Reactors, ejection seats or other aircraft parts decorate the corridors of the Gaumont Labège cinema. For the return of Maverick and the famous Top Gun aviation school to the big screen this Wednesday, May 25, the cinema is joining forces with the Ailes Anciennes Toulouse association. The goal: to make the experience more immersive.

“Toulouse being the French capital of aeronautics, it was complicated not to create an animation around the release of the film”, confides Sébastien Lieury, director of the cinema, while several reactors are transported in the hall. “There is a desire to add an additional experience to the spectators. Flight simulators will also be available for the Ascension weekend”, he continues, adding that recruiters from the Air Force and the Navy will be presented on the day of the release of the new opus.

Originally, the exhibition was to fall at the same time as the 40th anniversary of the association. “The idea of ​​​​this collaboration goes back to before the pandemic but the release of the film has been postponed many times”, specifies the vice-president of Ailes Anciennes, Jean-Claude Cathala. “The association’s presentation clip has been shortened and will be broadcast before the sessions,” he adds, explaining the project.

Top Gun, vocation creator

The first film, released in 1986, is a benchmark for aviation films. Enough to excite the members of Les Ailes Anciennes who present their pieces in parallel with its suite. “This film is legendary. I saw it when I was a kid and my dream was to become a fighter pilot,” says Sébastien, member of Ailes Anciennes, with stars in his eyes. If Georges, another member of Ailes Anciennes, did not discover his passion in this way, he finds it very realistic. “I was on aircraft carriers at that time and the atmosphere was similar,” he recalls.