Marseille and cinema

The success story continues.

1916 / 1930

The Croix Rouge Studios

750 m2 open-air stag.

Films: 1926 — Le Capitaine Rascasse by Henri Desfontaines.

1937 / 1950

The Marcel Pagnol Studios

Over 1,000 m2 of studios: outbuildings for dubbing and mixing, dressing rooms, set design studios, sound stage and a film development laboratory.

Films:

• 1936 — Marius directed by Marcel Pagnol
• 1937 — La Marseillaise directed by Jean Renoir
• 1938 — Club des Fadas directed by Emile Couzinet
• 1941 — Le destin fabuleux de Désirée Clary directed by Sacha Guitry
• 1949 — Le trésor des Pieds Nickelés directed by Marcel Aboulker.
• In 1950, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy filmed Atoll K, their last film collaboration, in Marseille.

1952 / 1970

The Sainte Marthe Studios

A 460 m2 stage in addition to a 300 m2 stage, a tank for underwater filming,prop storeroom and processing laboratory, as well as editing rooms, production offices, dressing rooms and a projection room.

Films:

• 1955 — Le Rendez-vous des quais directed by Paul Carpita
• 1960 — Marseille sans le Soleil directed by Paul Carpita
• 1966 — Lost Command a war film directed byMark Robson with Anthony Quinn
• 1967 — Every Man Is My Enemy directed by FrankShannon, Adieu L’ami directed by Jean Herman with Alain Delon and Charles Bronson
• 1970 — Borsalino directed by Jacques Deray with Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon.

1970 / 2003

Cinematographie's choice

Marseille becomes the preferred natural backdrop for a large number of French and overseas flmmakers.

Films:

• 1971 — The French Connection directed by William Friedkin, with Gene Hackmanand Fernando Rey
• 1974 — The Marseille Contract directed by Robert Parrish with MichaelCaine and Anthony Quinn
• 1980 — L’heure exquise directed by René Allio
• 1980 — Grand Frère directed by Francis Girod with Gérard Depardieu and Jean Rochefort
• 1997 — Marius et Jeannette directed by Robert Guédiguian
• 1998 — Legionnaire directedby Peter MacDonald with Jean-Claude Van Damme
• 2001 — The Count of Monte Cristo directed by Kevin Reynolds. The films produced by Luc Besson: Taxi I directed by Gérard Pirès, Taxi II directed by Gérard Krawczyk, FanFan la Tulipe directed by Gérard Krawczyk and Transporteur (2002) directed by Corey Yuen
• 2003 — Love Actually directed by Richard Curtis with Colin Firth.

2004...

The Marseille Studios at the Belle de Mai media park

A 1,000 m2 stage (15 m high), 800 m2 stage (11 m high) and 350 m2 stage 6.5 m high). 17,000 m2 gross floor area of fully-equiped office space and technical facilities.

Films:

The Magic Roundabout, the most expensive digital animation in French cinema history (2005), Taxi IV (2006). A Good Year, Ridley Scott’s latest film with RussellCrowe. Based on a novel of Peter Mayle.

In 2006, more than 140 audiovisual productions were realised in the City of Marseille, a growth of 20% since 2004. These 140 productions represent close to 1,000 shooting days in Marseille.