Cannes Film Festival Premiere of Mickaël Gamrasni’s Documentary Brings the Olympic Flame to the Red Carpet

The Olympic flame is coming to the Cannes Film Festival red carpet.

The 77th edition of the Festival de Cannes will serve as a preview for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with the premiere screening of Mickaël Gamrasni’s documentary “Olympiques! La France des Jeux” on May 21.

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Paris 2024, in agreement with the Mairie de Cannes, is offering the flame to the film festival as a preview before it’s officially welcomed by the city of Cannes on June 18 along the Olympic Torch Relay, which began in Marseille on May 8. Sports personalities and athletes will be the guests of honor at the special screening: Tony Estanguet (pictured above), Marie-José Pérec, Thierry Rey, Iliana Rupert, Marie Patouillet, Nélia Barbosa, Alexis Hanquiquant, Christine Caron and Brahim Asloum will flank Paralympic champion Arnaud Assoumani, who will carry the Olympic flame onto the red carpet.

“What a joy it is to welcome such a host of Olympic stars,” stated Iris Knobloch, president of the Festival de Cannes, and Thierry Frémaux, general delegate. “We look forward to continuing to write the great history between sport and the Seventh Art, and to delving with as much fervor as happiness into a century of participation in the Olympic Games, which have left an indelible mark on our collective memory.”

In the film, produced by France Télévisions, three generations of French athletes explain why the country has such a special relationship with the games. “Olympiques! La France des Jeux” features David Douillet, Guy Drut, Jean Galfione, Céline Gerny, Laura Flessel, Laure Manaudou and Cédric Nankin among some 20 Olympic and Paralympic champions. As the film’s official synopsis explains: “Aged 20 to 100, they tell their stories and trace France’s incredible Olympic genealogy, from the creation of the Games in 1896 to recent exploits, from Charles Coste, gold medallist in 1948, to Romain Cannone, gold medallist in 2021, including Kiki Caron, who lit up Tokyo 1964, and Béatrice Hess and Nikola Karabatic, four and three-time gold medallists.”

The Cannes Film Festival opens on Tuesday night with the world premiere of Quentin Dupieux’s “Le Deuxième Acte (The Second Act),” starring Léa Seydoux, Vincent Lindon, Louis Garrel and Raphaël Quenard. During the opening ceremony, Oscar winner Meryl Streep will receive the honorary Palme d’Or.

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