Sandrine is married since 8 months,
but she only sees her husband during school holidays.
They live separated
and every time she wants to see him
she has to drive 700 km.
I left Paris at 6 in the morning,
it is now 2:30 in the afternoon,
more than 8 hours driving,
a bit tired but I am also
happy to see him.
The road goes up a bit.
the chosen one of her heart
lives in an old house
on the top of Briançon in the upper Alps.
There, in front, here, this is my husband’s house.
The first I came here I was afraid of falling in the hole,
but start to get used to it.
I don’t like these montains roads...
Sorry for the mess !
How are you Marcel ?
Looking good today !
there is more space,
You’ve been cleaning !
What is that ?
Baby wipes.
Wait I’m going to clean your face.
No, that’s ok !
You want to kiss me ?
You’re ok ?
Yes.
Are you shy ?
I thought you had an accident !
You shouldn’t think that !
You know I am very careful on the road !
Yes...
What did Sandrine bring you ?
A lot of Happiness ! A lot of love !
You’re too kind !
She’s grabbing me ! And a lot of comfort.
Kiss me !
But how did this 42 years old woman
to fall in love with this 68 years old man ?
Do you have a trash ?
Who lives here with no toilets, no running water and no electricity ?
For lighting, he has plugged a light bulb to a car battery.
Have you changed the light bulb ?
No.
It’s weak !
he collects water from the rain into these bottles to wash himself.
What, we have to climb over this.
Even she agrees, that the place is no 5 stars.
Have you already slept here ?
Last summer in July,
I’ve put a clean sheet on the bed, and, it was hot
as usual summer,
and I slept 3 nights only;
after that, I couldn’t stand anymore.
That’s not coffee ?
That’s not clean.
It just needs to be a bit washed.
Yeah, even a lot !
Yeah, totally if you want to...
I am not drinking this,
what is that ? It is all rotten !
Well, I’ll change it next time.
Next time...
You drank coffee like that this morning ?
Oh, yeah !
Their wedding surprised so much it even got the front page in the local papers.
The last september 3rd,
Marcel Amphoux marries Sandrine Devillard
It should have been a big party in the small town.
but the ceremony didn’t go well,
Sandrine is insulted by tens of locals.
8 months later
at the end of the dominical ceremony
there is few bad commentaries.
It pisses me off ! It pisses me off !
There is money interest behind
and that’s why it pisses me off, yeah !
Sandrine is still hurt by what she heard
at the wedding
I heard “Bitch!”
“Thief !”
“She is going to ruin you Marcel !”
“She is going to take everything from you !”
“She is going to kill you !”
And what did you say ?
“But that is my life !
I can do whatever I want with my patrimony”.
But which patrimony is Marcel talking about ?
He seems to live like a tramp,
have retreat rent of 36 euros per month,
and to survive,
he must take small jobs in town
but Marcel is not completely broke,
he has inherited lands from his parents, peasants,
and most of all, houses.
They are degraded
but located very near the famous ski area of Serre-Chevalier.
How much are they worth it ?
Even he does not know.
But gossips are accusing his wife to convoy them.
She is a real estate agent.
So, who is Sandrine Devillard ?
We join her in her 3 rooms flat in Paris
where she lived wirh her 9 years old daughter.
from another wedding.
Sandrine is issue from a middle-class family.
She has a license in real estate.
But she also has a passion :
since very young, she dreams about being a singer.
Dozens of years ago she even hoped to drop her first album.
What is this picture for ?
For a song.
Ok.
I have tried to produce in Italy, but...
I had no luck.
How did this woman, tempted by show business,
coudld met a hermit hidden in his mountains ?
It’s a friend of Sandrine that introduced Marcel
to her during a short stay at the ski station.
A friendly relationship started
and she, 4 months later, made the first step.
It was the first day.
Well, you can see him, here,
crossed arms
i have tried to approach him,
he was always vigilant.
I always saw him as a wild cat out of him.
Now I call him my big kitty
because I have succeeded to tamed him.
And days passion we started to kiss,
to flirt.
Then it’s all a rush,
they met again in July.
That is on my kitty’s boat !
Marcel has visited her in Paris.
He has big round eyes
because it was the first time he visited Paris.
When you look at him now, do you think he is handsome ?
No, I think he is ugly !
But...
he also attratcs me.
I need someone very original.
If he is not an extraordinary person,
I am not interested, It is not rewarding for me.
For me he is from outer space.
He is the cave man.
3 months after the first steps
they decided to be engaged.
To officialize their union, they go Puy-Saint-Pierre town hall,
Marcel’s town.
The mayor is surprised.
Jean-Marius Barneoud knows very well Marcel,
he’s an old friend from school,
he can’t trust their marriage.
As the law allows him,
he asks for an investigation.
To see a person
coming from Paris, as you said,
and who get along with Marcel,
Ir’s quite impressive.
It’s a unique person,
and Marcel as we know him,
you can’t imagine
a relation between these two.
So, I talked to the prosecutor.
Mister Prosecutor
told me : “We’re going to analyze the case,
give me 10 days.
in 10 days, I am going to tell you if you can allow the wedding or no.
Sandrine and Marcel are summoned by the police.
They are both placed in separate rooms,
from 2 hours,
they are asked few questions and some very indiscreet.
If I had sexual relationship with him.
What did you answer ?
I said yes.
And I also said
sexual relations before wedding are not required by the law.
If we already kissed on the lips.
How did you feel during this examination ?
Well I did not really like it.
It was too intrusive.
So I did not answer very frankly.
Then you lied ?
Well yes, they started to ask intrusive questions so...
I told him he should say the truth,
but he did not like it and he is a discreet and bashful person.
But there I also remember they asked : Where did you slept at his place ?
I said in his bed, and they told me no way, we have been to his place
and there is no way you slept in this dirty bed.
I said yes, I have put a clean sheet on the bed and slept for 3 nights.
The prosecutor detected no problems
and authorized their wedding.
Despite the juridical decision,
some still suspect Sandrine to covet Mercel’s Patrimony.
What do you answer to people who says :
She wants his patrimony ?
Well... I... Hum...
Ok I want his goods
but actually no !
We’re married with no contract; there was no wedding contract.
If I put money in here it is not for me, it is for him !
For both of us !
Yes, but legally it is for you, juridically
you are still the owner of this house.
Even if she is not the owner,
Sandrine with her experience in real estate took in charge the management of her husband’s patrimony.
Moreover, Marcel owns 4 old farms.
Because he has no money to restore it, he rent it to young local peoples,
whom in exchange, are committed to maintain it.
By generosity I allowed them to live inside.
We used to put the cows in here during winter.
Since Sandrine is part of his life,
Marcel is no longer so generous.
he asked to the young peoples to leave the place,
for some of them he even started an eviction procedure.
Once empty houses could be placed for rent for a good price.
Sandrine already made an estimation of this one.
A house like this, it is between, 800 - 1000 euros per month.
All included.
Ok that is a nice amount...
A nice amount for Marcel,
so he can live in good conditions,
and right now he is not.
For Marcel, but also for her
because according to the law since their wedding
both of them benefit from all the rents.
occupants of the house accused Sandrine to be interested only in herself.
Hello. !
Marcel, how are you ?
When we got there for the interview, 3 people came to us.
She is the one who wants to have every Marcel’s lands.
She came last year on this parking and who wants to buy all Marcel’s house
and she said literally “I want to buy every Marcel’s house”.
You have a lot of imagination !
Yeah lot of imagination,
but that’s not hard to reveile all your plans.
Masks will fall one day;
we might get evicted but we are the last stand for Marcel.
We were always very close to him, always helping him.
How many people on this mountain told you not to marry her ?
A lot, right ?
And I, Marcel, feel really bad when I see people destroying her like that.
How much rent do you give him ?
700 - 800 euros ?
800 euros ? Yeah for a house that has no water no electricity,
walls made of clay...
We are going to ask a minimum amount of 400 euros.
We are not in Paris here.
50 euros per month.
There, Marcel says that
the occupants give 50 euros per month. Ok, thank you. Marcel.
Ok, thank you. Marcel.
How much have we spent on renovation for this house ? 30 000 ?
You are going to need to justify that.
And how much are you going to take from him ?
Who is sleeping with him ?
So you are holding him like that then ?
The issue will be faced in court.
From now on local community is still gossiping a lot about her,
because Sandrine has a new plan :
this afternoon it’s pretty busy around Marcel’s house.
The neighbors are bit surprised to see that many people.
A filming crew came from Marseille.
They are here for a video clip.
because Sandrine is still hanging at her dream to become a singer.
she wrote a song about her husband.
For the music, she asked to a composer friend of her.
She came to see me,
to make a song about her story, about her marriage.
About Marcel ?
About Marcel.
And she suggested a texte.
I saw sincerity in her and
when I met Marcel I understood that
it was a real story.
The title of her song ‘the sun calling’
I am a singer since few year, it has been 10 years;
now and we are close with Marcel
l and I was inspired by him, in theses mountains.
Then lyrics just came in my mind.
What are you expecting from this song ?
I would like it to be a summer hit.
a summer hit.
So I go inside and when you knock I open and
I give my hand to Sandrine right ?
Right !
When is she coming ?
RIght now.
Sandrine asked Marcel to collaborate on her video clip.
But he dislikes this sudden celebrity.
What is going on ?
I don’t like to be on stage.
You didn’t ask for that ?
Not really, no.
Not at all. Of course not !
Sandrine did ?
Yes.
And why is she doing that Sandrine ?
She wants to be famous !
But I don’t have that goals.
And you understand why she wants you to be in her video clips ?
To serve her own interests,
But her interests are not mine.
What are your interests ?
To stay in the dark, in the shadow.
Yes, that is done.
Ok start walking.
To leave loneliness,
to hold a friend,
to take his hands in mine.
To create a new way.
It is the sun
that you are looking in your heart.
To the summer of our wealth.
Let love talk to you.
Sandrine gave her word to Marcel,
when one of this houses will be restored,
she will move with him and make a child.