The film was shot in Lallaing, close to Douai in the north of France. Emmanuel Courcol consulted a fellow director who had already made a documentary about this very subject in the area to find out which marching band to choose. Courcol and his crew visited the Walincourt marching band after a rehearsal and, much like Thibault in the film, shared a few beers with them. They proved very welcoming, and their rehearsal room was precisely what Courcol had in mind, so he selected them as the film’s marching band. They were reportedly a little daunted on the first day of filming, but they soon overcame their shyness.
Pierre Lottin (who portrays Thibault, the elder brother) is a drummer and guitarist and has some ability on the piano, so he did not require extensive musical preparation for the film; however, he was coached for months before and during filming to learn how to conduct an orchestra. Pierre Lottin (who plays Jimmy, the younger brother) is self-taught and plays the piano quite well; he trained for months prior to filming to learn the trombone so he could believably perform at an amateur level on screen. Sarah Suco (who plays Sabrina) is an accordionist and took trumpet lessons for the film.
Eight years prior to the film's release, Emmanuel Courcol had collaborated on Des confettis sur le béton (2017), which follows a majorette troupe and their marching band in Tourcoing, in northern France. The ensemble left a strong impression on him and inspired him to craft a story about the clash between a classically trained conductor and a popular marching band.
The part of Jimmy had been written for Pierre Lottin (he had already appeared in The Big Hit (2020), Emmanuel Courcol's previous film), but because the character was conceived as the older brother, finding someone to play Thibault proved more difficult than anticipated. Only after their ages were swapped did selecting Pierre Lottin feel natural.
Chosen for the Cannes Première section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
French visa No. 154408.
