The men who didn’t race in the Le Mans 1955

Focusing on the second-string driver of the car that crashed at the 24-hour Le Mans race in 1955, this animated short film explores the sport’s greatest tragedy.  

Quintin Bailleux, graduate of the Gobelin animation program, has created a touching tribute to the driver who lost his life when his car flipped off the track and into the spectator stands. The film starts with preparation, a team on the edge of their seats as they prepare to race against the best cars in the world. 

Focusing on what happened behind the scenes after the crash killed nearly 80 people and injured 120 more, humanity is brought back into the sport of machines as the Mercedes team makes the decision to withdraw from the race. The characters throughout are very human, with faults and cracks running through them, making them accessible and easy to sympathize with. 

Le Mans 1955 is a contemplative and engrossing look at the morals of a sport that is ultimately controlled by sponsorships and companies, often at the expense of individuals. The tone of the piece is stark and beautifully rendered. With fantastic lighting and a color palette that emphasizes fear and pain over gory detail, Bailleux’s expressive film is a touching tribute to the sport and its victims.