On July 26, the French capital will become the center of the world with the start of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a period marked by excitement and emotion. The BBC, the UK's official broadcaster of the event, has understood this very well, putting all these ingredients into its promotional clip, entitled"Welcome to the City of Love", currently airing on its channels and other platforms. A video that immediately won over the French public, who are often critical of their British neighbors... And with good reason: the clip, featuring love and sport, has touched hearts and generated enthusiasm on social networks.
The one-minute video takes us through the streets of Paris, where couples in love are transformed into Olympic athletes, embodying the perfect alliance between love and sport. The capital's emblematic monuments, such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame and the Sacré-Cœur, serve as the backdrop for this animation in pinkish and bluish hues, reflecting the colors of Paris 2024.Édith Piaf's famous song Hymne à l'amour resonates in the background, adding a touch of nostalgia and emotion to this animated short produced by Nexus Studios and directed by Franco-British FX Goby.
The extremely well-realized, ultra-smooth animation is a vibrant tribute to the Olympic values of surpassing oneself and uniting. The voiceover by Frenchman Pierre Maubouché adds an extra dimension, passionately and lyrically expressing the parallel between love and sport."It makes you do crazy things, turn your head, speed up your heart", he says, capturing the essence of the human emotions shared by athletes and lovers alike.
The French praised this poetic depiction of their capital and the Olympic Games, a rare outpouring of praise for a British production. With the Games taking place from July 26 to August 11, followed by the Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8, the BBC has succeeded in creating a unifying and emotional video, reminding the world that Paris is, more than ever, the city of love and sport!
