No red carpet or stair climb here. It is in front of the cinema of Abbeville, in the Somme, that the crowd rushes to attend the preview of the film Marinette. This biopic, partly shot in the region, traces the life of the first professional French footballer, Marinette Pichon. It is very simply that the former football star comes to meet the public. “I wanted to thank you, because it is thanks to you that we are here tonight to see this beautiful film.“, declares the former athlete before attending the screening. Among the public, extras are there to give an ovation to this strong and courageous woman. “It’s a very beautiful course of life. Marinette has always had to fight to move forward”, exclaims a spectator. And another to add “She freed the woman from this taboo of homosexuality, I think it’s not nothing“.
An exceptional life journey
This biopic, with actresses Garance Marillier, Emilie Dequenne and Sylvie Testud, retraces the exemplary and exceptional journey of this icon of women’s football. Since her debut as a footballer at the age of 5, she has spent her whole life fighting against prejudice, sexism and facing a very violent father. The one who has never given up, as she has already told in his book published in 2018, will end up playing in the France team. The first star of women’s football will continue her career internationally, in the United States and then in Canada as a coach and consultant.
Seeing her life brought to the cinema is for her today, a great moment of emotion. “To see on the big screen a summary of your life scrolling like this with all these strong messages, all these moments of happiness, but also of loneliness and difficulties, remains a moment that is not simple, but which must serve as a lesson“, says Marinette Pichon. Today, through her Soccer Academyshe seeks to transmit the values that saved her in sport:abnegation, rigour, openness to the world and trust.
The movie Marinette hits screens June 7, 2023