Speaking with the actress, and star of the French TV series ‘Witnesses’, aka ‘Le Temoins’, Marie Dompnier, about the high-drama suspense thriller available now on iTunes, Amazon and NetFlix- with English subtitles!
Don’t let a foreign TV show discourage you from tuning in. If you’re an adult, and you enjoy an emotional crime journey, the French original TV series, ‘Le Temoins’ does not disappoint. From the discovery of the first haunting crime scene, you are hooked. The acting and photography are so powerful, you don’t even need to read the subtitles to understand what’s going on.
French stage actress Marie Dompnier stars as young lead detective Sandra Winckler. She shares a chilly relationship with her former teacher, and retired Crime Squad legend Paul Maisonneuve, played by Thierry Lhermitte. Paul is called back to duty for the round the clock investigation. The killer is desecrating graves and placing families of bodies in show homes, each mysteriously including a picture of Paul. Paul is hiding secrets, and as the story unfolds, his shadowy past and need for revenge begin to surface.
You are a stage actress. What made you decide to do a TV series?
Marie Dompnier: Witnesses, aka: Le Temoins is my very first adventure into Television. I had never worked in front of a TV camera before. The opportunity of working with Thierry Lhermitte, was very instrumental in my taking the part. Thierry is a well known French comedic actor, for him to be starring in a bizarre crime thriller, I knew it had to be a worthwhile experience. Also, to work with the writer and director Herve Hadmar and his collaborator Fabienne Servan-Schreiber was an enticing opportunity. Of course lead detective Sandra Winckler, was a rich and multi-layered character.
Can you tell us a little about your character?
Marie Dompnier: Sandra Winckler is new to the detective business. She lives in a paradox. She is very vulnerable, and yet she can never reveal her vulnerability. She is uncomfortable with Thierry’s character, Paul Maisonneuve. He is one of her former professors. She knows he is hiding something, but how much she knows, we’re not sure. She is also a young wife and mother, with underlying issues with her possibly unfaithful husband. Her unstable home life keeps her emotionally on edge. If she wasn’t so good at being a crime detective, she probably wouldn’t do it.
You have gotten stellar reviews for your performance. Does this mean you’ll be doing more TV?
Marie Dompnier: I was very surprised to have won the Golden FIPA Award for Best Actress for my TV performance as Sandra. Of course I will be delighted to move forward with the series. We are all delighted with the success. Witnesses, aka Le Temoins, is the most successful series to launch on France 2 in five years. We have have high ratings internationally as well. It is only the second time the UK’s Channel 4 that it will air a non-English speaking TV series. It’s also doing well in Australia, Norway, Belgium, New Zealand, Russia, Israel and Canada.
Thank you Marie for taking the time and struggling through a poor connection, to speak with me.
With chilling performances, outstanding scenery, and haunting photography. Don’t miss WITNESSES on iTunes, Amazon and NetFlix now.
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