Since mid-December, the Nivernais have found a film that has become cult for many of them. The Arcandiers left on the banks of the Loire an imperishable memory, to the point for some to call upon the director Manuel Sanchez, originally from the region, to bring back to life this film which had fallen into oblivion, because it had not been exploited after its theatrical release in 1991 by the producer. “We make films to be seen, even 30 years later“, says Manuel Sanchez.
“It’s almost a miracle, but it’s normal in Nevers, there is the Saint Bernadette, and I have always been under the protection of this saint“, laughs the director. Because Manuel Sanchez had to fight for three years to recover the rights of his first feature film:”In 1991, I sold my rights to a producer, who in the process never made much of the film. Then in 2018, I requested the surrender of my rights and they refused to me. I had to wait thirty years“, continues the director who then took charge of transferring The Arcandiers from film to digital.
A few days ago, Manuel Sanchez was at the Nevers cinema for a screening, in the company of actor Dominique Pinon, one of the three heroes with Charles Schneider and Simon de La Brosse. But also with Geraldine Pailhas, who had not seen the film since its initial release: “What interests me is to see how it is received, how a film shot 30 years ago is received by today’s audiences, especially since it is a cult film for some.“.
In Nevers, like Sleeping Beauty, rests in her reliquary Bernadette Soubirous, Saint Bernadette for the history of men. In the working-class suburb of Fourchambault, bustle Tonio, Bruno and Hercules. Three funny philosophers, called Arcandiers over there. They dream of going to Brazil. Bernadette, for her part, is bored. She will take them at their word and go with them. Truth be told, they won’t really notice that she’s on the trip. Except Hercules perhaps. It is not the smartest of the three, but obviously it only reveals itself to the simple-minded …
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