Two hostesses leave to work on a trade show in Brittany, but arrive one day before the opening. They will then spend a poetic and contemplative evening, which will change their lives.
Adèle was in a number of other short films by director Frédéric Guelaff that we have viewed earlier in our film festival— Les Solitudes (2008) and Le Bel Esprit (2008), Les Grandes Forêts (2009).
Like the earlier short films directed by Frédéric Guelaff, Christel Baras, was the casting director for this short film. In this film is Christophe Reymond, who performed with Adèle in Frédéric Guelaff’s earlier short film Les Grandes Forêts (2009).
“At the root of Les Grandes Forêts are two actors, Adèle Haenel and Christophe Raymond, and the desire to echo this meeting in a simple and urgent way. The film plays with three characters: Lise, Gilles and the forest. It is a film about family ties, their strength and absurdity. There is a couple. A sister who finds herself forced to help a brother she barely knows. There are the great forests. The forests of childhood, mysterious, frightening and full of stories, of small adventures. There is unease, fear, awkwardness and exhaustion, all part of this nearly motionless journey.”
This is Adèle’s third short film with writer/director Frédéric Guelaff. We have already seen her in his other short films Les Solitudes (2008) and Le Bel Esprit (2008). She will work with Frédéric again in 2012 in the short film Folks (which we will view in about a week, if you are following the festival live).
Adèle’s co-star in this short film is Christophe Reymond, who will also appear with Adèle in Folks (2012). Christophe appears in a number of other short films by this director, the timespan of their collaboration starting in 2000 with the short film Velovelo and continuing until their most recent short film together Royaume in 2017.
Christel Baras—Casting Director
Christel Baras, who was casting director for Adèle's other films Les Diables (2002), Naissance des Pieuvres (2007), and Frédéric Guelaff's earlier short films short films Les Solitudes (2008) and Le Bel Esprit (2008), was the casting director for this film. Christel will continue to be important in Adèle's career and will cast her in many more films. Christel is a member ofCollectif 50/50. When Adèle won her first César Award in 2014 Adèle thanked Christel Baras, “thanks to whom I got my start and [then] started again", before she then declared her love for Céline. [I can't resist including this video, because that pause and hesitation before stating her her love is so endearing. I find the courage of this woman, who is so very private, to make this statement in such a public forum shows such bravery. And it's really cute. BTW: Céline was not at the César ceremony that year.]
A translation of article about Christel's reactions to the revelation of Adèle's abuse by Christophe Ruggia.
Le Bel Esprit is directed by Frédéric Guelaff and features Adèle Haenel, Chloé Olivères, and Céline Sallette.
This is the first time (as far as I can see) that Adèle made a film with actress Céline Sallette. They will appear together later in their careers inthe feature films L’Apollonide (2012) and Un Peuple Son Roi (2018). Céline Sallete was awarded the Romy Schneider Award in 2013 and Adèle won this award in 2015. In 2012 both actresses were nominated for the 'Best new Hope' (Best new actress) César Award for their performances in L’Apollonide (2012).
Adèle Haenel & Céline Sallette at the César Awards 2012, four years after making Les Bel Esprit.
There isn't much information out there about these early short films and no one mentions them in their filmography.
If you know more, please let me know via the comments.
Some Images from Le Bel Esprit
Chloé Olivères, Adèle Haenel & Céline Sallette
Céline Sallette in Le Belle Esprit
César Awards 2012
Céline Sallette and Adèle Haenel for L'Apollonide at the 2012 César Awards
Céline Sallette, Adèle Haenel & Bertrand Bonnello for L'Apollonide at the 2012 César Awards
