Marie Monge has written and directed short films such as “Marseille by Night,” “Mia,” and “Les ombres bossues.” “Marseille by Night” was nominated for Best Short Film at the 2014 César Awards. “Treat Me Like Fire” is Monge’s first feature film.

“Treat Me Like Fire” will premiere at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival on May 11.

W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.

MM: It’s a tale of love and addiction in the underground gambling scene in Paris.

W&H: What drew you to this story?

MM: I discovered this world I was unaware of several years ago. People of all ages, social classes, and walks of life converge there when the rest of the city shuts down for the night. I’m not a gambler myself, but I relate to the way they put their entire life on the table — not for money, but for the feeling of being alive. I think it’s the same thing with love: you need to take a risk if you want to experience something special.

W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?

MM: My strongest wish is that the audience will be moved by my characters’ journey. I want to propose an emotional experience with no moral statement. By making the mechanics of a love addiction the subject of the film, we avoided the pitfall of a film that “teaches a lesson” about gambling. [Instead it] just would tell the story of the downfall of people who self-destruct.

Like in a coming-of-age movie, my hero, Ella, is a girl who becomes a young woman. She has the thirst to know and learn, and takes the chance to reinvent herself.

W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?

MM: We had plenty of challenges making this film, but I guess the biggest one was to reconstruct a world that has disappeared since almost all of the gaming circles in Paris have closed. We were on a small budget movie and it took a great amount of creativity and investigative work.

W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.

MM: In France we are very lucky to benefit from selective financial support from the State. Commissions are awarded based on the potential of the script. Some specifically encourage young [talent] and first features. In other words, a quarter of my budget comes from public money. The rest is privately sourced, [from organizations] like TV or distributors.

W&H: What does it mean for you to have your film play at Cannes?

MM: It’s a great honor and a childhood dream! Directors’ Fortnight is legendary — a lot of my favorite directors have been discovered there.

W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?

MM: Some people have encouraged me to play it safe, and not take any big risks on a first feature. “Don’t show too much ambition”– I’ve heard that so many times!

The best advice I’ve ever received was the exact opposite: “The only way to succeed in something is to have the ambition.”

W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?

MM: Don’t let anyone decide for you what you should speak about or where you should speak from. You can pick any subject, any character, any form you want. You don’t have to be what people — men or women — expect you to be. Just be sincere in what you do.

W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.

MM: I’m a great fan of Andrea Arnold. I love all her movies, but I have to say, “American Honey” absolutely transported me [due to] its sensuality, its energy, its depth, and its freedom. Arnold has so much love and compassion for the people she films that she brings me to tears.

W&H: Hollywood and the global film industry are in the midst of undergoing a major transformation. Many women — and some men — in the industry are speaking publicly about their experiences being assaulted and harassed. What are your thoughts on the #TimesUp movement and the push for equality in the film business?

MM: “Equality” is the most beautiful word and important value within liberty and fraternity. That might sound like a very French thing to say, but unfortunately, it doesn’t make it a French truth in cinema or others sectors.

I was very surprised and quite shocked by how little of a reaction we got here after the Harvey Weinstein scandals or the launch of #TimesUp. I’ve signed up for a new movement called the Collectif 5050×2020, which demands better gender equality and diversity in the film industry. As a female director, I feel it’s my duty to lift other women up.