In Pontarlier, in Doubs, tribute to Jean-Paul Belmondo in posters and photos to immerse yourself in his immense filmography

More than two years after his death, this unique exhibition retraces the entire filmography of Jean-Paul Belmondo, sacred monster of cinema. Nearly 200 documents can be discovered until March 24 in the Annonciades chapel.

Not a film is missing. A real feat when we know that Jean-Belmondo shot nearly 80 feature films with the greatest filmmakers of his time. At the origin of this exceptional exhibition, Claude Bertin-Denis, one of the greatest collectors of cinema posters in the world and the association Les Amis du musée de Pontarlier.

On the walls of the former 17th century religious building, transformed into an exhibition space, Jean-Paul Belmondo is everywhere. In red polka dot boxer shorts on the film poster The Horn of Georges Lautner or in a black jacket with a weapon on his belt to The misfit by Jacques Deray. Thief or cop, a hundred posters take the visitor back into the unforgettable roles of the iconic actor.

“There is this whole period of the 1970s-1980s where it is he who makes the film in a way. It is around his name that we build the film. So that this whole period of stuntmen, of heroes popular, that’s really what we remember about him”says Claude Bertin-Denis, owner of most of the documents on display.

In addition to this collection of posters, there are also around a hundred filming photos and objects. A set of nuggets that Claude Bertin-Denis wanted to share. This film buff, originally from Pontarlier, has collected everything that revolves around the 7th art since his adolescence. Today, he has nearly 600,000 cinema posters and a million film photos preserved within his association, the Iconographic Resource Center for Cinema (Cric).

Memories of filming “Les Misérables”

This retrospective exhibition of the career of Jean-Paul Belmondo is also an opportunity to focus on the film Wretched some scenes of which were filmed in Doubs at the Château de Joux. It was in 1994. Jean-Paul Belmondo plays Jean Valjean, revisited by Claude Lelouch. A shoot that Pierre Jouille, at the time director of this film, remembers perfectly.

“I witnessed the scene where he goes down into the well. I realized that he was a very physical guy”says this Franc-Comtois who has precious slides from the filming of the film. “We ate in the canteen. The extras asked him to sign autographs. Which he did in a very friendly way with everyone,” remembers Pierre Jouille.

A star “close to people”, this is the memory that Jean-Paul Belmondo left to those who met him in Doubs during this filming. Thirty years later, Pontarlier returns it with this exhibition which makes “Bébel” more eternal than ever in our collective memory.

Exhibition from March 9 to 24, 2024 at the Annonciades chapel, in Pontarlier (Doubs), Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.