Steve McQueen was a passionate motor sport enthusiast and he was literally bewitched by the Le Mans 24 hours to the point that he devoted a full-length feature film, which has become a legend in its own right, to the race: Le Mans shot in 1970 and released in 1971.
The American star’s obsession with Le Mans gave the idea to journalist, Andrew Marriot, to create a full-length documentary on the subject. The Man & Le Mans directed by John McKenna and Gabriel Clarke tells the story not only of the actor’s wish to make the most complete film on motor sport, but also the heavy financial and personal consequences that McQueen had to cope with to ensure that Le Mans actually got made.

For the purposes of this documentary actors and drivers like Derek Bell, David Piper and Jonathan Williams (who drove the Porsche 908 with its special on-board camera to film the very spectacular on-track action sequences), who appeared in the original film, script writers, technicians and McQueen’s assistants who collaborated on it were all interviewed. The result is a series of first-hand accounts from people who worked on this legendary movie. These also include interviews with Neile Adams, McQueen’s wife at the time, and their son Chad McQueen that make a moving contribution to the story.
During the shooting of the film at Le Mans Chad was 10 years old, and for the requirements of the documentary premiered in Cannes he returned with the film crew to Le Mans in July 2014 during Le Mans Classic. Never-before-seen archives including numerous shots and sound tracks discovered by the film’s archivist, Richard Wiseman, as well as sequences specially shot during the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours and Le Mans Classic, pepper this original, moving documentary.

The Man & Le Mans will be shown on Saturday 16th May in the Cannes Classic section in the presence of the film crew and Steve’s son, Chad McQueen. The film will go on general release in November 2015.

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Practical information
The 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours
83rd running
3rd round of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship

Dates : 13-14 June 2015

General enclosure ticket price: 56,25 euros (ACO members) 75 euros (non ACO members).

Free for young people born after 14th June 1999 accompanied by an adult. 

Test day: Sunday 31st May 2015.

Scrutineering and administrative checks: Sunday 7th and Monday 8th June 2015.

Free practice and qualifying: Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th June 2015.

Start of the 83rd Le Mans 24 Hours: Saturday 13th June 2015 at 15h00.