Brazilian Actress Thais Sobreira Wraps Filming of American Comedy-Drama in Southern France
August 24, 2024
Thais Sobreira, actress and former ballerina from Rio de Janeiro, has just finished filming Her Song, the new comedy-drama by American writer and director John M. Keller. The film is set in a small village in the Pyrenees, in southern France. The feature film, which boasts the legendary American Oscar-winning filmmaker James Ivory, 96, among its executive producers, features Thais in the role of Fabíola, a character written specifically for her following her performance in the short film The White Stuff, also directed by Keller.
"I had the honor of being invited to join the cast of Her Song alongside diverse and talented actors", said Thais Sobreira in her interview with RFI.
In the film, the main character, Olivia, a Franco-American New Yorker, returns to the Pyrenees to write the story of her grandmother, who was part of the exodus of French people who sought refuge in this mountainous region during World War II to escape the Nazi occupation. Upon arriving in Antichan-de-Frontignes, the village where the film is set, near the Spanish border, Olivia (played by Kalki Koechlin) meets the Frenchwoman Madeline (played by Eléa Clair), who becomes her muse.
The tranquility of the place — "beautiful, beautiful", as described by Thais — changes with the arrival of Fabíola, a Brazilian artist from Paris and Olivia's best friend. "The film draws a parallel between the 1940 exodus and the situation we just experienced with the pandemic", explains Thais.
Thais praised the work of Indian actress Kalki Koechlin, who plays Olivia, describing her as "an extraordinary actress, very generous, a major star in Bollywood." The diverse cast also includes Brazilian actor Aldo D'Ibaños and outstanding French actress Marie-Christine Adam, among other performers.
According to the Rio-born actress, screenwriter and director John M. Keller is a New Yorker who has a great affection for Brazil. "He has lived in various places around the world and has a deep understanding of humor across different cultures and diversity" highlighted Thais. In the cast, she worked with artists she had previously acted alongside in the short film The White Stuff, such as Zach Grenier, who has appeared in well-known American TV series and Hollywood films.
Filming lasted five weeks, and the film's release date in theaters has not yet been set.
A Multilingual and Versatile Talent
With a career initially built in the world of classical ballet, Thais studied under Russian ballet legend Gabriela Komlieva at the prestigious Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in Saint Petersburg. In addition to her talent in dance and cinema, the Brazilian is also a lyrical soprano with classical opera training, capable of performing in various styles, including musicals. Versatile, she speaks four languages fluently — Portuguese, Russian, French, and English — does voice dubbing for films, and lends her voice to prestigious museums and international brands around the world.
After spending 15 years in France, Thais currently resides in New York and remains open to new projects. "There are some ongoing opportunities in voice work and a potential American TV series", she shared. She also dedicates part of her time to humanitarian work as a board member of the Presidio Dance Theatre in San Francisco, a dance company founded in the 1990s. In San Francisco, Thais promotes dance seminars and supports children in precarious social situations.
"These are children who don't necessarily have access to culture, and we do important work with dance", she pointed out. According to Thais, the company is currently undergoing a period of reorganization. "They have a partnership with UNESCO, and I believe that between this year and next, we will see some great outcomes from this work, which is also very meaningful to me", she added with satisfaction.