In Promotion of "The School of Flesh"
Originally in French

This is a short interview with Vincent Martinez, Olivier's brother, talking about his father's childhood and his upbringing, among other things. I thought it was interesting to read a little about OM's father. I've translated the relevant parts; you can find the original version here.

You spent a little time in North Africa, right?

Vincent: Yes, that�s right, we went to Morocco to shoot the film. It was the first time I�d been to Morocco. My father is a native of Morocco, from Casablanca, a Spanish pieds-noir [a pieds-noir is a person of European descent, usually French, Spanish or Italian, born in North Africa] and there was something electric about going back, because, there I was, I had arrived in the country where my father was born, where my father grew up. And every time that I walked through the streets or that I was somewhere, I�d tell myself: "He was here, 40 years ago, he walked here and he saw the same things that I'm seeing," and I really liked that idea. Plus, it�s true that there was a lot of camaraderie between me and the people there, with the Moroccans, who are extraordinary people. And above all I found so many of the things I was raised with even though I�m not Muslim or Moroccan or Spanish. My father grew up in a rather "popular" neighborhood with people of many different ethnicities; so at our house we make paella [a Spanish dish], but also couscous [a North African dish], it�s all related, there�s no distinction. So it�s true that I was kind of at home, in a way.

It was enjoyable and interesting?

Vincent: Very pleasant, especially the welcome you get when you get there... it was great! I spent a week and a half in Merzouga, with some friends who are Tuareg sheep herders [nomadic, Berber-speaking group], because we have some Moroccan friends who live on the edge of the desert in Merzouga. It was extraordinary, they let us stay a week and a half in their home, they invited us, showered us with gifts even though these are people who don�t have much money, who are really poor. I'm being perfectly honest here, it touched me more than going up the palace stairs [I'm not sure which palace he's referring to -- perhaps the El Badi or the Bahia Palace in Marrakech].

Did you train for the film?

Vincent: Yes, I had three months of training with Alain Fligards of Fligards Action who took care of me and by the way, I�m very grateful to him, thanks Alain! Other than that, I practiced with my father, because my father was a professional boxer, he was the champion in France, North Africa, and Europe, so I practiced a bit with him, as an amateur, just to have fun. My brother was much more serious about it.