The coming-of-age drama L' t ternit (released in the U.S. as Our Eternal Summer) marked the continuation of the collaboration between writer-director milie Aussel and cinematographer Mathieu Bertholet. Here, Bertholet offers his insights into the production for which he worked with Panavision Marseille to source his camera and optics package and recounts the career path that led to his current work as a director of photography.
Panavision: How did you become involved in the project?
Mathieu Bertholet: I met milie Aussel, the director, in 2013, for her short film project Petite blonde, which became our first collaboration. We worked together again for Ta bouche mon paradis, a short film made in collaboration with the ERAC [Cannes Regional School of Actors]. It was at this time that milie began to tell me about her feature film project, then titled To Die Young. We discussed the project regularly, I read the different versions of the script, and little by little, over the course of our discussions, the general idea of what the film could be, its atmospheres, its sets [came into focus]. In 2019, producer Thomas Ordonneau and Shellac Films decided to launch the preparation of the film, and I agreed to follow milie in this new adventure.
How would you describe the look of the project?
Bertholet: For this film, I wanted to move away from an image that is too naturalistic a look that is often applied to so-called realistic' cinema dealing with youth, adolescence and its emotions. For me, it was about giving the film a visual identity made up of colors and contrasts. Dealing with reality, of course, but magnifying it in one way or another. Not being afraid of summer light, which is sometimes harsh. To dare.
Paradoxically, we had very few technical means to achieve this. It was therefore necessary to choose settings, day and night, on which I could intervene. We worked in negative, cutting existing lights to build the desired image, and adding little touches a color, a contrast that would take us into fiction.
The night scene in the skate park between the characters Malo [Matthieu Lucci] and Elias [Louis Pluton] is quite representative of this approach. The lighting mixed several types of light sources sodium, neon tubes, etc. and the colors blended together. By cutting off certain sources, we built a nighttime atmosphere that I really like. Ditto when the character Eve [Rose Timbert] goes to the beach at night to look for her friend Lise [Agathe Talrich]. The sodium lit up the cornice and immersed the beach in this yellow-orange glow. In the distance, a few neon lights gave a colder touch in shades of blue-green.
Outdoors during the day, and especially for the long beach sequence at the beginning of the film, which opens with the sun at its zenith and continues until nightfall, our principle was to respect very precise shooting schedules. Thus, each part of the sequence swimming, discussions on the beach, aperitif, bathing at the end of the day, etc. has its own identity. Then, the digital color correction allowed me to accentuate these small differences to further mark the passage of time.
There was also, for us, this very present idea of filming faces as if they were landscapes. We would take the time to look at them and try to make faces and landscapes respond to each other as if the two were linked and together participated in the expression of the characters feelings. The decor of the Palais Longchamp in Marseille, with its large columns, goes in this direction, giving the first group of friends that surrounds Lise a sacred dimension.
Were there any particular visual references you looked at for inspiration?
Bertholet: I had no precise visual references. Lets say rather that milie gave me directions in which to look things she liked, things she asked me to look at. It was then up to me to appropriate them, to digest' them, and to think about how to make them meaningful for our project and our desires. Jumbled up, I would quote the cinema of Gus Van Sant, that of Philippe Garrel, certain romantic paintings such as those of Caspar David Friedrich, the photographic work of Nan Goldin. And then, a film that personally nourished me for this project: American Honey by Andrea Arnold, photographed by Robbie Ryan [BSC, ISC]. In my opinion, it is the perfect example of an image that serves the film, its words, its staging, and participates fully in its identity.
What brought you to Panavision for this project?
Bertholet: I have lived in Marseille for almost 20 years. I was a 1st camera assistant when I moved here, and very quickly I was brought to meet the Panavision Marseille team. I have prepared a very large number of films with them, and over the years a relationship of trust has developed between us. When I started working on this project, it seemed natural to me to turn to them and use their services.
What inspired you to become a cinematographer and what keeps you inspired today?
Bertholet: I have an extremely classic background: assistant for 20 years, then operator and cinematographer. I strongly believe in this journey and its benefits. The years spent glued to the camera, close to the operator and the actors, are an extraordinary way to learn ones trade, to learn to think in terms of images, focal lengths, colors, contrast, density. In short, to learn cinematographic vocabulary and grammar. And then there comes a day when you feel like you can use this vocabulary to create images and highlight a scenario.
What inspires me today is first of all an encounter. A filmmaker who will convince me that their view of a story deserves to be told. From that moment on, I find immense pleasure in blending into an imaginary world and trying, with my tools and my own sensitivity, to respond to a desire for cinema. And then, finally, there is the
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/07/2026
Broadcast Management Group (BMG) has announced the appointment of Kathy Samuels ...
01/07/2026
Shade has announced Custom Objects and Automations, a platform expansion releasing June 29, 2026, that adds database and workflow automation capabilities direct...
01/07/2026
FOR-A America has announced the addition of Jaz Wray and Fernando Cruz to its U.S. sales team. Both report to Ernie Leon, Senior VP and Head of Sales and Strate...
01/07/2026
NBC Sports will air all 15 MLB games nationally on Sunday, July 5, across NBC, P...
01/07/2026
Clear-Com has announced a wireless communications upgrade for Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, deploying FreeSpeak II and FreeSpeak Icon systems across both prod...
01/07/2026
England's performance team will use Sony's STATSports APEX GPS tracking system to monitor player physical data in real time during FIFA World Cup 2026 m...
01/07/2026
Adder Technology has announced the appointment of Neil Hillier as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2026. Hillier succeeds Adrian Dickens, who transiti...
01/07/2026
Bitcentral, Inc. has announced a strategic transaction creating two separate companies. The Production and Playout business will continue as Bitcentral, now own...
01/07/2026
DAZN has announced results from DAZN48, its creator initiative for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Launched in April 2026, the program received thousands of applicatio...
01/07/2026
Sarah Rose, VP, global services, Daktronics (NASDAQ: DAKT), will be inducted into the Information Display and Entertainment Association (IDEA) Hall of Fame at t...
01/07/2026
Gravity Media and the World Economic Forum's production team provided broadc...
01/07/2026
Insight Productions has announced the launch of Insight Storm, a 53-foot mobile broadcast unit built for esports production. The truck is built around a Ross Vi...
01/07/2026
ESPN has announced several content initiatives marking America's 250th anniversary, as part of The Walt Disney Company's Disney Celebrates America pro...
01/07/2026
Eleven production kits, REMI workflows, and cloud distribution bring 40 World Cu...
01/07/2026
The conference also discussed the opportunities offered an industry that is endu...
01/07/2026
The Mountain West Conference has announced the launch of MW , a direct-to-consumer streaming platform powered by Kiswe. The platform will carry live Mountain We...
01/07/2026
New AI Assistant, Multi-channel Audio, ARA2 improvements & more
Tracktion's DAW software has just received its latest major update, gaining a selection ...
01/07/2026
Stammering, stuttering, strangulated tones
The Crow Hill Company's latest creation promises to be the most original sound set they've produced to d...
01/07/2026
Exclusive run of limited-edition modelling pedals
Sweetwater and Andertons M...
01/07/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Manfrotto Introduces UNCOVER, the new premium camera bag collection for modern h...
01/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Powers Houston Tamil Sangam Literacy Competition
Brie Clayton July 1, 2026
0 Comments
Volunteers use ATEM Mini Pro, Blackmagic Desig...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
PlayBox Technology has published State of Broadcast Infrastructure 2026, an in-depth industry research report examining the technologies, operational challenges...
01/07/2026
LONDON, UK, 1 JULY Jigsaw24 has appointed Alan Henry as Head of Sales for Media and Entertainment, reinforcing its continued investment in helping broadcaster...
01/07/2026
Content Vault, the patent-pending secure content distribution platform protecting high-value media from disclosures, theft and unauthorised access, today announ...
01/07/2026
Bitcentral, Inc. a leading provider of enterprise software and digital media solutions for news, sports and entertainment broadcasters, as well as streaming pla...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Groundbreaking First Nations Screen Business Accelerator launched through nation...
01/07/2026
Chyron Launches the All-New Chyron Academy: A Reimagined, Hands-On Learning Expe...
01/07/2026
Amplium Captures Kawasaki Brave Thunders Game with Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersiv...
01/07/2026
Boris FX Optics Expands Plugin Support to Apple Photos, Capture One, and Affinit...
01/07/2026
UKTV has today announced the appointment of Matt Berry to the newly created role of General Manager - Marketing, effective 1 July.
Matt will take on this senio...
01/07/2026
Sky Zero Footprint Fund-backed TV campaign featuring Deborah Meaden challenges consumers to rethink everyday bathroom wasteWednesday 1 July 2026
Fussy asks Bri...
01/07/2026
Constituency-level analysis reveals where girls miss out most on sport - and where targeted action could unlock more than £640 million in economic and health be...
01/07/2026
Wuppertal July 1, 2026
Riedel and SKAARHOJ Expand Collaboration With SimplyLive IntegrationRiedel Communications today announced an expanded collaboration wit...
01/07/2026
Apple today introduced power-packed updates to Apple Creator Studio, a groundbre...
The coming-of-age drama L' t ternit (released in the U.S. as Our Eternal Summer) marked the continuation of the collaboration between writer-director milie Aussel and cinematographer Mathieu Bertholet. Here, Bertholet offers his insights into the production for which he worked with Panavision Marseille to source his camera and optics package and recounts the career path that led to his current work as a director of photography.
