Olivier Meyrou et Matias Pilet

• France

After studying literature and communication at university, Olivier Meyrou enrolled in the production department at Fémis, graduating in 1991. He then pursued further studies in New York, where he directed two documentaries: Bye Bye Apartheid (2004) and L'Avocat du diable (2008). He received the Teddy Award at the 2007 Berlinale for Au-delà de la haine. His unauthorised film about Yves Saint Laurent, Célébration, was picked in the Panorama selection at the 2008 Berlinale. Parade, his film about Fabrice Champion, was selected for the 2013 edition of the Berlin festival, as well as film festivals in Hamburg, Milan and Vilnius… Having written the script for Acrobates, Olivier directed La petite fille aux allumettes at the Comédie-Française in 2014.

Matias Pilet is a dancer and circus performer who never tires of studying the art of acrobatic dance. While studying at Académie Fratellini he met Alexandre Fournier, and the duo began working on lifts, movements and new ways of merging their very different physicalities. They performed together in Totem de cirque, directed by Fabrice Champion, as well as Bestioles as part of their Fratellini curriculum, and Nos Limites, presented at the 104 and choreographed by Radhouane El Meddeb. After appearing in Olivier Meyrou’s film Parade in 2012, Pilet worked with the director again in 2015 on the acrobatic solo show TU. In the meantime, as part of his ongoing personal research, Matias Pilet has spent multiple spells studying Gaga dance. In 2016 he performed with cabaret company Terabak de Kyiv, in a show directed by Stéphane Ricordel which is still touring Europe now. During a period of residency in Lisbon, he once again linked up with Olivier Meyrou to develop the character of Hektor.