Short Film ‘Marion’ Tells the Story of France’s Only Female Bull-Jumper
Short film ‘Marion’ is a striking fusion of documentary and narrative which follows Caroline Noguès-Larbère, France’s only female bull-jumper, as she navigates a world where tradition and masculinity reign supreme.
Directed by Joe Weiland and Finn Constantine, the film captures the raw intensity of Caroline’s journey, placing a woman at the heart of a sport – and a culture – that has rarely made space for women so far. With a compelling blend of cinéma vérité authenticity and cinematic storytelling, ‘Marion’ transcends its subject matter to explore themes of resilience, sacrifice, and motherhood, as well as how they intertwine.
What makes the film even more remarkable is the story behind its creation. Inspired by just two articles about Caroline, Joe and Finn moved to France without knowing the language, determined to track her down. With the help of locals, they found her, had their script translated, and convinced her to play herself in a largely autobiographical portrayal – her first time ever acting, in a language the directors didn’t speak.
Shot on film and featuring real-time bull-jumping sequences, ‘Marion’ has a lived-in quality that sets it apart. The cinematography, helmed by BAFTA-nominated DOP Harry Wheeler, uses bold lighting and dynamic camera work to enhance the tension of the arena while contrasting it with the quieter, more introspective moments of Caroline’s personal life. Jack McGinity’s colour work, on the other hand, further deepens the narrative, through a careful interplay of warm and cool tones.
With executive producers Sienna Miller and Cate Blanchett behind the project, ‘Marion’ has already caught the industry's attention – not just as a short film but as a potential feature. As the filmmakers look to expand the story, the challenge lies in maintaining the raw, handcrafted quality that makes this short so powerful.
LBB spoke with the creative team behind ‘Marion’ for a look behind the process, the risks, and the vision that brought this extraordinary story to life.
LBB> Marion highlights themes of misogyny and motherhood within the context of bull-jumping. How did you approach balancing these themes to ensure a nuanced portrayal that resonates with audiences?
Joe & Finn> From the very beginning, we knew that Caroline’s story wasn’t simply about a physical sport – it was about a woman breaking into a traditionally male-dominated world. We anchored the film in her raw, lived experience.
At the same time, we explored the delicate interplay between motherhood and personal sacrifice; her journey embodies the resilience required to navigate both these worlds. We ensured that the narrative wasn’t reduced to a simple sport story but instead resonated on a deeply personal, emotional level.
LBB> Incorporating real-life bull-jumper Caroline Noguès-Larbère to play herself adds a layer of authenticity to the film. What were the unique challenges and advantages of directing a non-professional actor in portraying her own experiences? And did you make any adjustments to the script based on her insights?
Joe & Finn> Casting Caroline to play herself was both our boldest and most rewarding decision. On the one hand, her unparalleled expertise and genuine connection to the sport lent the film an authenticity that no actor could replicate.
Of course, directing in a language that isn’t your own comes with its challenges. We had to create an environment that felt natural and open for her, opting to shoot on film rather than using digital setups that come with large monitors that might have distracted or intimidated her. While our original script was informed by articles about her life, the process of working with Caroline and her story allowed us to subtly texture the narrative, ensuring that every line and moment honoured her true experiences rather than a pre-determined script.
LBB> What were the biggest creative and logistical challenges you faced during the filmmaking process? How did you find ways around them?
Joe & Finn> The process was naturally, like in all filmmaking, alive with challenges on both creative and logistical fronts. Creatively, we had to marry the raw, visceral energy of bull-jumping with the intricate themes of personal sacrifice, motherhood, and the fight against misogyny. Logistically, filming in France across two distinct settings – the charming medieval backdrop of Bayonne for backstage moments and the electrifying atmosphere of a bull-jumping arena for the performance – required precise coordination. Working with a bilingual team and bridging cultural differences sometimes meant we had to adapt on the fly. We overcame these obstacles through rigorous pre-planning and by embracing the unpredictability of live action. By using multiple cameras and developing a clear, shared vision between our English and French crews, we managed to capture every essential moment without sacrificing the cinematic quality or emotional integrity of the film.
LBB> The arena setting in Marion is both a physical space and a symbolic battleground for the protagonist. How did you utilise lighting and camera angles to enhance the narrative tension and highlight Caroline’s isolation in this male-dominated environment?
Harry> In conceptualising the arena as both a literal and metaphorical battleground, I was intent on using lighting and camera work to amplify the story’s tension. I employed stark, directional lighting to carve out deep shadows, which not only accentuated the physical scale of the arena but also symbolised the isolation Caroline faces. By choosing specific angles – ranging from wide shots that capture the vast, impersonal space of the arena to intimate close-ups that reveal her vulnerability – I sought to visually narrate the internal conflict of a woman standing alone in a male dominated space. The interplay of light and shadow was crucial in creating an atmosphere where every frame spoke to the struggle and resilience at the heart of the film.
LBB> Filming the live bull-jumping event presented unique challenges. With six Alexa cameras capturing the action, how did you coordinate the camera teams to ensure comprehensive coverage while maintaining a cinematic feel?
Harry> Shooting a live event of such intensity with six Alexa cameras demanded an extraordinary level of coordination. We planned every camera placement and movement meticulously beforehand, holding detailed briefings with the camera teams so that each device had a designated role in capturing the action. The goal was to maintain the raw immediacy of a documentary style without sacrificing the cinematic narrative we wanted to convey. This meant ensuring that every angle—from the sweeping, expansive shots of the arena to the rapid, close-up captures of Caroline’s performance—meshed together seamlessly in the edit. Constant communication between teams on the day of shooting was vital, allowing us to adjust on the fly and guarantee that no crucial moment went unnoticed.
LBB> Can you say a little about your film stock and exposure choices - what motivated your choices, and how did they affect the film's mood and visual narrative?
Harry> Our decision to use film over digital was very much a conscious one, motivated by the desire to preserve an organic, timeless quality throughout Marion. By choosing film stock with a rich colour palette and a high dynamic range, we were able to balance the bright, often harsh lighting of the arena with the more subdued, introspective backstage scenes. Our exposure settings were carefully calibrated to accentuate the gritty texture of the live bull-jumping event, lending a slightly desaturated yet powerful visual tone that underscored both the physical toll and emotional intensity of the experience. In essence, these choices helped us craft a visual narrative that was as raw and compelling as the story we were telling.
LBB> What was your vision for the colour palette in Marion, and how did it serve to underscore the film's themes of struggle and resilience?
Jack> It’s a film in two parts but the audience doesn’t know that. Under the stadium in Marion’s struggle and personal life we have used a lot more blue and green. Harry lit the dressing room scene with one green fluorescent on the far wall so that really impacted on that scene beautifully, giving a sense of anxiety and otherness. In the bull scenes it had to have warmer tones both through perception of her outward persona and also the realities of the scene.
LBB> Considering the film's exploration of both the vibrancy of the bull-jumping arena and the more subdued aspects of Caroline's personal life, how did you approach balancing these contrasting environments to create a cohesive visual narrative?
Jack> Joe and Finn had been very careful in the edit process to allow passage through time, to show the dichotomy of Marion’s self. So we used these periods to subtly manoeuvre between the worlds. To help in the final scene when we cut back into the dressing room to see her daughter we had to carefully sit them so they flowed with the edit instead of shocking with a colour difference. The stadium camera footage was also printed onto 35mm to help lessen the difference to the analogue subterranean scenes.
LBB> Were there specific symbolic uses of colour throughout the film intended to reflect Caroline’s internal journey or to highlight particular narrative elements? If so, could you elaborate on these choices?
Jack> The opening shot of Marion in the chapel was evocative of her duality. We had the warmth from the candles, but cutting through was a blue green light from the stained glass windows, it was slight but it set the palette for the entire film.
