Marion is a short film about the only female bull jumper in France, co-written and co-directed by Joe Weiland and Finn Constantine. The eponymous lead character, played by Caroline Noguès-Larbère, is a real French bull-jumper and also the only woman in the sport.
In France, La Course Landaise is an ancient form of bullfighting that (hopefully) involves no bloodshed, where the toreros (bullfighters) artfully leap and dodge to avoid the charging animal.
“…Marion enters the arena to face the bulls along with the other toreros…”
The film focuses on the immediate preparation as Marion works up to her first bull jumping show. The men in the prep area are rough and tumble, and they haze her similarly, but with more of a bullying edge. She’s clearly not accepted as part of their clique. A few of them show concern for her, but she persists in her determination to perform. Marion is also a mother, and must fulfill parental duties in a surprise drop-off by her ex.
Marion prepares with the men, then enters the arena to take her moment to shine along with the other toreros. The action is terrifying and exhilarating. The bulls do not discriminate when they run for the fighters. To add to the production challenges, Larbère had never acted before this film. The filmmakers say they were inspired by Larbère to create this glimpse into Marion’s moment in the spotlight and to share the struggle of a woman pushing against misogyny to earn the right to defy death in the arena. Executive produced by Cate Blanchett and Sienna Miller, Marion is a short, sharp display of female empowerment and a delight to watch.
"…a short, sharp display of female empowerment..."
