
Growing up in Lyon and later moving to Paris, how have these different environments influenced your personality and outlook on life?
My life in Lyon was totally different, it’s like I didn’t even know what was happening elsewhere and when I came to Paris, I felt the difference. Big city, different from my hood, I had access to more things. In Lyon, nobody really believed in me, so it gave me the drive to move to Paris and become more confident, to make it happen for myself.
How do you draw inspiration from your Algerian background in your acting, and are there specific aspects of your cultural heritage that you intentionally incorporate into your roles?
Seeing how my family is down to earth keeps me grounded and focused. And that’s where I would say my cultural heritage lies – through my family. I’m aware of where I have to go for them. It makes me want to push for more, always- it makes me focused.
Could you mention a specific movie from your family’s Wednesday film nights that had a lasting impact on your love for cinema?
Super 8, by J.J. Abrams. I was a kid and it was the first time I went with my dad. I was seeing those kids, it made me feel things through this screen, it was intense and I loved the movie even more because in it, those kids are recording a movie, writing a script. I was like, I want to do that, just like them.
Congratulations on your recent film with Bryan Marciano. Can you share your experience working on this project and any memorable moments from the set?
This movie was kind of hard for me to understand and star in because it talks about young people who are suffering from what they are, and I didn’t feel legitimate to talk about their story. Then Bryan told me to come with him to the shelter to meet those young people, after that I was like I have to talk about them and talk about what they experience, feel and see. The movie was shot during summer and we were wearing winter coats, gloves and blankets because we were playing a Christmas scene so in December! It was so hot with the lights, the set up, and other things, and we were doing a lot of dinner scenes and I remember, at the end of the day, we couldn’t say a thing anymore because of the heat and the exhaustion. We were laughing for thirty minutes to an hour and Bryan wanted to kill us because we were kind of late. I’m sorry Bryan, but it was so fun to see him going red and screaming, “Fehdi stop laughing!”
Can you elaborate on a character you played that had a profound impact on you personally?
I will say Karim in l’Arche de Noe from Bryan Marciano, because it made me understand things that I didn’t know existed, and it made me more empathetic towards myself and the people around me. Humans are who they are, we can’t judge people for what they have, their reality. If this world was just more tolerant, life would be much more peaceful.
What aspects of a script attract you, prompting you to decide to take on a role?
If the story tells something different that we can see and if the character has a different range of emotions throughout the movie, I will do my best to get the role.
French cinema has a rich history. Are there specific filmmakers or actors from the past that inspire or influence your work today?
I would say that the cinema that inspires me is the current and emerging one, the one happening now. I’m inspired by myself, Fehdi Bendjima, and by the people that helped me build this confidence and who surround me. I’m just doing myself, and being inspired by my generation, the ones in whom I see myself in too, like Samir Decazza, Frankie Wallach, Ilies Kadri, all of these people as actors and humans inspire me a lot.
How do you prepare for a scene? Could you provide some examples of your preparation process?
I just create a good environment around myself and I try to create a past, a present and a future for the character that I’m gonna portray. With that, I can learn more specific things about him. I love creating a background that is not specifically written or planned in the script. This way, I can propose more things to the director.
In moments of self-reflection, what aspects of your journey as an actor bring you the most fulfillment?
Sometimes I realize where I was and how I prayed to have what I have now and that it’s just wonderful because I made my dream come true, becoming an actor. I continue to work on myself but yeah it feels good to leave a mark on history in a certain way. I would say though that observing the people around me and learning from them brings me fulfillment as well.
Outside of acting, what are your hobbies or passions that people might not know about?
I will say family and friends are my other hobbies, making them laugh and taking care of them is a big pleasure for me and I love to do it. I also had the opportunity to play in a friend’s film, “Habitués” by Moha Mmz, where we did a lot of stunts and jumped on top of the tube, I loved to do that. I developed a passion for stunts and adrenaline. But when you take real pleasure in doing things, and when you go for it with this energy of having fun, everything can be a hobby. I love dancing, I love singing, I love jumping, screaming, being in love, being alive, trying to be universal and spread this energy, that’s my principal hobby; living life.
In your personal life, how do you maintain a connection to your Algerian background?
Visiting my family in Lyon, where we would have big dinners and spending time with my cousins. Eating traditional food. It also reminds me of when my mum hands me her phone to talk to my Algerian aunt on Facetime and I try to avoid it, I feel like it’s a universal experience when you have family abroad.
If you could step into someone else’s shoes for a day, living or historical, who would it be and why?
I will say my grandfather, Mohammed. He was very kind and giving, he was not really vocal about his emotions, he preferred to show his love through actions. I knew him through the words of my mum as I never got the chance to meet him. He passed away before I was born. But hearing his story through my mum makes me feel so proud to be related to him. So yeah, I will say Mohammed, my grandfather!
Looking into the future, both personally and professionally, what are some goals or aspirations you have set for yourself?
Trying to be more myself, more empathetic, more peaceful about everything. Listen more, understand more and love more. Develop the love inside because it’s all about that. I’m doing all of this for the love of my friends, my family, for the love that I’m learning to give to myself, too. It’s all about love, so yeah more love in everything. Professionally, I want to develop my career, live more lives through my roles, tell stories through movies. This is what gives me life and this is my passion, so I’m heading in this direction.
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