There are professional collaborations, and then there are the others—the ones that last, that grow stronger with each shoot. Olivier Marchal, director of 36 Quai des Orfèvres and a leading figure in French crime cinema, speaks of Jean-Claude Lagniez in simple, direct terms: a 40-year friendship.
For four decades, Marchal has remained loyal to his cinematographers, his technicians, and Ciné Cascade. Not out of habit. Out of conviction: “It allows us to work in harmony and quickly, at the pace imposed on us today. ”
What does Marchal admire most about Jean-Claude? His calmness. “When you’re a stunt coordinator, you have to be calm. And that calmness is incredibly reassuring.” A serenity that spreads to the entire team, through precision and good humor: two rare qualities on an action set.
While lamenting the lack of official recognition of this profession by film institutions, Olivier Marchal expresses deep admiration for the courage of the stunt performers, whom he considers indispensable collaborators to the aesthetic of his crime thrillers. Finally, he confirms that this collaboration will continue for his next project, Bastion 36, which promises new intense action sequences.
Bastion 36 – and Jean-Claude will be there
Trust is also measured by duration. Marchal’s next film, Bastion 36—a sequel to 36 Quai des Orfèvres, set twenty years later—promises an ambitious action sequence. And the question didn’t even come up: “There are going to be quite a few stunts… so there will be plenty of work for Jean-Claude.”
Forty years of friendship. And the next chapters are already being written.
