Mike Baudoncq retraces the short existence of this feminist activist, the first woman to receive a tribute to the invalids at her death, in 1934, at 26 years old.
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For many, Hélène Boucher is first of all the name of a high school, a college or a gymnasium – around fifty schools and around twenty sports halls carry her surname in France – before ‘It is associated with the aviation pioneers at the beginning of the 20th e century. For Michèle and Michel-Henri Gensbittel, Hélène Boucher (1908-1934) became a subject of study by chance, after the discovery of boxes belonging to the Boucher family, in a cellar in Yermenonville, in Eure-et-Loir.
The work of this couple of passionate historians is at the origin of the film directed by Mike Baudoncq, Léno by Hélène Boucher, who allows to discover, with freshness and poetry, the short life of this young woman “simple, loyal Comrade and charming [who] simply broke world records “, as his contemporary Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944) described.
The staging is intimate, with a narrative in the first person, and family, Katia Baudoncq, the director of the director, performing the pilot woman during the fictional scenes – a promising first role. Among the witnesses, in addition to the prolix couple of historians, former pilots, such as Catherine Maunoury, double world aerobatic champion and granddaughter of Hélène Boucher.
A world of men
While “Léno”, contraction of the first names of two of his grandfathers, Leon and Noël, struggles to find his way, a drama will decide for her: her fiancé dies burned in a plane crash. To avenge him, Hélène Boucher wants to pilot. The Mont-de-Marsan training center (Landes) has retained traces of the one who wanted to “eat everything”.
Now, Léno engages thoroughly, in Paris -Saïgon then within 24 hours of Angers – in this world of men, she must hold the handle alone for 1,645 kilometers. Seduced by her courage, the ace of aerobatics Michel Detroyat then gives her lessons: she thus breaks the female altitude record, begins the aerobatics and attracts attention.
this yardstick, the reconstruction of his meeting with Louis Renault is edifying. While the French boss offers him to demonstrate his last plane, he declares: “If a woman manages to pilot it, it will prove that everyone can.” Léno takes it and becomes the muse of the brand. Before launching, with Caudron C.450, in absolute speed records. On August 11, 1934, at 445 km/h, she broke the world record, hitherto owned by a man. At 26, Hélène Boucher is rich, famous and independent.
“By choosing our profession, we choose our death,” said his friend Mermoz to him. After having broken six world records in just three years of piloting, Léno, after the crash which cost him life on November 30, 1934, was the first woman to receive a tribute to the invalids.