17/05/2003 - Gilles Marchand’s career as a director began well with this hospital thriller with an excellent cast of actors

Newcomer to the directing arena, Gilles Marchand, has begun well. Qui a tué Bambi is his first feature and was presented out of competition in Cannes today. Set in a hospital, the thriller is based on a clash between an over-sensitive young female nurse and an unscrupulous surgeon who rapes his patients while they are unconscious. Gilles Marchand directed the film masterfully and succeeded in mixing the inevitable emotions that a story such as this give rise to with an almost documentary-like portrayal of everyday life in a major hospital.

Marchand also chose he actors with judgement: the young Sophie Quinton has begun what promises to be a brilliant career in films as the nurse and it would be difficult to improve on Laurent Lucas as the doctor, he is also one of the stars of Tiresia, screening in competition.
“I prefer to create enigmatic characters by giving them a general idea of what I want and though the simplicity of the moving picture,” said Marchand when asked about this stylised film. He also co-wrote the film with Laurent Cantet (Full Time) and Dominik Moll (Harry, a true friend).
Produced by Haut et Court and co-produced by M6 Films with a Euros3.3m budget from a variety of investors: avances sur recettes, Soficas and regional funds: Qui a tuè Bambi? was a calculated risk that has clearly paid dividends.

(Translated from French)