A clinic somewhere in Switzerland in a mountain background. Cecile from France, high heels, elegant and graceful style, sort of a black sedan. Journalist, she has just survived a tsunami. She's interested in the afterlife and she visits this clinic to meet a doctor, interpreted by the Swiss actress Marthe Keller, who works within the sphere, the frontiers between life and death, for years.

This is in a few words the "pitch" of the movie scene filmed yesterday in the Planet - a hamlet in the Chamonix valley. One of the first scenes of an American movie with international distribution, called "Here After".
Behind the camera, a gaunt-faced man, wearing a hat that recalls his years "western spaghetti". Clint Eastwood. Here, everyone calls him the boss. Respect.

It must be said that the director intends to keep the greatest mystery about his latest film which started the shooting a few days ago. It is the American actor Matt Damon who has the leading role. But of these 24 hours of filming in Chamonix, Brad Pitt's friend was relieved. But Cecile from France showed up yesterday morning, freezing, listening with the wisdom of a hard working student Mr. Clint's directives, very attentive and smiling with her staff. When she found out she was chosen for the role she declared: "It's like the effect of an atomic bomb"

"I love Chamonix"

For these scenes supposed to take place in a Swiss clinic, the production wanted rather an old building, like a sanatorium. Before opting for the beautiful Planet residence, they had prospected a place at Plateau d'Assy. But the antique appearence of the place, its calm and the beautiful view of the Mont-Blanc chain has persuaded Clint Eastwood's crew.

Yesterday, security measures had to be taken to prevent intrusion of outside individuals; American producers chasing the cameras, including the people living in the neighborhood . Among residents, the mayor of Chamonix, Eric Fournier, paid a small and discreet diplomatic visit to offer the producer, of whom fan he is, a book about the cinema in Chamonix.In return, inspector Harry who himself was a mayor of a small town on the coast of California responded: "I love Chamonix".


Le Dauphiné