By bike: a friendship at the “Dokumedia” center that you won’t soon forget!

The great price of the heart

Since January 13, the competition has been in full swing in the Isere area of ​​Alpe d’Huez, where Elsa Zilberstein’s jury will soon decide on no less than ten comedies. The main prize, the jury’s prize, the audience’s prize… If the festival participants are already starting to think about their predictions, special attention was paid to the out-of-competition films after the bicycle show. Because between laughter and tears, Matthias Mlekuzi’s feature film became a real favorite among the audience, it won.

By bike, it’s Matthias’ (Mlekuzy) completely insane project, one year after the tragic disappearance of his son Yuri. A filmmaker’s goal? Repeat the road trip made by Yuri shortly before his death, stop at the same places to live again, meet the same people to revive his memory… From the Atlantic to Turkey, Matthias crosses Europe with him. The dog Luke, his best friend Filipe (Rebot) and the memory of his son.

A friendship larger than life

First reunited more than twenty years ago on the set of Le Triporteur de Belleville, where one was an actor and the other an assistant stage manager. Mathias Mlekuzi and Philip Rebot Since then they have not left each other. Especially since this meeting, initially professional, would have an unprecedented impact on their personal lives: it was on this shoot that Philippe Rebot met Roman Bohringer, his future partner. “Romane (Bohringer) was also in this shoot and Mathias looked a bit like my seductive coach– says the actor. Although I was not a child, I was already 40 years old, but he advised me to play. He witnessed the birth of my love. And then we wrote together, traveled, laughed. He is one of my oldest friends and one of my longest lasting.“

So it was only logical for Matias Mlekuzi to invite his old friend, partner and accomplice on screen and in everyday life to take this long introspective journey with him. Allow them to challenge themselves, not the smallest (to travel part of Europe by bicycle), but to revive the memory of Yuri Mlekuzy, who died after his own trip, and to reflect on the results. About his sudden death: the fear of death, the desire to be a good father, the possible guilt… So many fascinating and personal topics were discussed by the two friends by flashlight in the shared tent.

However, despite the introspective depth of these conversations and the immensely disturbing pain of these two men, their most heartfelt demonstration of friendship and resilience remains on the bike. This documentary is not scripted, but with the strength of character of its two performers, it makes a genuinely funny comedy: improvised exchanges worthy of the greatest cinematic dialogues, unforgettable surreal situations, tearful laughter of two comrades. ..

“There was never any correspondence with Philip– says film director Matias Mlekuzi. We didn’t know exactly what he was talking about. All I knew was that the idea of ​​comedy in this film could only exist with this plot: two men and a dog cross Europe by bicycle. One is a grieving father, the other is his friend, and this friendship is put to the test by this journey.“

Awarded the Public Prize, Staging and Music Prize at the Angoulême Festival, the bike particularly seduced attendees at the Alpe d’Huez Festival and touched many audiences at the February 26 theatrical release.