The TV movie Alonedirected by Pierre Isoard from a screenplay co-written with Julien Guérif, traces the incredible adventure of Yves Parlier during the Vendée Globe in 2000. This memorable episode, now engraved in the legend of the race, tells how Yves Parlier, after having suffered dismasted in the open sea, manages to repair it himself and finish the race. This story, a true demonstration of courage, ingenuity and composure, forever marked the history of the Vendée Globe and earned Parlier the nickname “the extra-terrestrial”.
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In this demanding role, Samuel Le Bihan plays Yves Parlier. The movie Alone will be broadcast for the first time in Belgium on November 3, 2024 on La Une, then in France on November 4, 2024 on France 2.
The movie Alone is inspired by the book by Yves Parlier, Robinson of the seaswhose authors acquired the rights to make a film adaptation. We met Pierre Isoard, director and co-writer, who tells us about his creative journey around this project.
Is this a project that you have been carrying out for a long time?
Pierre Isoard: “Yes, the desire to tell the story of Yves Parlier goes back a long time. I was captivated by his adventure which I had discovered on the radio in 2000. At the time, there were few images, but photos published in Paris Match which also fueled my imagination. Since then, I've dreamed of making a film about it, even though many said it would be impossible. Finally, thanks to a talented team who were very skillful and creative, we were able to meet the challenge with a modest budget. »
Have you modified certain elements of reality?
Isoard explains that he made some adjustments to script the story while remaining faithful to the spirit of the adventure: “I was very attached to the authenticity of Yves’ story. However, to captivate the audience, certain scenes had to be adapted. For example, these hardened sailors rarely show their emotions, but I needed to explore the character's moments of vulnerability for the viewer. I also wanted the film to have a more universal meaning, a parallel with our modern era, where despite technology, we lack basic skills, such as fishing. This adventure is a lesson in resilience in the face of nature, a reminder of what really matters. »
For technical and budgetary reasons, certain scenes have been redesigned: “Yves encountered many difficulties, he even ran aground at one point, but it was impossible for us to depend on the tide for budgetary reasons. So I replaced this situation with a scene where he drops his saw and has to retrieve it, illustrating these moments when he could have given up. The film focuses on the essentials of his journey, while remaining visually faithful to the details of his daily life, such as the raft or the can. We even went so far as to use the vintage camera and lens of photographer Thierry Martinez who kindly entrusted it to us. »
Why did you include some assistance for the skipper in the film?
Pierre Isoard clarifies this aspect of the scenario: “In discussing with Yves, I took some liberties with the rules of the Vendée Globe. In the film, his team feeds him some weather information and details about other competitors, which in reality is not allowed. I made this choice to allow spectators, who do not necessarily know sailing, to better follow the adventure. However, I made sure to integrate these elements with discretion. »
The real pictures
This film pays homage to the incredible journey of Yves Parlier while making it accessible to a wide audience, a subtle balance between historical fidelity and cinematic narration.
The sea scenes, offshore, were filmed near Les Sables d'Olonne. Filming, which took place mainly in Les Sables d'Olonne, took place from April 17 to May 19, 2023. Several locations were used such as Port Olona, the Les Atlantes Congress Center, the Sables streets and private homes. The boat serving as the main support for this unit is the Imoca of Belgian skipper Denis Van Weynbergh (with which he is taking the start of the 2024 Vendée Globe!). The sea shots were filmed off the coast of Les Sables d'Olonne. To illustrate the PC Course, the office of the captain of the marina of Jard-sur-Mer was taken over. Lake Jaunay and the village of La Chapelle-Hermier also served as settings for the filming of a few scenes.
After Les Sables d'Olonne, it was at K3 in Lorient La Base and at Blavet that the film team found the perfect settings to recreate the New Zealand landscapes of Stewart Island, where Yves Parlier had stopped off. The logistics of this production were ensured by Ocean Challengea Lorient company specializing in boating. To recreate the filming conditions, Ocean Challenge has set up technical infrastructure, including chests on the Blavet, 28 meters of floating pontoon, as well as a team of professional divers and sailors to guarantee the safety and authenticity of the maritime scenes.
Director: Pierre Isoard
Screenplay: Julien Guérif and Pierre Isoard
Production: Patrick André
Production companies: High Sea Production and France Télévisions
Duration: 90 minutes
Distribution :
Samuel Le Bihan as Yves Parlier
Anne Suarez as Isabelle Parlier
Clément Bresson as Stéphane
Anaël Guez as Agathe
Frédéric Bocquet as Philippe Jeantot
Thomas Favre as Guy Parlier
Elsa Bodineau as Nicole Parlier
Raphaël Romand as Yves Parlier (young)
