At the table of honour at the dinner held at the Carlton for journalists, Pierre Lescure has ants in the legs. He kept looking at his watch. He knows what’s happening in the cinema of the beach where is programmed The City light r in a restored copy, twenty-five years after. A projection in the presence of the old Nul Alain Chabat and Gérard Darmon in particular.

trailer for the restored version, in theaters on June 5.

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In march, a petition had been launched for the two men celebrate the anniversary of this comedy that has marked a whole generation by dancing to new The Carioca. She has received 37.000 signatures. Earlier, at 18.30, on the paths of Freedom a flashmob has been organized by the municipality and the school of dance of the Bocca. The city could not, not make a tribute to this film, there are a quarter of a century, had brought to light.

“The jokes, pee pee poo poo, Chabat wanted that they are mastered to perfection,”

Pierre Lescure, president of the Cannes film Festival

A film made first of all for “poiler” as recalled by its producer, Charles Gassot our colleagues of Nice-Matin , without having idea of success. Before adding: “Pierre Lescure, then head of programs of Canal + , had given us his blessing, and everyone gave it their all, but in a fun way.”

Without a doubt this is the secret of this tower of strength? “It was crazy, but no matter what,” explains the president of the festival by joining the cinema of the beach. Jokes, pee pee poo poo, Chabat wanted that they are mastered to perfection. He happened to ask for it to be shot in 35 mm as the Alamo . And if we had more writers, it was and we gave him. At the time, each issue of Nulls cost us a million of francs, it was not anything…”

This quest for perfection, Chabat has clearly kept. To respond to the petition, he wanted to make a surprise to his fans who invaded the beach and the Croisette, snobant at the same time the mini-concert of Elton John and Taron Egerton in the face to Carlton. With Darmon, they rehearsed for two days. Behind the giant screen which is projected City of fear , the old Zero, joined by Lescure, is tense. It never ceases to make comings and goings in the algeco, which serves him as a dressing room. The joke, it is serious.

Darmon does not lead off. “This whole thing is a little rusty,” he noted in designating its silhouette. Pierre Lescure settles down in a recliner, a ringside seat to watch the happening is going to happen. A leap in time. It warps just as much if not more so than when he saw for the first time the face of fool of Dominique Farrugia on the rushes of The City of fear.

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Suddenly, the projection stops. A technical problem? “Sorry, we’ll fix that, it never happens,” said a voice that strangely resembles that of Shabat. On the beach, the viewer would have understood. This is the signal. They know by heart the dialogues of the film directed by Alain Berbérian, died 22 August 2017, and cry: “Repay our invitations, pay off our invitations…”

Joyful nostalgia

Their vow to review dance their idols will be soon granted. Pierre Lescure cree, in turn, a “Pay off”. Trumpet in the mouth, Alain Chabat appears in the light of a continuation. Gérard Darmon joins and starts on the first notes of a Carioca: “I have not been able to resist, the petition and all that.” And it is party: “Yay, let us all dance the Carioca. It is well, you have to pay your all like me.” The spectators flock in the edge of the stage to capture the scene with their mobile phones. Other sing. Pierre Lescure is crying with laughter.

Oh, of course, not of the tandem are less flexible and assured that there was twenty-five years, the coordination a little risky sometimes, but it gives a feeling of joyful nostalgia of this dance in Cannes, on the scene of the crime. It is a breath of fresh air, a madeleine, a magical interlude of parody and ringardise beneficial that opens again. We would like to see them re-enact this scene every day. Behind the scenes, Pierre Lescure holds in her arms a Shabat disappointed “to be planted on the line”.

“We couldn’t be more wrong but these are the hazards of not live”, he smiles. “Yet, I swear, Peter, that had worked the choreography”, laments Darmon. The president of the Cannes film Festival is reassuring. Yes, it was good. As said by Sandy (Helene de Fougerolles) in City of fear : “He can do nothing more we are getting awful now.”