Thibaud Fradin

Today, on LIVE, we're not introducing you to just one exclusive local video production, but rather two - as an attempt to a general representation of the skate scene in Nantes, France, as nurtured throughout several decades by successive generations of activists working hard at putting not just their practice but also their localization on great display. This strongly historic landmark of French skateboarding has fed the prowess of - amongst others - Thibaud Fradin back when his sponsor at the time, Cliché Skateboards, Jérémie Daclin's iconic company, was literally and figuratively taking off overseas, or also David Couliau's adventures on either side of both the lens and industry. Nowadays, in comparison, some might argue that it's blending into the general landscape a little more - maybe due to the lack of encouraging local policies for skateboarding, but maybe also due to a lack of attention on their own end because indeed, the scene really seems just as vibrant in the year twenty twenty-one looking at the hyperactivity of several shops (NDJ, Banc Public, Milk) but first and foremost of the ever-so-passionate locals, some of them even running their own skate mag: Ob'Session. "L'ELDORADO" is the name of the new full-length video the latter crew just issued; and we're talking a conceptual enterprise here, supported by the notorious Sony VX-2000 and the local poetry of then - via a constant parallel with Jacques Demy's cinematography - and now - by the means of home-made animations by Rose Moreau, some timeless theatrics and of course excellent skateboarding by the crew. So, just as we were getting excited to share said piece already is also exactly when Franck Pierron contacted us (remember "TRACKED MOVEMENTS" and LIVE's original interview with Franck, here), too, to show us his new vintage gem; an anachronism only more complete upon viewing, "CHRONICLES OF THE PAST: NANTES EDITION" is a true time capsule of the authentic nineties, and quite the four-minute journey into the past of Nantes and some historic kickflips. Obviously, the temptation of federating all these different energies into one major article ended up overcoming; so, here's your occasion to discover or rediscover Nantes through quite the transgenerational prism, including questions to all parties involved - a virtual cultural trip we're inviting you on here and now!