Notre-Dame On Fire (2022)
Notre-Dame on Fire (French: Notre-Dame brûle) is a 2022 disaster film based on the Notre-Dame de Paris fire that occurred on 15 April 2019.[2] The film is directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud from a script written by Annaud and Thomas Bidegain. Produced by Pathé Films and TF1 Films Production, it is an international co-production with Italian company Wildside.
Notre-Dame on Fire (2022)
In April 2020, Jean-Jacques Annaud announced that he wanted to make a film about the fire.[6] He explained this choice later: "Obviously, I immediately felt the extraordinary cinematographic merits. Beyond the disaster and the grief, of course, there is precisely the emotion and the spectacle of the fire".[7] The filmmaker had first thought of making a documentary.[8]
The scenes recounting the start of the fire were set in the 13th century framework of the Saint-Étienne cathedral in Sens. In this place, shots were also taken on the forecourt, on the stairs of the towers, and in the nave.[11]
In February 2022, it was announced that the film would be released in France on March 16, 2022 by Pathé, three years after the fire.[12] It was then released in Italy on March 28, 2022 by Vision Distribution. It also was released on July 22, 2022 in the United Kingdom by Pathé's British distributor, Warner Bros. Pictures.
From there, Notre-Dame on Fire zeroes in on the often haphazard, but ultimately heroic response to the unfolding disaster. The Paris traffic, sluggish response times (early photos of the fire popping up on social media are initially dismissed as fakes), locked doors, and the struggle to get firefighting equipment up medieval spiral staircases all ramp up the tension.
There is minimal humour in the proceedings but you have got to love a stand-in for Donald Trump sending inane unhelpful firefighting advice via tweet. There are a few faces that will be familiar to French audiences but no stars. And none are required. The acting is down-to-earth and unfussy.
"Up there with a few men, we can do it." Pathe UK has released their own official UK trailer for the Notre-Dame On Fire movie from France, dramatizing the tragic fire at Paris's Notre Dame cathedral in 2019. The French title is just Notre-Dame Brûle and it's supposed to tell a story "from inside the Notre-Dame de Paris fire of April 2019." Made by the same director from Seven Years in Tibet and Enemy at the Gates, Frnech filmmaker Jean-Jacques Annaud who has stay away from Hollywood for a while now. The film retraces how heroic men & women firefighters put their lives on the line to accomplish this awe-inspiring rescue. The ensemble cast features Samuel Labarthe, Jean-Paul Bordes, Mikael Chirinian, Jérémie Laheurte, Chloé Jouannet, and Pierre Lottin. It's set to open in the UK this July after first premiering in France this March, but there's still no US plans yet. I guess they're waiting to see how well it plays in the UK first then will set a date. This doesn't look half bad, I must say. Impressive work turning this event into a movie.
As people often claim with disasters like this, you simply could not make it up. Annaud, working with co-writer Thomas Bidegain (A Prophet, The Dancer), does not need to contrive any made-up Hollywood elements because the historical facts provide all of the tension, tragedy, and thrills that an action-thriller needs. Annaud smartly keep the film working as a procedural. There is no need for heightened action or hyperbole. Contemporary news footage and amateur recordings are incorporated into the production shoot. When the film displays Notre-Dame spectacularly on fire, the viewer is showing genuine footage. When President Emmanuel Macron attends the scene, there is no attempt made to cast an actor in the role: it is the real-life President from the actual event.
A very talented cast portrays the broad variety of fire-fighters and cathedral employees who fought to extinguish the blaze. Their dedication and heroism feels authentic and measured. Despite the audience knowing how the story ends, the person-by-person detail and focus makes it a hugely powerful experience. Whether you are Catholic or not, a desperate mission to enter the blaze and rescue the holiest of relics is edge-of-your-seat stuff. You cannot help but feel for cathedral manager Laurent Prades (Mikaël Chirinian), who starts the film at a party in Versailles and has to somehow make his way to Notre-Dame past missed trains, stand-still traffic, and police cordons.
"The vaults crashed here during the fire and opened a hole into this 19th century heating network and underneath there is a series of layers which is very dense, interesting and fascinating," said French National Archaeological Institute archaeologist Christophe Besnier.
Although other sections of the lost rood screen were also discovered, archaeologists were unable to unearth them due to a constrained timeline that has been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as concern about lead which spewed from the fire, spreading toxic dust throughout parts of central Paris.
Brother Francis Gorch was the last firefighting Brother with NDFD. Brother Frank has been at the University for over 60 years, having initially arrived on campus in 1941 as a seminarian before returning to Notre Dame after professing in 1948. Over the years, he has served in a number of capacities by working at the bookstore, as caretaker of the cemetery and as treasurer in the Main Building. From 1963 to 1965, he was the host for University Masses. From 1965 to 1989 he managed LaFortune Student Center and at one point concurrently managed Washington Hall.
cguteli3@nd.edu Firefighter Carly Gutelius joined NDFD in September, 2022. She developed a love for the fire service at a young age from watching her dad serve as a volunteer. Carly began her career as a volunteer firefighter cadet at the age of fifteen on LaPaz-North Twp. Volunteer Fire Department, and a year later joined Polk Twp. Volunteer Fire Department, both located in Marshall County, IN. She is now an official member on both departments and has the opportunity to do what she loves with her dad and little brother by her side. She has always had a passion for helping others and serving her community. While in high school, she worked as a lifeguard and obtained her EMT-B certifications through the state of Indiana and National Registry. Carly also holds certifications in Firefighter I and II and Hazmat Operations. Following graduation, Carly worked full time for Beacon Health System Transport and completed her first year of nursing school at Valparaiso University.
Michael.W.Holdeman.5@nd.edu Captain Michael Holdeman joined NDFD as an on-call firefighter in 2000 and was hired full time in 2005 before being promoted to Lieutenant in 2009 and Captain in 2010. A member of the fire service since 1984, he also continues to serve his home community of Union, Michigan as chief of the Porter Township Fire Department.
aschnura@nd.edu Before joining Notre Dame Fire Department in November of 2020, Anne served with the City of Durham, NC Fire Department. Her love for the fire service began from a young age, but the true spark began in 2013 at Carlinville, IL Volunteer Fire Department.Anne has an undergraduate degree from Eastern Illinois University (EIU) and a graduate degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU). In her free time Anne loves hiking with her dog Cricket and spending time with her nieces and nephew.
rfranco@nd.edu Captain Richard Franco started his career in the fire service in 1998. He worked for the NAS Key West Fire Dept (4yrs), Key West Fire Dept (12yrs), Penn Township Fire Dept (3 1/2 yrs) were he still works part time. He began working for NDFD in April 2017 as an On Call before being hired to a full time position in June 2018. He was promoted to Lieutenant in August of 2021 and Captain in August 2022. Captain Franco holds numerous fire service certification including Hazmat Technician, High Angle Rescue, Trench, Confined Space, Extrication and Inspector I.
ccole10@nd.edu Lieutenant Corey Cole has been in the fire service since 2010 beginning his career as a volunteer for Baugo Fire Department in April 2010 and is currently a part-time paid Battalion Chief Firefighter/EMT-B. He became a fulltime firefighter/EMT-B for Osolo Township Fire Department for 2.5 years. He currently holds a number of State certifications including Firefighter I and II, EMT-B, and Fire Investigator. He began his career for NDFD in June of 2017 as a Firefighter and was promoted to Lieutenant in August of 2021..
kortega2@nd.edu Firefighter Kristen Ortega has been in the fire service since 2017, graduating from Clay Fire Territory academy class of 14. She worked part time with Clay Fire as well as full-time with Beacon Health System as a transport EMT. She is currently finishing her requirements for paramedic schooling to obtain her license as well as an Associated Degree in Paramedic Science. Kristen began her career with Notre Dame Fire Department in August of 2021.
mzappia@nd.edu Firefighter Michael Zappia has been in the fire service since 2011; graduating from Portage Fire Academy in 2011 and obtaining EMT/B from Gary Methodist Hospital. Mike volunteered for Liberty Township Fire Department in Chesterton, IN for seven years and in 2018 worked part-time with the Warren Township Fire Department. He retired from banking after 25 years as a full-time commercial loan officer. Firefighter Zappia volunteered 10-years for the Notre Dame Medical Outreach Program. In 2020-2022 he joined the Notre Dame Covid Response Unit (CRU) as a part-time Covid tester and vaccinator. In 2021 he began working as a On-Call Firefighter for the University of Notre Dame and in 2022 was hired as a Full-Time Firefighter.
nkovach1@nd.edu Technician Nicholas Kovach came to NDFD in March of 2017 after working in the fire protection industry for 16 years with F.A.S.T. and Koorsen Fire and Security. He holds a NICET certification in Fire Alarm inspection, testing and service. Technician Kovach is a 2013 graduate of Liberty University with a Social Science degree focusing in Communication, Business, and Economics. Nicholas and his wife Lora reside in Elkhart with their daughters Lucia and Atalia. He enjoys spending time with his family and reading classical literature during his spare time. 041b061a72