Remember the abandoned WWII movie set in Montmartre? The film is finally here!

You might remember in 2020 I became obsessed with a film set in Montmartre, just around the corner from my apartment, on rue Androuet. I visited every day, marvelling at the transformation.

And then, when the lockdown hit, all non-essential work was forbidden, and the film crew didn’t have time to remove the full set.

That abandoned movie set meant one small part of Paris was frozen in Nazi-occupied 1942, at least for the duration of the lockdown.

Anyway, fast forward two years and that movie is now out (at least in French cinemas). It’s called Adieu Monsieur Haffman, and you can watch the trailer below. (I found it with English subtitles, and in English they’ve called it “Farewell Mr Haffmann”).

Here’s the IMBD page for the movie. It stars Daniel Auteuil, Gilles Lellouche, and Sara Giraudeau. I’ve copied the synopsis here:

“Paris 1942. François Mercier is an ordinary man who only aspires to start a family with the woman he loves, Blanche. He is also the employee of a talented jeweler, Mr. Haffmann. But faced with the German occupation, the two men will have no other choice but to conclude an agreement whose consequences, over the months, will upset the fate of our three characters.“

Me, I’ve not yet seen the movie, but I’m looking forward to it. Below, I’ve copied in all the pictures I took from the set, back in 2020.

Also, here’s the strange and slightly eerie story of the frozen film set – in podcast format – with the help of one of the actors and an American woman whose home was taken over by the film crew.

Click on the images below to enlarge them.

The abandoned set, in the 2020 lockdown

The day(s) of the shoot

Period vehicles on set

Detailed shots

Building the set

The address is rue Androuet and rue Berthe, in Montmartre, but of course the set is long gone now. If you think you recognize the street, the minimarket on the corner features in the 2001 hit movie Amelie.

For way more details about the set, an interview with one of the Nazi actors, and with Chelsea whose shop was transported into the movie set, please listen to this podcast episode from April 2020 (and subscribe).

For more from Paris, including more pictures from the set, here is my Instagram page. Follow along!

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