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Shown at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, www.asianculturevulture.com saw it and enjoyed a film which is not only about sporting excellence and the games itself – but also about immigrant identity and competing…
By Suman Bhuchar
ONE OF THE SPECIAL treats at the 77th Cannes Film Festival was the opportunity to see something unexpected.
In my case a documentary made to celebrate the French Olympics which begins in Paris today.
‘Olympiques! La France des Jeux’, directed by Mickaël Gamrasni celebrates the heritage and exploits of French Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
The English title is ‘Olympics! The French Games’ – and this 99-minute documentary interviews 27 Olympic athletes past and present and is narrated by actor Marion Cotillard.
The film gives us a history of the evolution of the games and an introduction to the French athletes who have competed at the highest level and brought glory to their nation and themselves.
“We train for it and it’s the ultimate competition”, says an Olympian about a competition which comes around every four years.
This year – 2024 is a big moment as it will be a hundred years since the Summer Olympics were last held in France.
The film begins with several athletes given the clapperboard to write their names and there is some easy-going banter between the subject and crew.
Some of the people featured include Marie-José Pérec, the Guadeloupian heritage track and field sprinter, as well as Laura Flessel, another Guadeloupian fencer.
We meet the engaging Bahram Asloum, the Algerian heritage boxer. All these athletes of colour discuss belonging and identity and competing under the French flag.
Other interviewees include Romain Cannone, the fencer gold medallist from the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games; Beatrice Hess, the French Paralympic swimmer (who won gold medals at the 1984 Summer Paralympics New York, Seoul Olympics 1988, Atlanta Paralympics 1996 and 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney); Florent and Laure Manaudou, the sibling swimmers and Guy Drut who won Gold at Montreal Olympics (1976) in the 110 metre hurdles; Charles Coste, the 100 year old cyclist who won the games in London in 1948 (along with Fernand Decanali, Pierre Adam and Serge Blusson).
An interesting fact is, Coste was born in 1924, which was the last time the Summer Olympics took place in Paris and he is due to carry the torch at the opening ceremony at the 2024 Olympics.
It’s inspiring stuff and the documentary mixes archive footage with on-screen interviews to discuss a range of subjects from the love of the sport, to what it means to fight in French colours with the rooster emblem.
Sometimes, the cuts are too quick and it’s hard to keep up with what appear to be random subjects discussed briefly before moving onto another topic. But there is a lot of good information, factual history and the athletes are remarkable.
The director shares some of the history of the vision of Pierre de Coubertin (later Baron) who created the games as they are today, although he wasn’t too happy about women participating there is his voice over clip where he says that. (There was a general ideal of the Olympian being a male and how sport heightened masculinity, while women considered feminine should not take part in competitive sport as the men who watched them – it was thought – did not have the noblest of intentions).
Another fascinating fact is how backstroke swimmer Christine ‘Kiki’ Caron became the first celebrity athlete so to speak – after she won Silver at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. With her film star looks she was photographed widely by the magazines of the day.
Athletes relive their winning moments on the screen and discuss what it means to be an Olympian. “You prepare all your life for an intensity of ten minutes,” reveals one, while another confides “It’s a rare object to touch an Olympic medal!”.
As this is celebratory, there is no mention of doping but the film gives a wonderful insight into what it takes to be an athlete and how to keep motivated.
It is inspiring and uplifting and do watch it, if you get the chance.
ACV star rating: ***** (five out of five)
The film is available on France 2 television since July 16 and hopefully it be circulated widely.
Produced by Elephant media entertainment group.
The Paris Olympics takes place from today ( July 26) to Sunday, August 11.
Links
https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/olympiques-la-france-des-jeux/
https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/2024/wide-angle-the-olympic-festival/
