In “Saint-Ex”, Louis Garrel and Pablo Agüero pay tribute to the writer but also to the pilot

CINEMA – Before being a recognized author, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was an experienced pilot. With his biopic Saint-Exreleased in theaters this Wednesday, December 11, Argentine director Pablo Agüero chose to honor his skills as an aviator and his creativity, by starring Louis Garrel, Vincent Cassel and Diane Kruger. By recounting a significant week in the life of the French writer.

The story takes place in 1930, in the Argentinian city of Mendoza at the foot of the Andes mountain range where Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and his friend Henri Guillaumet are Aéropostale pilots. The dreamy personality of Saint-Ex stands out next to that of Guillaumet, “the best driver in the world”. The writer also has numerous crashes to his credit.

The postal company suffers from competition imposed by the train which can run day and night. The two pilots are therefore looking for solutions to try to fly over the Andes mountain range. Guillaumet then tries his luck with a shorter route passing over the mountains, despite the dangerousness of the journey. When he disappears aboard his plane, Saint-Ex flies to his rescue.

Check out the trailer below:

In Saint-Exit is Louis Garrel who has the mission of playing the French pilot and writer. At his side, we find Vincent Cassel in Henri Guillaumet’s leather jacket and Diane Kruger plays Noëlle Guillaumet, his wife. Benoît Magimel is also present in the credits since he lends his voice to the director of Aéropostale who can be heard a few times via the radio.

From the adventure film to the beginnings of “The Little Prince”

In order to find his friend, “Saint-Ex must surpass itself” says Pablo Agüero in the production notes. “He must become better than the best pilot by flying in his own way, that of a dreamer”he continues. For example, when observing a condor, the author from Lyon thinks of flying like the animal and “ride the hot air currents”. Also, with his imagination and his sense of observation, he manages to fly in the middle of the night, a feat previously presented as too dangerous or even impossible.

But the Argentinian director did not want to be content with making “a classic adventure film” which ignores the“whimsical spirit” of the writer. His dreamlike and childish world develops during this adventure, through the situations and encounters he encounters, once he sets off in search of his friend.

Throughout his journey, we see him drawing and scribbling in his notebook. The aesthetic of the shots which calls for contemplation supports the idea of ​​a poetic feature film with the appearance of a children’s story. “Without ever naming his books, without ever showing him writing, the film shows the making of his imagination”explains Pablo Agüero. And during his adventures, we have fun recognizing the elements that appear in his works. Without obviously forgetting a nod to the famous “ Draw me a sheep ».

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