Valentine Cadic Blends Fiction with Olympics Reality in ‘That Summer in Paris’: A Filmmaking Revolution!

While many Parisians left the city during the buildup to the previous year’s Olympic Games, Valentine Cadic, an actor and filmmaker, stayed behind to seize the moment. With a camera in hand and a dedicated team, she dived into the production of “That Summer in Paris,” which will be showcased on February 15 in the Berlin Film Festival’s Perspectives section.

Leveraging her experience in documentary filmmaking and drawing inspiration from Justine Triet’s “Age of Panic,” Cadic crafted a narrative woven from real events. She utilized the bustling crowds and vibrant fan-zones of the Olympics as dynamic settings for a deeply personal story about a love-stricken young woman attempting to mend ties with her distant relatives.

Cadic expressed her artistic method, stating, “I enjoy blending fantasy with reality. I pondered what impact such a grand event could have on all participants — athletes, watchers, and even the city itself. Practically speaking, such occasions propel you into action. When working on a budget film, it’s easy to find excuses for delays, especially as funding can be prolonged, making you forget your initial passion for the project — thus, a set date and structured environment fueled our drive and vigor.”

The filmmaking team immersed themselves in the Olympic atmosphere, creating various scene adaptations to capitalize on the unpredictability of live events. They mingled with other media teams on-site, blending in seamlessly. An amusing incident occurred when an extra, mistaken for an Olympic staffer, spontaneously provided tourists with improvised information.

“That’s when we realized our costumes hit the mark,” Cadic chuckled.

In an interesting twist, Cadic incorporated French swimmer Beryl Gastaldello into her film, capturing scenes within the athlete’s village and integrating Gastaldello’s 100-meter freestyle competition as a key element of the plot. The crew faced an unusual challenge during additional shooting days.

“With Beryl swimming and acknowledging the crowd, it was surreal since the stands were nearly empty, with just about ten of us cheering her on in an otherwise quiet venue,” Cadic recounted. “To enhance the mood, we joined in with the team’s cheers to support her.”

The title, “That Summer in Paris,” suggests a depiction not just of the Olympic Games, but of Paris during a unique historical moment. Cadic explained, “Paris was bizarre during the Olympics. Many had left, creating pockets of intense activity while large areas were deserted and eerily silent. This unusual quiet was a blessing, allowing us to capture the essence of the surroundings and stay open to unfolding events.”

Cadic is keen on continuing to exploit such unique conditions in her future projects.

“I thrive on working within constraints similar to those in documentary filmmaking, where adaptation to both the environment and the unforeseen is crucial,” Cadic noted. “I’m cautious about over-planning because the most memorable moments often arise spontaneously. However, this requires a flexible team capable of incorporating elements that blur the line between fiction and reality.”