Toulouse: “It’s not just rugby, it goes far beyond”, announces Éric Hannezo, co-director of the film “Le Stade”
Éric Hannezo is the co-director of the film “Le Stade” which will be released in cinemas on April 13. Between successes, defeats and different human stories, the former sports journalist followed the Stade Toulousain team for an entire season. He recounts this extraordinary shoot.
Éric Hannezo, you are a sports journalist, but also a documentary and feature film director. Why did you choose to make a film about Stade Toulousain?
It starts from Stade Toulousain. The club decided to open to an immersion and a documentary format. Rugby is a sport apart. As a soul and individual show theme, it’s very cinematic. When it comes to the Toulouse stadium, we don’t hesitate for long. It’s an institution, it’s a brand. They are great players and a great coach. Once we got started on that, it was interesting to know what’s going on and what we were going to do. The great strength of the film is that the stadium decided to open its doors, and not just halfway. They had that intelligence. Immersion is therefore successful. We ended up with a lot of material. It almost overwhelmed us. We decided to make a movie out of it. On the personal side, I lived in the city for more than two years and my father swore by rugby. Partly at the Stade Toulousain.
With Matthieu Vollaire, co-director, you spent 7 months with the players, the staff and the management. In a season impacted by the pandemic, how did filming go
Matthieu was always with them. He’s an excellent director and he has the ability to be as light as possible. We had total freedom despite the particular context. With the pandemic, it was almost a kind of behind closed doors. What makes the beauty of sport and especially rugby is that it is stronger than fiction. Everything is possible. Matthieu was totally integrated as a member of the club.
Stade Toulousain players were able to see the film in preview this week. What were their reactions?
Honestly, I can’t afford to speak for them. Discovering yourself directly on a large cinema screen is very violent. We know that the first viewing can be confusing. They came out, they were happy to see that it was really them.
With a Top 14 title and a European Cup, were you lucky enough to come across a record year?
It’s magic. We are there for nothing. We were lucky to be in the right place at the right time. That’s the film’s raison d’être and that’s why it’s in theaters and why Pathé has agreed to show it. In the end, we can show that sport is a very good show. Especially when you have wonderful and very simple stories in the sense that people come together and want to do something together. It’s not just about rugby, it goes beyond that.
Have you attributed a favorite moment in this film?
Yes. I can tell you about the coach’s chat at the hotel before the European Cup final. When I discovered this, I was taken aback. It was amazing. The players were in place and the staff too. There is a long silence and rising tension as the final draws near. Ugo Mola arrives. He sits down and remains silent. He then makes a sublime speech.
Finally, is it Ugo Mola, the main character of your film?
When we talk about a great team in general, we are talking about a great coach. And especially in rugby. The locker room is a sacred space. It’s a very exciting place once off the field. You can see how important it is to galvanize your players and shake them up. It’s magnificent and the structure must go through the coach.
Finally, is it Ugo Mola, the main character of your film?
When we talk about a great team in general, we are talking about a great coach. And especially in rugby. The locker room is a sacred space. It’s a very exciting place once off the field. You can see how important it is to galvanize your players and shake them up. It’s magnificent and the structure must go through the coach.
In theaters April 13
The film produced by Mediawan and Black Dynamite will be released in a few days in Toulouse but also French cinemas. “It’s not mainly just for rugby fans,” warns Eric Hannezo. We find in the wire, the wounds of the cador like Huget, the tests of Dupont or the talks of Mola. “Our objective is that the spectators live the most immersive cinematographic experience possible. Let them feel the tension, the anguish, the deliverance and the joy of the journey of this extraordinary team. », Finished the director.