Before Special Forces, Stephane Rybojad was mainly a documentary director.
Q: What was your inspiration for Special Forces?
A: My inspiration comes from my years as a documentary director and I shot several over there. It is a part of the world I know very well. It is directly inspired by the time I spent alongside special forces. I chose to link this reporter with the special forces because I found that they have common grounds in terms of risk taking and they are bound to run into one another. In this case, to run with each other.
Q: You have a background in reporting on the French armed forces? How much of the film is based on real-life experience?
A: I would say that this whole film comes from my real-life experience. However, it is a mix of various events. As you know, special forces operations are secret, and I could in no way compromise that.
Q: What was the most significant difference with work on this film compared to your other works?
A: For documentaries, we are hardly more than three on the field, and often we are even alone. It is very different to be alone in the Himalayas than to have eighty people tagging along. I started sleeping normally when they all got back safe and sound in Paris. I have been a director for twenty years, and aside from documentaries I did a lot of short films and commercials but this is my very first real feature film.
Q: What was filming on location in Djibouti like?
A: We arrived in Djibouti after a month and a half of shoot in the Himalayas … Filming in Djibouti felt hot! Seriously, we went there because there is a permanent special forces base against maritime piracy as well as a French army base next to the American one. We were able to shoot with helicopters, fighters (aircraft) and French army properties. And it was great to see Djibouti people, French crew, actors and military people all working together.
Q: Real naval forces were involved in the film’s production. What was that like?
A: It is extraordinary for a director to get to play with a real size carrier. In France, there hasn’t been a movie about contemporary French soldiers for the past 40 years. So you can imagine that they were very enthusiastic about the project.
Q: How is it different screening this film for an American audience now, as opposed to a French audience?
A: I don’t know if Americans know that French and American soldiers worked together in Afghanistan for twelve years. However, through this film, not only will they see that they have but perhaps it will show another side of the war in this land. Also, the relationship the American people have to their army is very different of ours with our own army. French soldiers are greeted back home with indifference.
Q: What do you want audiences to come away with most after watching this film?
A: I would say that through war what stands out — and it may be a cliche but it’s true — is love amongst men, a sense of brotherhood beyond skin color, nationality or gender. I truly think the audience will leave the theater with a true eagerness for life.
