Director, actress, and sea explorer Géraldine Danon is making a film called Flo, to tell the story of her friend, Florence Arthaud, who died tragically in 2015. A project fueled by love, as much by the character of the heroine as the desire to remember her.
It was basically the book by Yann Queffélec, La Mer et au-delà (The Sea and Beyond), about the life of Florence Arthaud which rekindled Géraldine Danon’s interest in making a film about “the fiancée of the Atlantic,” her friend Florence Arthaud. Planned for a release in the fall of 2023, the biopic retraces the life of this incredible French sailor, who died seven years ago in a helicopter accident while making a reality television show in Argentina. She was participating on behalf of her foundation,“The Odyssey of
Women.” This feminist optic is projected throughout the film, as seen through the character of this highly unusual woman. Once she decided to take the helm, in spite of being a woman, she left many men in her wake, becoming the first female navigator to win the Route du Rhum in 1990. “Her character is steeped in feminism, which goes without saying, as everything in her life made sense in this combat for women,” asserts Géraldine Danon, who is in the throes of shooting the film. It was, in fact, her way of being that allowed Florence Arthaud to usher women into a traditionally male profession. “She proved that anything is possible, even for a woman; especially when one has a big dream, to win big, and makes their dreams come true in a big way,” emphasizes the director.
In a big way, that is actually how Florence Arthaud lived her life. Her entourage confirms that she was above all a passionate, loving woman; “I am 50 days into the making of the film, and have discovered many facets of her character, but love is the most prominent, in the largest sense, with men, with women, with life. This project has generated a lot of emotion for me and I have had to dig deep into organic memories, into my most extreme sensibility, the get close to the truth.”
This character of myriad nuances is played by Stéphane Caillard, who is doing an incredible job of filling Arthaud’s shoes. The actress has more than a passing resemblance with the “fiancée of the Atlantic.” She also inhabits her spirit, showing that perfect mix of determination, almost to the point of ruggedness, enveloped in the sailor’s natural elegance. “Stéphane has absorbed her,” says Géraldine Danon. “She has read a lot and seen a lot about Florence’s life. We also had long, lengthy discussions, since I have a deep knowledge about Florence. She prepared herself mentally and physically, and well as technically by studying the basics of sailing. She is extraordinary! She is the perfect person for this role.”
In addition to the principal actress, the entire film crew seems invested in the life of the heroine, as confirms the director; “Everyone is being very supportive; everyone is giving their all, and it all revolves around the respect everyone has for Florence and the film. It’s very gratifying and touching for me to enjoy so much kindness.” When we did this interview, we had already shot for two weeks in Paris, another two in Brittany, and had been in the South of France for three weeks. Next would be Etretat in Normandy, South Africa, and finally Guadeloupe for the scene covering the arrival of the Route du Rhum. A scene that will be a reality for Géraldine Danon’s husband, sailor Philippe Poupon, who is competing in the race aboard Pierre 1er, Florence Arthaud’s legendary sailboat, renovated and rebaptized with the same name as the film, Flo.
