#boisset

[clarkkantagain]

alex boisset and mikel boisset

[gayfilmgeek]

Lucas Belvaux as Simon Chalumot

Allons z'enfants (1981) dir. Yves Boisset

[californic]

[garadinervi]

Roman Cieslewicz, L'attentat, 1972 [Centre Pompidou, Paris. © Adagp, Paris. Photo: Audrey Laurans/Centre Pompidou]

[carloskaplan]

Mikel Boisset & Alex Boisset

[boxofrainencore]

[niemernuet]

Franaud - an introduction

Sooo, the genius of @ticiie willed the pairing Franjo/Arnaud into existence and while on first glance I was a bit 🤨 I am now fully converted and convinced they are skiing's next power couple. They have similarities, for example their tragic pasts, and they have differences that make them a perfect fit for each other. Because I have nothing better to do (I do but my hyperfixation doesn't let me...) I wanted to do a short introduction on both of them (it's just an excuse to post a few pictures).

First, there's Franjo

He is the blueprint of an average Swiss zoomer from the boonies, in the picture above visible by his stance. Born in 2001, he lives in a constant traffic jam in Boltigen (the town is on the only road to some of Berne's biggest ski places and is basically backed up with cars from Dezember-March). He loves speed in every form, not just on skis but also on motorbikes and in cars.

Because he is from the Canton of Berne and specialised in downhill he is hailed as the heir of Beat Feuz. With his third place in the second race in Garmisch in the past season he did nothing to mitigate these hopes. He was on the podium with Odi, and like Marco he is genial and easy-going and loves a good time with friends. But he has something not even Odi has: a drink of his own.

He almost had to give up racing though because his father died when Franjo was just 17 and in the middle of his apprenticeship as carpenter. Thanks to a crowd-funding however he managed to get enough money to keep going.

Btw I swear I read in an article that his name his an amalgamation of Franz-Josef but for the life of me I can't find it anymore.

On to Arnaud:

He is from Martigny in the French-speaking part of Switzerland and has the most charming accent when he speaks German or English. (also I listened to a radio interview and he could seriously work as the guy who speaks the dialogues on tape for students learning French; he's very easy to listen to) He joined the world cup for the first time in the past season together with Franjo. Unlike Franjo, however, he is already in his mid-twenties (only one year younger than Odi). The reason it took him a bit longer to get into the big league is that he was fate's punching bag for the past few years.

He showed passable results in the European Cup before the pandemic (this one's from the last season but there's Gilles too, so I was powerless) and was allowed to compete in the team try-outs for Wengen 2020. Back then, Lars Rösti (who lives not far away from Franjo) was the reigning youth world champion in downhill. Arnaud beat him in practice but despite his results, the coaches chose Rösti for the last starting place in Wengen. This threw big waves, especially in Valais where people (probably a teeny bit rightfully) assumed that head coach Stauffer, like Rösti and Franjo from Canton of Berne, had shown preferential treatment. Arnaud was promised a start at one of the remaining downhills that season but only one week later, he broke his knee in the European Cup and was out for the season.

(Small parenthesis: Judging by his social media he is a more talented hustler than Franjo whose charm is more...rustic. Here he is listening to one of his sponsors while having very petable hair.)

Once his knee was okay again, he broke his arm, and was out another season. He returned in 2022 and won that season's European Cup in Super-G, which meant he had a fixed place for the past season and no chance to lose it anymore. He was not nominated for Beaver Creek and the first downhill in Val Gardena. Because he won points in his very first Super-G in the World Cup though, he was finally allowed to start in dh too, and the rest is history. He won his first podium only a few weeks after Franjo when he came third in the Super-G in Saalbach.

Btw, a little added shit-dollop to that shitty decision in Wengen: Back in 2020 his father was still alive. He died in 2022 though, and thus never saw his son race in the wc. In the interview I read Arnaud doesn't explicitly talk about that but he mentions that he was very hurt by the decision, and also mentioned his Dad in the post before his first start in the wc.

Why they are perfect for each other:

On first glance, it would be understandable if these two would be nothing more than co-workers. All that is missing from Franjo's entire existence being a pure cliché of a proud Swiss hick is a cow in his profile pic, while Arnaud is more...cerebral. He studied economics and works part-time in a bank over summer, and one of his best friends is Tanguy (that is Dartmouth alumnus and expert-straddler Tanguy Nef to you). Their characters, however complement each other and make them a perfect fit. They are both popular and well-liked by the people around them, and they are both funny as hell. Franjo's humor is more of the straight-forward kind, he's a happy-go-lucky man like Odi while Arnaud can be a downright sarcastic little shit (evidence).

In conclusion, I think there should be 173 fics about these two in all stages of relationship. Thank you for your attention.

[pointlesscrapilike]

[postcard-from-the-past]

Château de Bussière in Notre-Dame-de-Boisset, Beaujolais region of France

French vintage postcard

[strathshepard]

The Assassination (Yves Boisset, 1972) poster by Roman Cieslewicz

[clarkkantagain]

alex boisset

[weirdlookindog]

Safety Catch aka Cran d'arrêt (1970)

[californic]

[ozdeg]

[haverwood]

La femme flic Yves Boisset France, 1980 ★★★ Well that was a downer.

[niemernuet]

Doing some very important research for a another ficlet and learnt that Arnaud's cute smile hides a sarcastic little shit. And now I love him even more.

Transcript: Hi, Tanguy, how's it going? [don't get that part] Listen, I have a little question: We barely saw you at work this year. I'd like to know whether you still know how to straddle. And another question: Would you consider coming back to relearn how to straddle, or rather not? Thanks. See you