Wednesday, May 22, 2024 Brothers Jules and Gédéon Naudet selected to direct the Official Film of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024
At the 77th Cannes Film Festival, Paris 2024 and the IOC announced that brothers Jules and Gédéon Naudet have been selected to produce the Official Film of Paris 2024 . For the first time, the film will be preceded by a documentary series inviting the people of France behind the scenes of the world’s largest sports event. The series will be broadcast on France Télévisions and produced by Eléphant Adventures.
Over the course of five months, from 100 days to go until 8 September 2024, Jules and Gédéon Naudet are going behind the scenes of Paris 2024, following the athletes, partners and teams to produce an exclusive account of the organisation and presentation of the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad. This immersive journey will put the spotlight on those working each day to make the event a success for both sport and the people, as it helps to transmit the Olympic and Paralympic legacy.
Jules and Gédéon Naudet: Witnesses to the Paris 2024 Games organisation
Recognised for their ability to capture the essence of an event as “privileged witnesses”, the French filmmakers will focus on the journey of several of the key players, who are pursuing a common goal: to deliver the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Their unique style is characterised by a meticulous and chronological approach to the facts, which is brought clearly into focus by the close relationships that they build with those depicted. Jules and Gédéon Naudet said they felt “honoured to have been chosen to produce the Official Film of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 and the documentary series. Our aim is to present an original view of the Games by focusing on what happens behind the scenes and the people who work there to make the Games a success. We’re very proud, and also fascinated by what is very much a whole new game for us, in every sense. This will be the Games seen through the eyes of those who make them happen; we’ll tell stories from the inside, very human accounts.”
Since the start of the 20th century, each edition of the Olympic Games has been accompanied by an Official Film, reflecting the spirit and evolution of the Olympic Movement. Over the years, renowned filmmakers have found inspiration in this global event, pushing the boundaries of the traditional documentary and helping to shape a compelling form of cinema that takes its place in the cultural heritage of the Olympic Games. This valuable collection of more than 50 feature-length films provides a fascinating insight into key historical moments of the modern Games. As IOC President Thomas Bach said, “The Official Film brings a unique editorial angle to the experience of the Games, striving to capture the soul of a specific edition while taking into account the wider social and cultural context. The Naudet brothers were selected for their ability to capture historical events through a deeply human and authentic lens.” The Paris 2024 Official Film places the City of Light and its iconic landmarks at the heart of an international and universal legacy story. It offers an inside view of the organisation of the Games, revealing the inner workings, while celebrating all the facets of the Olympic and Paralympic spirit. The addition of a documentary series is another innovation compared with previous editions. Driven by an audience looking for innovative storytelling, these five episodes, which complement the Official Film, recount the journey of the people who make the Games: the Paris 2024 teams, a volunteer, athletes’ friends and families, a member of the security forces and more. Thanks to this collaboration with France Télévisions, the people of France will have the opportunity to see what happens behind the scenes of the world’s biggest sports event ahead of the actual Games. Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet emphasised that: “The Official Film and documentary series are like the people producing them: innovative, inspirational and true to the ambitions of Paris 2024. With their unique humanistic approach, the Naudet brothers will offer a holistic view that complements the Paris 2024 vision of ‘Games wide open’, allowing the public to see what happens inside the organisation of the world’s biggest sports event.” France Télévisions President Delphine Ernotte-Cunci added: “Documentary filmmakers Jules and Gédéon Naudet have been present to record some of the most significant and life-changing events of the early 21st century. Now, they are returning to France Télévisions with the Official Film of the Olympic Games and this exceptional documentary series on the inner workings of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, for which our group is the official broadcaster. The IOC, Paris 2024 and France Télévisions have chosen the Naudet brothers, with their unique and globally recognised signature style, to tell the inside story of the Games that will leave a remarkable and unprecedented legacy for the people of France and the Olympic Movement.”
International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons said: “Without ever breaking their number-one rule – to focus on the human and personal side of things – these two men are inviting us to share in the secrets of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Over the course of a month, Jules and Gédéon Naudet will walk the corridors of the Organising Committee, the venues and some unusual locations to record the stories of employees, athletes’ friends and families, and volunteers. Today, when the Paralympic Games are the third largest sporting event in the world, this film and documentary mini-series are a new opportunity to grow the Paralympic Movement by taking a new audience inside the heart of the organisation, and thereby changing their attitude toward and view of disability.” Jules and Gédéon Naudet With a career spanning more than 25 years, the Naudet brothers were the authors of “New-York, 11/09”, a remarkable account of the attack on the World Trade Center when they were recording the daily work of a group of firefighters based in South Manhattan. This earned them two Emmy Awards. Their next films were a public success, including “Notre-Dame de Paris” and “13 novembre, Fluctuat Nec Mergitur”, a three-episode mini-series exploring the attacks in Paris in 2015. Their latest documentary, “January 6th”, about the attack on the US Capitol, was selected by the Doc NYC festival. Factsheet
The Official Film and documentary series are produced by ELEPHANT - Emmanuel Chain, Gaël Leiblang, a company renowned for producing hard-hitting documentaries for television and cinema in France and abroad. A 90-minute Official Film and a 5x52-minute documentary series. The series will be shown in France on France TV, ahead of the Olympic Games and after the Paralympics.
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