CARCASSONNE
The Carcassonne Documentary Encounters, curated by Laurence Gasc and organized in partnership with the City of Carcassonne / Carcassonne Festival, present their 2026 edition! On June 26, 27, and 28, don’t miss the 3 new evenings of screenings, outdoors under the starry sky of the Cour d’Honneur of the Château Comtal, in the heart of the medieval Cité.
A Film by Catherine Marchal
Pioneer of the new French polar (crime thriller) and driving force behind the revival of crime cinema in France, Olivier Marchal has cultivated an image of a cop hardened by life—gruff, solitary, and a little rough around the edges. MARCHAL PAR MARCHAL is an intimate portrait by the woman who shares his daily life: actress Catherine Marchal, the love of his life and the mother of his children.
The director seeks out those who have known him, from all walks of life—childhood friends, film and television personalities like Daniel Auteuil, Bruno Wolkowitch, and Guy Lecluyse, as well as cops and tough guys. She explores his childhood, adolescence, early years, his first life as a police officer, his television beginnings, his entry into cinema, the media success of MR73, 36 Quai des Orfèvres, and Les Lyonnais, his artistic achievements, the struggles of being typecast, and the sometimes harsh criticism.
Catherine Marchal questions the man on the empty stage of the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens—the very place where the couple first came together. She is both in front of and behind the camera, In and Off, actress, writer, and director of this film. A clearly schizophrenic documentary. A man seen in a different light. An original portrait.
