• "Marinette" by Virginie Verrier evokes the exceptional career of Marinette Pichon.
  • It is Garance Marillier who embodies this great footballer coupled with an activist.
  • The two women forged a strong complicity that benefited the film.

"Do you know Zinedine Zidane? You should also know Marinette Pichon, the first French player to play in the United States, where football is professional, "enthuses Garance Marillier, who plays the French footballer in the biopic Marinetteby Virginie Verrier.

It is to this young actress, discovered in Grave by Julia Ducourneau in 2016, that we owe the passion and energy that is communicated throughout the film. "The destiny of the sportswoman is exceptional and that of the woman too," says Garance Marillier. She has had an amazing life journey and has carried a lot of messages, both in sport and in society. »

"Seeing the film, I became more aware of how far I had come," Marinette Pichon told 20 Minutes. I felt weird that it was both me and a different person I saw on the screen. »

A joyful metamorphosis

Between an abusive father and a tender mother, the young woman has learned to build and accept her homosexuality despite the hostility of a hyperpatriarchal environment, known for its misogyny and homophobia. "I have immense admiration for her both for her athletic career and the person she has become after really drooling," says Garance Marillier. She is a role model for women. The film shows how Marinette grows and matures, to the point of emancipating herself with a galvanizing energy that goes far beyond her football practice. It flourishes in every way and its metamorphosis is joyful.

The round ball is obviously present in Marinette. "I had to train because I didn't know anything about football," admits Garance Marillier. Marinette Pichon was there to help me find the right gestures without hurting me. The complicity between the actress and the footballer has paid off because this film, which is not afraid to be an activist, touches even if you are not passionate about sport. "It's an honor and a privilege to be able to release this word by trying to reach a wide audience," says Marinette Pichon, now 47.

"There is still work to be done for sportswomen and sportswomen to find their rightful place in society," insist the two women. Marinette contributes to this and we bet that this film will undoubtedly mark a great step in this direction.

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