THE FRENCH

ABOUT THE FILM:

For two weeks a year, the world looks to Paris as the titans of tennis come together to play at the Roland Garros Tournament, better known as The French Open or simply, The French. In 1981, Klein and three camera crews were given exclusive, unprecedented access to the tournament for the first time in its 90-year history, and using that doorway into locker rooms, TV studios, and players’ boxes, he shot the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at the 1981 French Open—a crucial moment in a crucial year in the history of a game, and its iconic players Björn Borg, John McEnroe, Chris Evert, Yannick Noah, and Ivan Lendl. With Klein’s customary eagle eye and whirlwind energy, THE FRENCH showcases the noisy bedlam that accompanies any major sporting event, while also revealing a level of candor from his subjects that is impossible to imagine in today’s secretive media-trained world. From the massage tables to the umpires’ chairs, Klein captures the details of one of the greatest events in tennis history, the locker room gossip, the splattering of clay and sweat, the rapt audiences, and of course, the masterful tennis plays.

“For me, this film encapsulates everything I loved and love about the tennis of that moment; and in the hands of the great and singular William Klein, it is at once a gripping sports page, a fascinating piece of reportage, and a work of art.” 

—Wes Anderson

FORMAT: DCP

DISTRIBUTOR: Metrograph Pictures