The coastal road Corniche Kennedy in Marseille draws the eye with its breathtaking panorama and functions as the central setting in Dominique Cabrera's sun-drenched feature film. In this place, at the foot of magnificent luxury villas, the paths of Marco, Mehdi, Franck, Mélissa, Hamza, Mamaa and Julie cross. These young people come from the less privileged neighborhoods of the city and are driven by an irrepressible urge for freedom that moves them to make bold leaps off the steep cliffs. Suzanne, who grew up in affluent circumstances, observes this summertime ritual with fascination.... For her film adaptation of Maylis de Kerangal's novel of the same name, Cabrera worked with young amateur actors whom she met while researching cliff jumping on the Corniche. Only the role of Suzanne was embodied by professional actress Lola Créton. "The jumps are the heart of the film. These young people, excluded from the school system at an early age and socially marginalized, are masters at it. The jump from the Corniche is their finest hour. (...) The risk is known to them, but to overcome and triumph over fear, over death, triggers an incomparably intense release of adrenaline. Why do people do dangerous and difficult things? Because life is dangerous and difficult, especially at that age and in that social class. To jump, to risk your life, is a metaphorical way of finding out what you can do with your life." (Director Dominique Cabrera)
On the Corniche Kennedy in Marseille, young people from precarious neighborhoods meet for daredevil cliff jumps.
The coastal road Corniche Kennedy in Marseille draws the eye with its breathtaking panorama and functions as the central setting in Dominique Cabrera's sun-drenched feature film.
In this place, at the foot of magnificent luxury villas, the paths of Marco, Mehdi, Franck, Mélissa, Hamza, Mamaa and Julie cross. These young people come from the less privileged neighborhoods of the city and are driven by an irrepressible urge for freedom that moves them to make bold leaps off the steep cliffs. Suzanne, who grew up in affluent circumstances, observes this summertime ritual with fascination....
For her film adaptation of Maylis de Kerangal's novel of the same name, Cabrera worked with young amateur actors whom she met while researching cliff jumping on the Corniche. Only the role of Suzanne was embodied by professional actress Lola Créton.
"The jumps are the heart of the film. These young people, excluded from the school system at an early age and socially marginalized, are masters at it. The jump from the Corniche is their finest hour. (...) The risk is known to them, but to overcome and triumph over fear, over death, triggers an incomparably intense release of adrenaline. Why do people do dangerous and difficult things? Because life is dangerous and difficult, especially at that age and in that social class. To jump, to risk your life, is a metaphorical way of finding out what you can do with your life." (Director Dominique Cabrera)