Between fiction and reality, the feature film
Notre-Dame Burns
retraces the tragic fire that ravaged the cathedral on April 15, 2019. From archives and reconstructions, the director Jean-Jacques Annaud intends to represent the very important fight that has led the fire brigade to save this world famous monument.
The production has just unveiled the first images, pending the release of the film scheduled for March 16, a month before the third anniversary of the event.
To read also Jean-Jacques Annaud: "I make a trade of player"
The feature film traces hour by hour the fight against the disaster which almost caused the loss of the Gothic building during the biggest fire it has ever known;
the cathedral, built from the 12th century, had however already braved heavy trials, wars, revolutions and natural disasters.
At 78 years old, Jean-Jacques Annaud intends to offer the public a spectacular reconstruction, several scenes of which were shot in the studio on life-size models and sets in order to film real flames.
"I wouldn't have dared to do these dramatic twists, if it wasn't locked on the truth"
Jean-Jacques Annaud, director
"I would not have dared to make these dramatic twists and turns, if it was not locked on the truth
," the director assured
AFP
.
To tell the story of the fire, Jean-Jacques Annaud launched a worldwide call for witnesses during the making of the film to bring together photographs and videos.
This explains the presence of amateur images, such as traffic jams slowing the arrival of firefighters at the cathedral.
The film, with a budget of 30 million euros and produced by Pathé co-president Jérôme Seydoux, contains around 5% of archive footage.
He mixes them with studio reconstructions and images from other cathedrals, such as Bourges and Sens, which may have served as natural backdrops.
Read also Notre-Dame fire: Jean-Jacques Annaud seeks amateur videos
A trailer for the film was released on December 16.
On an epic musical background, she recalls in a deep voice the code of honor of the Parisian firefighters:
“You call me, I run.
But make sure you alerted me by the quickest and safest routes.
The minutes of waiting will seem long to you, but in your distress, forgive my apparent slowness ”.
One of the reconstructions of the film
Notre-Dame Burns
by director Jean-Jacques Annaud.
Credits: Pathé Gaumont Cinema - Youtube
Words that will apply over the course of the film the actors Samuel Labarthe (
Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie
), Jean-Paul Bordes, Mikael Chirinian, Jérémie Laheurte (
La vie d'Adèle
), Chloé Jouannet (
Banlieusards
) and Pierre Lottin (
Les Tuche
).