Valentine Cadic’s debut feature is quietly bold in its juxtaposition of the excitement of the 2024 Olympics in Paris with the narrative of an unconventional protagonist. At first sight, Blandine (Blandine Madec) is someone who might easily be overlooked – far from chic in her plain shorts and T shirt, wearing her phone on a bright orange cord around her neck, she is just another face in the crowd. Having arrived in Paris to see the swimming competition, she leaves a message for her half-sister Julie, hoping to meet up, and sounding rather hesitant and insecure. But there is more to Blandine than meets the eye, and Madec imbues the character with warmth and resilience in a captivating performance.
As often happens to travelers, what begins in anticipation and high expectations sometimes culminates in disappointment, while mishaps often lead to discoveries and memorable experiences. Such is the case with Blandine, as she ruefully endures one problem after another. Even finding her way to the hostel where she is planning to stay is not simple, and the camera humorously shows her walking in one direction, only to walk back the other way a few moments later. In addition to the logistic obstacles she encounters, Blandine appears troubled, yet at the outset one knows very little about her. She reveals herself slowly over the course of the film as she wanders through Paris and the crowds surrounding the Olympic Games, through her encounters with the people she meets – as much to herself as to the viewer.
Her half-sister Julie (India Hair) is dramatically different from the soft-spoken Blandine – her short hair immaculately styled, her makeup and clothes casual perfection, so busy with her life that she didn’t even have time to notice that she had not seen Blandine for ten years. Yet Julie shows genuine warmth towards Blandine, who in turn enjoys meeting her 8-year-old niece Alma (Lou Deleuze) for the first time. Their conversations, intimate and honest, are one of the film’s many pleasures.
The film was shot during the Olympic Games – the scenes of crowds and people watching broadcasts of the competitions on large, outdoor screens, are all effectively documentary footage, with Blandine’s fictional adventures playing out against a backdrop of the collective excitement. It also calls attention to the controversial aspects of the preparations for the Olympics in Paris, the vast expenses incurred, and the forced removal of unhoused people from the streets. Blandine is hoping to see the swimmer Béryl Gastadello, whom she admires for her openness in talking about her mental health struggles. Footage of Gastadello is also incorporated into the film, enhancing the merging of documentation and fiction. Yet That Summer in Paris never strays into any of the typical tropes of either a sports film or a romantic comedy. Much like its protagonist, it remains on the margins of the big events, to tell a story that is more modest, yet also more subtle and complex.
That Summer in Paris
Director: Valentine Cadic; Screenplay: Mariette Désert; Cinematography: Naomi Amarger; Editor: Lisa Raymond; Music: Saint DX; Cast: Blandine Madec, India Hair, Arcadi Radeff, Matthias Jacquin, Lou Deleuze, Béryl Gastaldello
