Cannes is for her a well-acquainted sphere where she has presented more than half a dozen films. Most prominently, Portrait of a Lady on Fire drew international attention to her subtlety and depth. Now, Noémie Merlant is back with a work as fierce and fabulous as it is funny. Bertrand Mandico’s Roma Elastica, screening in the Midnight Movies slate, follows a fading star and her affectionate assistant on a journey into vintage Italian cinema and increasingly surreal territory. After the premiere the previous night, the French actress spoke with Lidanoir about her close friendship with co-star Marion Cotillard, the importance of queer cinema, and how her film’s themes of sexism and ageism in the film industry reflect on the present.