BRUNO PUTZULU
INTERVIEW OF BRUNO PUTZULU
by SERGE TREFEU (2011)
Serge TREFEU: Hello Bruno, thank you for having me grant this interview. You are a passionate person of combat sports, and particularly Muay Thai, where from comes to you this passion for the combat sports?
BRUNO PUTZULU: It comes to me of the childhood, my father took me to see in the events of boxing when I was children. Then after as many, there was a vague “Bruce Lee” who broke out on the world, people of my generation, often, were taken by this phenomenon. We thought that by going to the school of karate of the corner, to the dojo, we were going to make six meter jumps as Bruce Lee (Laughter)!
You are thus of Bruce Lee’s generation, the 70s?
Yes I am 44 years old
You practised for a long time the tae kwon do, what is that you had the opportunity to make some competition in this combat sport?
Yes I have make some competition with Master Kim Jong-Wan (9th Dan) which is a high representative today, he is referee world, advised in the federation of tae kwon do. I trained with him for the faculty in Rouen. But I began with the karate in the city where I was born, to Pont-Audemer in Normandy, then when I went to Rouen, I have make of the tae kwon do because there was no same style of karate. Then when I arrived to Paris I trained at Richard’s Dieux’s and Dominique Valéra for the RD Sporting in street of Strasbourg St Denis
How you discovered the Thai Boxing?
The Thai Boxing I knew since a long moment because I followed the reports in magazine Karate Bushido. One day I asked Pascal Iglicki (Journalist of Karate Bushido) to advise a trainer in particular which could give me lessons of Thai Boxing, he directed me to Guillaume Kerner (2 time World Champion, Europe Champion, 5 time France Champion)
You knew Guillaume Kerner’s exceptional fighting record before beginning Muay Thai with him?
Yes I knew well his fighting record, and I remembered him when he had received the prize of “Gold’s Katana” to Berçy!
How it crosses the lessons of Thai Boxing, what is that you sometimes put gloves with Guillaume?
Yes often, I put gloves also with the other pupils to him. But Guillaume, I would say, that he is in the life as he fight, that is, fine, intelligent, rigorous in the trainings, technical and deep. I have already heard Guillaume speak to myself about a poem during the training, so, to come to the training with a book, to give me the book, and to make the link between the boxing and the literature, it is the only person that I knew like that, and it became a dearest friend…
Guillaume Kerner it is little a “Philosopher” of the Thai Boxing?
Yes a little bit that’s right…
You train how many times a week?
3 times a week
Three times a week, it’s good, you are diligent in the training?
Yes I am diligent safe for example, one day as today, this morning I shot a movie and after noon I repeated a play, when it is like that I cannot go to train me. And when I have time to go there and when I work, I do not put gloves because I do not want to be marked on the face…
What brings you the practice of Muay Thai?
The practice of Muay Thai, I think that she is different at every age of the life. When I was adolescent and when I made a little of competition in tae kwon do, I thought only of that, today my practice of Muay Thai, it is above all to join Guillaume, it is to be proud of me, because I say myself, I was held in it, I got up in the morning and I went to make my training, then after the training it is the sensation to have achieved something, to feel me good with myself. Often when I have problems, after the training, it seems to me that they are limited, obviously they did not disappear, but they are limited. And I always like putting gloves, being always on a boxing ring, I like that…
You would have been able to choose another shape of boxing, Muay Thai it is hard as boxing, there are the knocks of knees, the pokes, why the Muay Thai?
Paradoxically Muay Thai is what looks like most the Martial arts. When we take the traditional Martial arts, for example the karate or the tae kwon do, we are entitled to the knocks of knees, we are entitled to the pokes, to the clinch, to the low kicks, only why it to the missing person because in the competition, the sports side in overrode the martial art, in the end one took that the techniques which are authorized in competition. And with the Thai Boxing I rediscovered the martial arts!
This side Martial art of Muay Thai it is what what also interests you?
Yes exactly, in the martial arts today we can see that all the techniques which are codified in “Katas” for the karate, in “Poomsae” in the tae kwon do, in ” Taos ” for the Kung fu, we don’t see them any more in competition because they are forbidden. Thus people work only techniques authorized in competition and things little by little get lost…
What glances the people of the underworld of the cinema have on the Thai Boxing, what is what they know?
Yes has it to them who know well, there are people who from time to time come in the events of Thai Boxing, but certain, not all, I do not know if they are really interested, they go there as if they went a little wherever, they are invited, there is a thing to be seen, so. Often what a little makes me laugh, in the evenings of boxing, when the main fight is crossed and when there are no more TV, everybody goes away, I find her funny, but it is in the human nature. Personally I don’t want to go to see a match of golf, or basketball, because there is a TV, same by being invited, because it is not my thing, thus I would not go…
You played Richard Anconina’s side in an movies “In ropes”, a movie among which the subject it passes in the environment of the Savate French Boxing, you knew this discipline, the Savate French boxing before the shooting?
Yes I knew and I recognize that people who have a training of Savate French boxing are very bright with fists and feet, it is a good formation of boxing the savate French. But I less feel at ease with the technical forms of the savate French boxing which are to arm the knocks, for the middle, the kicks, I prefer when it is direct as in Thai Boxing…
Muay Thai is the discipline which you know best because you the practice, the art of Muay Thai was born in Thailand, the country source, had you the opportunity to go in Thailand for you train or see fights over there?
No but it is an old project to go with Guillaume there. But I had the opportunity to go to see fights in Cambodia, it is all near. It was in Phnom Penh during a shooting of a movie. Moreover Cambodians say that Thai stole them their art, it is a little the old war between the Khmers and the thais on this point (laughter)…
If I say to you “Lumpinee”, “Radja”, “Fimeuu”, “Chook Dee”, “Ram Muay”, it evokes what for you?
Lumpinee and Radja, big stadium of Bangkok, Ram Muay it is the dance which we make before the fight, a way of collecting itself, certain boxer Westerners do not make this dance, Fimeuu it is to be technical and Chook Dee (laughter) it is the movie which popularized a little the expression…
You are often going to see event of boxing?
Yes I often went with Guillaume, as soon as there was a we went there together. But now it is quiet on Paris, and there is more in province that in Paris, there for example he is going to have an important of it for Aix-en-Provence, and in Paris there is not much…
A big fight what you saw live, which you really liked, which you keep in memory?
I remember the fight Le Banner against Mark Hunt, it was really a big fight but there was many, I have make full of events, I remember Thai Seanchai and Yodseanklai also it was strong, otherwise I saw full of fight on internet, from time to time I cross a night part to look fights, cult fights, for example at Somsong against Prestia, it is something!
You know champions of time and current?
Yes I remember great champion as the Dutch Fred Royers who fought in Kick Boxing, in Thai Boxing, in Karate, it was strong, Buakaw also now is strong, I saw him fought. And then I was a godfather of a boxer whom I liked very much, which made for me often vibrated, it was Mounir Bounti!
Mounir Bounti, great champion, it is Guillaume Kerner who formed him, he does not fight any more?
Yes exactly it is Guillaume who formed him, and I am sad that he does not fight any more…
The Thai Boxing begins to be put more and more on screens with movies as Chook Dee (2004), Ong Bak (2004), is that you know these movies?
Yes I saw them. But Ong Bak it is many of the gymnastics, most of the boxers cannot make technically the quarter of the fact that make Tony Jaa, but if we put him on a boxing ring I think that he would not last for a long time either. But they are useful movies for the boxing, to bring followers in gyms, there is a good part which will not stay for a long time but shall remain the others. The movie Chookdee in which Dida plays, it is very also, it brings people also in the gyms of boxing…
It is little as at the time of the exit of the movie, Jean-Claude Van Damme’s ” Kick Boxer “?
Yes exactly, it is a little bit similar…
To play the role of a boxer in the cinema it is something that you would like to make?
Yes I would like very much. But when in France the movies which were made on this subject did not too much work with the general public, they did not know a great deal of success, there was really no meeting with the public. Chookdee, Scorpio, Fury, movies like that had not many public in cinemas, except for the connoisseurs…
Some former great champions of Thai Boxing moved into actor’s job, Jo Prestia, Dida Diafat, Jérôme Le Banner (still in service), you know them, what is that you have already seen their fights?
Yes Dida I saw him fought against Ramon Dekkers, Le banner I saw him fought against Mark Hunt, against Cyril Abidis also, it was in Bercy, a big fight, I remember the head of Le Banner which had swelled it was impressive!
What is your current events in the cinema and in the theater?
I shoot a movie at the moment with moreover an actor who fought in Savate French boxing and in Boxing, Guy Marchand, there is also Agnès Jaoui, Marie-Christine Barrault, Benjamin Biolay, Nicholas Bedos, Laurent Lafitte and Elodie Frégé. And I repeat to the Theatre, Caligula from Albert Camus
You want to add anything?
If we say to me “Boxing” today I think of a special meeting in my life, somebody for whom I have a thought everything in daytime, it’s Guillaume Kerner. I owe the boxing to my meeting with Guillaume and for me it’s important…
Thank you very much for this interview and good luck for your projects
Thank you very much
Bruno Putzulu actor henceforth recognized today in the French cinema is a real passionate person of boxing. It is one of the rare personalities, during an event of boxing, that attends of the beginning till the end of the evening, until the last fight. He practice of Thai Boxing for several years, he knows well this sport and the values that he conveys, courage, will, self-abnegation, and respect. Similar values in that of the martial arts of which Bruno with always this spirit “Martial art” at the bottom of him…
BRUNO PUTZULU
TELEFILM
2009 Comme un mauvais souvenir – Réal. André CHANDELLE
2008 Boubouroche – Réal.Laurent HEYNEMANN
2008 L’âme du mal… Réal. Jérôme FOULON
2007 Vénus et Apollon – Réal. Pascal LAHMANI. ARTE
2007 Le diable en embuscade – Réal. Jean-Pierre MOCKY. 13ème rue
2007 La vie à une – Réal. Frédéric AUBURTIN. TF1
2006 Un amour de fantôme – Réal. Arnaud SELIGNAC. M6
2006 Collection Maupassant / Deux amis – Réal. Gérard JOURD’HUI. FR 2
2004 Le temps meurtrier – Réal. Philippe MONNIER. FR 3
2003 La place de l’autre – Réal. Roberto Garzelli. ARTE
2002 La tranchée des espoirs – Réal. Jean-Louis LORENZI. FR 2
1999 George Dandin – Réal. Catherine HIEGEL, Bernard STORA. FR 3
1996 La famille Sapajoux – Réal. Elisabeth RAPPENEAU. FR 2
THEATRE
2010-2011-2012 Caligula de Albert Camus – Msc. Stéphane Olivié Bisson
2010 Mille et une nuits… sur une musique de Nikolaï Rimski-Korsakov, lecture aux côtés des panistes Shani Diluka et Bertrand Chamayou
2006-2007 Si tu mourais… de Florian ZELLER – Msc. Michel FAGADAU
2004-2005 Enoch arden de Tennyson / SPORT ET DIVERTISSEMENT de Eric SATI Lectures aux côtés du pianiste Jean-Marc LUISADA.
2004-2009 Ruzante d’Angelo BEOLCO – Msc. Jean-Claude BERUTTI
2001 Monsieur Pourceaugnac de Molière – Msc. Philippe ADRIEN
2000 Un garçon impossible de P.S ROSENLUND – Msc. Frédéric BELIER-GARCIA
2000 Le retour de Harold PINTER – Msc. Catherine HIEGEL
1999-2000 George Dandin de Molière – Msc. Catherine HIEGEL
1997 Les fausses confidences de Marivaux – Msc. Jean-Pierre MIQUEL
1996 Moi de E. LABICHE et E. MARTIN – Msc. Jean-Louis BENOIT
1996 Long voyage du jour à la nuit de E. O’NEILL – Msc. Alain FRANCON
1995 Occupe toi d’Amélie de G. FEYDEAU – Msc. Roger PLANCHON
1993 En attendant Godot de Samuel BECKETT – Msc. Philippe ADRIEN
1993 La fiancée du matin de Hugo CLAUS – Msc. Bernard HABERMEYER
1993 La Serva Amorosa de C. GOLDONI – Msc. Jacques LASSALLE Molière du Meilleur Spectacle Subventionné 1994
1992 Le mariage de Figaro de Beaumarchais – Msc. Antoine VITEZ
1992 La comtesse d’Escarbagnas de Molière – Msc. Jacques LASSALLE
1991 Le barbier de Séville de Beaumarchais – Msc. Jean-Luc BOUTTE
1991 Flora Tristan de Yoland SIMON – Msc. Bob VILETTE
1990 Lorenzacio d’Alfred DE MUSSET – Msc. Georges LAVAUDANT
1994-2003 Pensionnaire à la Comédie-Française
1990-1993 Stagiaire puis Auxiliaire à la Comédie-Française
RECOMPENSES
1999 César du meilleur jeune espoir masculin pour “Petits désordres amoureux”.
1997 Nomination au César du Meilleur espoir masculin pour “Les aveux de l’innocent”.
1996 Prix d’interprétation du meilleur comédien au festival du jeune comédien de Béziers pour “Les aveux de l’innocent”.
1996 Prix d’interprétation du meilleur comédien au festival de Saint-Jean de Luz pour “Les aveux de l’innocent”.