CANAL+ CINÉMA — A Great Film Is Never Made Alone (Tango)

For this film, created for Canal+ Cinéma, movement, camera, and performance become a single choreography.
Directed by @wearefromla / Pierre Dupaquier, the film embodies a radical simplicity. The camera doesn’t observe the dance — it dances with it.

A Decisive Cinematography Choice

Director of Photography Matias Boucard made a clear choice from the start: to stay handheld throughout the entire film to allow the camera to move freely around the performers. This allowed it to become part of their physical language.
Long takes were favored. This gave space to the dancers’ performance, preserving rhythm, breath, and emotional continuity.

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Shooting on 35mm Film: Grain, Texture, and Imperfection

Everything was captured on 35mm film, embracing grain, texture, and imperfection as expressive tools rather than limitations.
The project was shot on Kodak 500T, using an ARRI 235. This camera was chosen for its compact form and perfect balance for handheld work, paired with Cooke S4 lenses to bring warmth and natural skin tones.

Minimalist and Natural Lighting

Lighting was approached with the same restraint. After studying the location, the team relied on natural light as much as possible, intervening only where necessary.
The dance area was shaped using a large 30×30 ft soft light box. This was built with 1/2 grid cloth and filled with 30 SkyPanel S60 units. It allowed the team to achieve an 8-stop T-value at 25 fps while maintaining softness and consistency across long takes.

The Flying Paper Sequence: Old-School Creativity

One of the most challenging elements was the sequence with the flying paper. Rather than relying on visual effects, the team created the effect physically, using 12 fans to generate a vortex, sometimes requiring up to 20 takes to capture the right moment.

We achieved the final shot in-camera by filming the action in reverse — an intentionally old-school solution, fully aligned with the spirit of the project.

Filming in Bulgaria and Local Collaboration

Shot over two days in Bulgaria, with the support of @solentfilm, the film stands as a reminder that precision, trust, and human collaboration remain at the core of cinematic craft.

A beautiful example of how choreography, cinematography, and storytelling can merge into a single gesture. Here, every movement matters.

🎬 FULL CREDITS

Canal+ Cinéma – Tango
Directed by Pierre Dupaquier @wearefromla
Director of Photography: Matias Boucard @boucardmatias
Dancers: Guillaume Queau @guillaumequeau, Amber Grace van Oosterhout @ambervanoosterhout

Produced by Benoit Roques @benoitroques & @baruchel.lucile for @iconoclast.tv
Set Design: David Bersanetti @davidbersanetti
Edited by Simon Colin @simon_colin_editor
Color Grading: Mathieu Caplanne @mathieucaplanne

Special thanks to @vincentscotet
Local crew: @vania.ivanova.1ac, @yonkobalevski
Camera & film provided by @rvzparis & @samrenollet

Shot on 35mm Kodak 500T
Camera: ARRI 235
Lenses: Cooke S4
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Director of Advertising Communications Canal+: Céline Pontygayot
Deputy Director of Advertising Communication Chloé Champenois

Agency: BETC
Executive Creative Director: Nicolas Lautier
Creative Producer: Slim Trabelsi
Art Director: Lisa Venezia
Copywriter: Zawé C.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer: Mathilde Lancon
Account Manager: Camille Séchaud

Line Producer: Lucile Baruchel
Production Coordinator: Oumeya El Ouadie
VFX Supervisor: Misha Sher

Solent Film
Managing Director: Alex Momchev
Managing Partner: Magdalena Staneva
Service Producer: Dimitar Dimitrov

Casting: Coralie Rose
Choreographer: Lenka Vagnerova
Tango Choreographers: Patricie Antar Porákova & Javier Antar

Post-Production Company: Poster Company
VFX company: Digital District
VFX Supervisor: Thibaut Granier
Post-Producer: Julien Daniel
Sound production: The sound production Paris

A huge thanks to our friend and director of photography Matias Boucard for sharing the process behind this stunning CANAL+ CINÉMA project with us.

Matias has been a genuine supporter of FilmmakersWorld from the beginning. His trust and generosity mean a lot to us.

Thanks also to everyone who took the time to read this. If you’re not already following Matias, check out his work on Instagram @boucardmatias — he’s consistently pushing what’s possible with camera and movement.

Don’t miss our latest articles on FilmmakersWorld — more stories, more craft, more inspiration from the people who shape the industry.
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With Love,
Filmmakersworld Team