The expansive forest of Fontainebleau, within spitting distance of Paris, are strewn with boulders of every shape and size. For many a year, Bleau has been popular with a fraternity of climbers who come here from far and wide. Maybe you’ve been going there for years, but even then – or perhaps even more so – this film is an absolute must-see.
Filmmaker Laurent Chevallier takes you on a voyage of discovery with stories that these sand formations harbour:
“Since my childhood, the rocks at the heart of the Fontainebleau forest have been my favourite playground. They have held a fascination for me ever since, so I can’t really say when I first started scouting locations for the film.
I followed a number of characters – known as bleausards – who could regularly be found in the forest and on the boulders. With my camera I crawled through the undergrowth and slithered between rocks. I covered kilometre after kilometre over expanses of sand and along the many footpaths. I tried to follow these sandstone lovers in the seclusion of the forest and to weave their stories into the landscape, the light and the mood of Bleau.
The film was several years in the making. After all, the forest is immense and changes with every season. I wanted my subjects to get used to the camera, so that I could be witness to their intimate dialogue with the stones. For that reason, I filmed on my own, at most with someone else for the sound recording.
The natural decor for this film consists of thousands of boulders of compressed sand. But will they resist overpopulation? How long will it be before forest fires break out as a result of global warming? By capturing the beauty and magic of this place, I aim to contribute to the need to preserve it”
(Laurent Chevallier)
