18 Years After “Tell No One,” Guillaume Canet Returns to Thrillers

Back in 2006, Guillaume Canet directed his second feature film, “Tell No One,” an adaptation of Harlan Coben’s novel that earned him the César Award for Best Director. This action-packed thriller features François Cluzet as a husband in a desperate race against time to find his wife, who vanished eight years earlier.

Nearly two decades after the release of that iconic film, Canet is returning to the action genre, this time in front of the camera. He will play the lead role in the Netflix thriller “Ad Vitam,” directed by Rodolphe Lauga (“La Source”).

In this movie, which he co-wrote and co-produced, Canet portrays Franck Lazarev, a former member of the GIGN (French National Gendarmerie Intervention Group). One day, a group connected to his past invades his home and kidnaps his pregnant wife. Franck has only a few hours to comply with the group’s demands, or his wife will be killed.

The film also features performances by Stéphane Caillard (“Marseille”), Nassim Lyes (“Under the Seine”), Zita Hanrot (“Plan Coeur”), and Alexis Manenti (“Athena”), actors familiar from previous Netflix productions.

A Tribute to Jean-Paul Belmondo?

The genesis of “Ad Vitam” dates back to 2016, while Canet was filming “Jadotville.” He underwent physical training with former GIGN members, including Thibault Levesque, whose career was cut short by a shoulder injury. This man’s story inspired the plot of “Ad Vitam.”

To perform most of his own stunts, Canet engaged in an intensive three-month training program. Filming these scenes reminded him of his conversations with Jean-Paul Belmondo: “I had talked to him about my fascination with stunts, and when I found myself on rooftops or in a paramotor, I naturally thought of him,” he shared in the film’s press release.

The feature film “Ad Vitam” starring Guillaume Canet will be available exclusively on Netflix starting January 10.

Check out the list of films currently available on the platform!