Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old prodigy JB has but one dream — to become a professional soccer player.
So when he is spotted as a potential recruit for a major football club’s training program, his hopes skyrocket and he does not hesitate to conceal a piece of information that could keep him from moving up the ranks, right to the top.
How far is JB willing to go to reach his goal? Will he be able to assert himself, both on the field and off, despite the secret he has chosen to keep?
Credits
Director: Vianney Lebasque
Screenplay: Vianney Lebasque, Mathieu Gompel
Producer: Marc-Etienne Schwartz
Cast
Paul Bartel • Reda Kateb
Eddy Mitchell • Samy Seghir
Ralph Amoussou
Schedule & Presentation
Presentation by and discussion with director and screenwriter Vianney Lebasque
Sunday, March 30 – 11:00 a.m. • 1h30 • All Audiences • In French with English subtitles
More information
Credits : EuropaCorp Distribution
Vianney Lebasque
(Director)
Paul Bartel
(Actor)
Eddy Mitchell
(Actor)
Reda Kateb
(Actor)
Samy Seghir
(Actor)
Ralph Amoussou
(Actor)
Choose a picture to see the filmography (source : IMDB)
Is there an autobiographical aspect to your film?
The film is not an autobiography because I am not the character JB, but I used themes that I know. I am also the son of a farmer, and I have been in a training center like JB. Hence, some of my experiences are reflected in his character.
It is above all a generational film, right?
In this film, generations confront each other. I wanted the coaches to be of different ages. The duo embodies the France of yesterday which daily confronts the multiracial, diverse France of today. The social aspect is particularly striking in the film. The idea of mixing social groups, who usually would not meet, greatly interests me. And this is specifically what soccer allows youth to do today.
Is the film Les Petits Princes a comedy?
The balance between comedy and drama was a real challenge at all stages of the project. The film is funny thanks in part to many young talents. It is a real pleasure to see the film again, the way that they talk amuses me, and their “loving” insults make me laugh. Between the teasing and the insults, each young person adopts a different behavior to exist within the group. I tried to find the right tone, juggling the freshness of the group of young players and the serious problem faced by the main character.
What are your cinematic influences?
If I had to name one, it would be without doubt Billy Elliot for the main role: a kid, his dreams, and a complicated paternal relationship. While shooting, I thought a lot about directors Jacques Audiard and Wes Anderson. Actually, I was inspired by a large number of directors. When I like a certain way of directing films, I interpret it and integrate my own artistic touch into it. Advertising techniques also influenced me, especially in the soccer sequences.
How did you work the staging?
Our first aim was to provide a more elegant, more aesthetic image of soccer but we also wanted the public to be as close as possible to the characters. Thus, we worked with many hand-held cameras to add proximity and realism; however, you will also find more aesthetic scenes for the purpose of enhancing both soccer and teenage cultures.
