I was innocently strolling my neighborhood when I saw a street blocked off to traffic. “Strange,” I thought, and I figured there must have been a fire though I couldn’t see any fire trucks. I continued walking down the street and before long I apparently accidentally stepped into a time machine because I was – quite suddenly – standing in Occupation-era Paris. Then, I saw George Clooney.
Just kidding! Cheap joke I know, I know.
There was no George Clooney and alright, disclaimer: this might not be a Hollywood film. But still, it’s somehow exciting to know that a real movie is being filmed just down your street.
From what I can gather from the few firmly short conversations I had with the staff blocking the streets, and from the costumes and set, this is a short film that will be released in 2017. It takes place near the end of World War II, in Paris (…duh!).
I saw a lot of Nazi costumes and cars, but a fair amount of 1940s typical Parisian characters (which was a bit more fun to see, really).
Sweet ride!
Will this be a film about the French Resistance? Or trials and tribulations during the Nazi Occupation of Paris? Or will it be a love story, or a character piece, simply set during this time period?
Is it a live-action wartime remake of the Little Engine that Could?
I wish I had the answers for you now. I’m going to walk past again tomorrow and try to get more details from hopefully some more… friendly… staff (why all the secrets anyway?
The internet didn’t really help me get to the bottom of the mystery, though I did find this list of films currently being shot in Paris. Sadly my sleuthing skills are rusty and I wasn’t able to pinpoint which one this might be, if any.
Until I do find out – or I guess until it comes out next year – I’m just going to imagine that all my favorite actors are in the film. But they only have night scenes, maybe? But: they’re just down the street!
…Right? A girl can dream.
For you cineaphiles out there: filming is in Paris’ 18th district on rue Championnnet (between rue du Ruisseau and rue Damremont). As an added bonus, on this street is also Bistrot La Renaissance, which some of you may recognize from scenes of Quentin Tarintino’s Inglorious Bastards. So if by the time you make it up here filming has already wrapped, it’s not a wash!
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