Now becoming one of the most dominant athletes in not only the sport, but the world at this point, French phenom Leon Marchand is the headlined feature in a French docuseries titles Leon Marchand, Beyond Gold, which is produced by Quad Group’s Yann Le Bourbouac’h, the producer behind Netflix series Tour de France: Unchained, and directed by Sacha Vučinić and Leon’s Father, Xavier Marchand.
The series will be split into three parts, and was teased to audiences at the Series Mania Festival in Lille. It follows Marchand over the year following his massive performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, which saw him bring home four individual golds, including both the 200 and 400 IMs, and both the 200 breaststroke and 200 butterfly.
According to a report from Variety, the series will take an “character-driven approach,” which Le Bourbouac’h developed in partnership with Xavier Marchand, who also boasts an impressive swimming resume of his own, including a pair of Olympic appearances (1996 and 2000), and a 1998 World Championships silver in the 200 IM.
One of the biggest pieces of this project was the partnership between Le Bourbouac’h and the Marchand family, hence the product being co-produced by CLOX, which is “Marchand’s vehicle, which he runs with his parents and brother.”
“What we filmed over the course of that year was Leon, who, after the Olympics, felt that the image people were painting of him — because he’d won a medal — was distorted,” said Le Bourbouac’h in a report from Variety. “There were things that were false about who he was and all that. He wanted to set the record straight, and above all, he wanted to explain what his life was really like — that it wasn’t as rosy as people seemed to make it out to be.”
Le Bourbouac’h explains how this, in a sense, is a coming-of-age story, as it documents how Marchand, at just 22 years old, navigated this massive change in his life following an Olympic performance that immediately locked him atop the greatest athletes on the planet.
Marchand has also already gained sponsorships and developed partnerships with some of the biggest companies in the world. Part of his special hopes is to drive home that he was successful beyond the money and public angles.
“Because people were saying he’d won four medals thanks to Louis Vuitton and Nike partnerships. He wanted to say: ‘To get here, guys, I work every single day,’” Le Bourbouac’h said.
The docuseries also shines a light on Marchand as he embraces his next steps in life, transitioning into adulthood following his graduation with a degree in engineering.
“It’s about a son who leaves for good.” Le Bourbouac’h described to Variety. “At this end of the journey, he’s no longer Léon Marchand; he’s just Léon. You see that the father watching his son truly blossom and, on top of that, succeed in his studies.”
When is the release date and where can we watch it?
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Taking all their first initials and making a word out of it, oof.
Good job he didn’t have another brother Robert and a sister Odette
Were people really saying he was successful because of his sponsorships? He wasn’t even allowed to have those sponsorships while he was competing in the NCAA. He gave up a year of NCAA eligibility to get those. He set the 400IM WR before the Olympics, without those kinds of sponsors. smh, people are nuts.
It is adorable to see how proud his family is of him. And these are people who know exactly how hard you have to work to achieve that kind of success in swimming.
Not sure I have any interest in this documentary, because I already know all this stuff. But it is cute that his father wants to promote him.
Agreed on many points. It feels less like promotion and more like a bid to take control of the narrative around his career, but it’ll hopefully be successful on both fronts.
I visited Toulouse last autumn and people are proud of him there too and it feels that it his home where he will always be accepted and hopefully be himself
Title sounds a little too similar to the TYR production with Ledecky and Finke – “More Than Gold”, although that was definitely not a ‘coming of age’ story or an introduction but more of a story about the attitude and mental aspects of the two.
“Because people were saying he’d won four medals thanks to Louis Vuitton and Nike partnerships” were people really saying this?? Did they think the sponsors paid off the IOC or something…? I can’t even fathom how this would work
I can’t remember the last time someone criticized Leon for anything. He’s kinda hard to dislike
If you’re successful enough, people will find a reason to tear you down.
Didn’t people dump on him just because he didn’t shake someone’s hand or smth?
Not recently but I did see people complain on the site about him after they changed the schedules for Paris and Singapore.
But that’s all that I can think of
Oh yeah. Zhan Le’s coach?
I think the schedule thing was mostly towards Bob tbh. But also they made up for it by winning gold in everything lol
Didnt Bob advocate for a schedule change for MP too?
What year? Doesn’t sound familiar, but could be wrong
Found it
https://swimswam.com/paris-olympic-schedule-change-opens-the-door-for-marchands-200-fly-200-breast-double/
“Look at 2000 vs 2004 Olympic schedule. They moved 400 IM from Day 2 to Day 1, so it didn’t conflict with 200 free. Think anyone else was swimming both?” – Coleman
And honestly, this is how the schedule SHOULD work. Find me a swimmer who those changes hurt, and even if you do, the “harm” caused there is completely swamped by the benefit to the marquee athletes that can win multiple medals.
It affected Kaylee in Paris as the schedule changes also helped Regan (Bob was her coach too remember). So Kaylee had less time between her 200 back and 200 IM.
Is it though? Completely swamped? So favouritism is ok now? Who decides which swimmers are “more important”?
Kaylee will get her shot in 2032
Yes. That’s the exact thing I just said. There’s no such thing as a neutral schedule.
Marchand doing the double is better for the sport than someone vying for a minor medal in an IM, sorry. A legendary, never before been done feat compared to “this lady sometimes swims this event when she’s feeling like it.”
She swam a 2.06.63 in June 2024 to be the third fastest ever in the event and ended the year ranked 2nd. She also ended 2022 ranked 2nd in the world and 2023 ranked 3rd in the world. (Would have been higher if not for a dodgy DQ)
Literally have never heard anyone saying this or really any bad things about Leon.
Good for him. He’s been taking unnecessary (and unwarranted) criticism from folks who have no respect for what it took for him to get to this level of greatness. He paid his dues fairly, and it’s great that he can tell his story using his own creative voice in the process.
Plus I had the pleasure of meeting his father last year, and it was heartwarming to witness their bond during the meet.
I’m really looking forward to seeing it. Hope it’s accessible for his stateside fans as well.
It’ll be on The USA Swimming App.
Oh god no
😭😭😭
I can’t imagine Leon has any skeletons to hide but regardless, this trend of “documentaries” being predicated on inside control and edit privilege is so lame
I’d rather objective story telling with less access every time
I’ve heard rumors about a good Flo Manaudou documentary coming out that will be more like what you’re looking for.
But I agree.
If you haven’t watched it, check out The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins. It’s a sitcom, but it’s a satirical look at this trend.
Ooh, definitely interested in this rumored Flo documentary.
And I will second that recommendation for The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins. Very funny series.
Ohh, that’s what that show’s doing?? Nice.
“Walk Hard” is such a good one of those for movie biopics. (Which you’ll NEVER make without artist approval anymore, lest you get a Jackie Jormp-Jomp.)