Is the thriller “Ad Vitam” carried by Guillaume Canet and produced by Netflix inspired by a true story?
This Friday, January 10, Netflix subscribers were able to discover Ad Vitam, a French thriller embodied, co-written and produced by Guillaume Canet. The latter also invested himself completely in the role, to the point of following intensive training during the four months preceding filming.
Ad Vitam: true story or fiction?
Ad Vitam features Franck Lazareff, a former member of the GIGN caught up with his past. The kidnapping of his pregnant wife plunges him into a breathtaking race against time, forcing him to become the target of his former comrades in arms. A deluge of action and impressive stunts are on the program for this feature film by Rodolphe Lauga (La Source).
Due to the realistic nature of the plot, many Internet users wonder if Ad Vitam is based on a true story. It indeed seems entirely plausible that this story of kidnapping and revenge could be authentic. And besides, Guillaume Canet surrounded himself with numerous experts to make his scenario as realistic as possible.
Unfortunately for fans of news stories, Ad Vitam is not adapted from a true story. The idea for the film came to Guillaume Canet after his meeting with Thibault Leveque, a member of the GIGN, during his preparation for the shooting of the historical film Jadotville. The two men then met again during the filming of Love is a Party, but in completely different conditions.
Advice from a Professional
Retired due to a serious shoulder injury, Thibault Leveque retrained as a cinema gunsmith-props specialist, specializing in the handling of weapons. This unexpected meeting gave Guillaume Canet the idea for Ad Vitam, as he explained in the press kit for the film:
-I was very touched by this man who suddenly no longer has that little sparkle in his eyes. The retraining of these gendarmes is quite painful. Listening to him tell me about his journey and his shift from his “life before” to his “life after”, I immediately found material for a fantastic plot.
This tipping point reminded the 51-year-old actor of that of the Professional played by Jean-Paul Belmondo. It was Bébel who pushed Guillaume Canet to try his hand at this type of cinema, due to his passion for extreme sports. “I had for a long time wanted to explore this type of action thriller that I have rarely been offered. As you are never as well served as by yourself, I very quickly imagined myself in the role of Franck.”
The film Ad Vitam with Guillaume Canet can now be found exclusively on Netflix.
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