CinéRencontre: A special moment with Patrice Leconte

An iconic director of French cinema, Patrice Leconte has made cult films such as Les Bronzés, Ridicule and La Fille sur le pont. Today, after a career spanning more than 60 years, Patrice Leconte is regarded as one of the most respected directors in French cinema.

The students on the Lyon campus, who had been eagerly awaiting this meeting, discovered a very humble, funny and generous guest, who put everyone at ease from the very first minutes. As he entered the amphitheatre, he was greeted by a round of applause.

At this meeting, Patrice Leconte began by retracing his path as a filmmaker, sharing both his successes and his aborted projects, such as the thirty or so films he has not been able to make, often stopped dead in their tracks for lack of funding. Far from complaining, he drew an encouraging lesson for the young people present: don’t be afraid of failure, and above all, never give up.

The rest of the meeting unfolded like a wide-open conversation. There were no set speeches, just spontaneous, sincere and lively exchanges in the form of questions and answers. He talked about technique, inspiration, writing methods, memories of filming… The happy memories as well as the worst anecdotes, always told with a touch of humour that struck a chord. This free-flowing format allowed everyone to find an echo, an anecdote or a piece of advice.

At the end of this wonderful interlude, the students were delighted, smiling and visibly touched. And so was Patrice Leconte, who confided that it had been a joyful day, rich in exchanges.