On the occasion of the broadcast of the film called King on Sunday December 29, 2024, from 9:05 p.m. on France 2, Télé Star reveals to you in which locations this feature film with Gérard Darmon and Artus was filmed.
Released in cinemas in 2022, the film called Kingworn by Artus, Gérard Darmon, Lou Lambrecht and Léo Lorléac'h, will be broadcast on Sunday December 29, 2024, from 9:05 p.m. on France 2.
Directed by David Moreauthis feature film features a young lion cub, who comes from exotic animal trafficking. The beast is found in a suitcase by Orly customs officers at the start of the film. After escaping, he takes refuge in the suburban house where 12-year-old Inès and her brother Alex live.
Inès, a somewhat offbeat young girl, sets out to bring the lion cub back to Africa. Her brother, obsessed with her popularity, sees it as a good opportunity to become a social media star. Very quickly, the two realize that they will achieve nothing without the help of an adult. And decide to go and rescue their grandfather, whom they have only met once in their life, from his retirement home. For director David Moreau,
this film is actually a childhood dream.
David Moreau: “My reality was not Phoenix or Los Angeles but Val d’Oise!”
“I nourished the whole thing with my memories as a child spectator of the 80s: Joe Dante, Spielberg, Donner, Badham… Stories of kids who, in a normal environment, with their everyday problems, their reality, will find themselves confronted with an extraordinary event. Nevertheless, II have always regretted that these stories do not have their roots in my reality. And my reality was not Phoenix or Los Angeles but Val d’Oise!”he said.
Unlike most films featuring a wild animal, King don't seek realism at all costs. And favors adventures. Animal welfare and safety being a priority for the film team. It was out of the question to shoot certain sequences with a real lion cub. The film team therefore set about working on
a lion cub modeling with the VFX company Mathematics. Most sequences use this virtual lion.
King : filming which took place in Puy-de-Dôme, in the Paris region and in Occitanie
A real lion cub was nevertheless used in a few close-ups. And for certain interactions with the character of Inès. The few days of filming with the animal were quite unusual. “When King arrived on set, it was like filming with a Hollywood star. I remember that every time he came on set. The atmosphere was almost religiouswith only essential team members. You know, even though this animal was still young. A lion is still very impressive!“, emphasized David Moreau.
For the record, the filming of the film King took place in the Puy-de-Dôme department from July to October 2020. And more particularly in Clermont-Ferrand and its surroundings (Vulcania in Saint-Ours-les-Roches, Descartes high school in Cournon d'Auvergne, Charbon- Sur-lake, editor’s note). As well as in Allier, at the Château de Theillat in Sanssat. Filming also took place in the Paris region and in Occitania, notably in Sète..
