“I don’t think about stopping. It’s part of me… I will stop when I die.”
Parkour pioneer Sébastien Foucan can be credited for bringing Parkour to the masses. His seminal UK documentary, Jump London (2003) – and its follow up, Jump Britain (2005) – sparked a cultural phenomenon which would see youngsters take to the streets in wild, acrobatic, hair-raising abandon; running, climbing and leaping across their urban environment in scenes we still see on our streets today. For Sébastien, a movie career followed, with stand-out roles in action films including Casino Royale (2006) and The Tournament (2009).
Those perceptive enough to see the inspiration behind his incredible physical abilities and derring-do would be quick to reference the work of Jackie Chan, whose stunt-filled films would prove to be one of the early catalysts for Sébastien and his friends to take to the streets of Paris, recreating what they saw in his movies. Today, Sébastien is an inspirational speaker and CEO of the Foucan Academy, teaching kids the art of movement and self-expression. His motto: “we play”.
On this episode – recorded live at the Gulbenkian Arts Centre in Canterbury as part of the British Film Institute’s Art of Action season – Sébastien explores his love of Hong Kong action cinema (especially the films of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee), his experiences working in Hollywood, current attitudes towards Parkour, and much more. This conversation was recorded after a screening of the 1978 Jackie Chan classic, Drunken Master, and is co-hosted by the Life of Action author – and friend of the show – Mike Fury. A huge thank you to the crew at the Gulbenkian and the people of Canterbury who attended the show, and the Independent Cinema Office and Film Hub South East for helping to organise the event.
For all the latest Sébastien Foucan news and information, follow him on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, and visit the websites sebastienfoucan.com and foucanacademy.com. For all the latest Mike Fury news, follow Mike on Instagram and visit his website, mikefury.net.
Sébastien Foucan in Casino Royale (2006)
