Aahana Swrup
The French film ‘GTMax’ is an action-driven heist story about a young motocross rider who must face her past to save her family’s future. Soélie Carella was a shining star in the world of dirt bike riding until an accident’s psychological damage put her off wheels forever. Although the Carella family tries to produce a new prodigy in her brother, Michael, he consistently falls short. Eventually, as the family nears bankruptcy, Michael gets involved with the wrong crowd. As a result, Soélie ends up having to partake in a high-profile jewel heist to save her brother’s life and her family’s name.
Olivier Schneider’s feature-film directorial debut, ‘GTMax,’ delivers an emotionally compelling tale populated with thrilling motorbike chase sequences. As a central heisting ring and an obsessive local cop enter the peripheries of Soélie’s narrative, her inadvertent run-in with the wrong side of the law further rises in stakes and finds a natural footing in realism.
GTMax is a Fictional Motorbike Heist Film
The story presented in ‘GTMax’ remains ripe with all the building blocks of a captivating vehicular heist narrative. From attention to motorcycle-related jargon that motorheads will appreciate to action-heavy chase sequences and a notable significance allocated to the value of family—the film touches upon every compelling aspect of the genre. Nevertheless, despite its central focus on a team of robbers who carry out their robberies on motorbikes, no real-life event directly inspires Soélie’s storyline. As a result, the film is rendered a piece of fiction, penned by Rémi Leautier, Jean-André Yerlès, Rachid Santaki, and Jordan Pavlik in collaboration with Director Olivier Schneider.
Even so, the narrative’s focus on crime inevitably grounds the on-screen heist in reality. Although there haven’t been any known instances of a promising motocross athlete participating in jewel robberies, the reality of such crimes on their own remains prevalent in France. For instance, Paris oversaw a million euro robbery in a luxury boutique in May 2024. In the instance, the authorities suspected a motorbike gang of robbing renowned Jeweler Harry Winston’s boutique on Avenue Montaigne. Eventually, three individuals were charged with concealment of theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy.
Even though the real-life instance varies significantly from ‘GTMax,’ the elements in place are similar enough to draw a parallel between the on-screen heist and the reality of motorbike-related robberies in France. Consequently, it’s likely that Schneider and his creative team utilized real-life crimes as a point of reference in crafting the central robbery within their fictionalized heist narrative. The same, paired with the story’s detailed attention to the mechanics and realism of the numerous bike chase sequences, infuses the film with an effortless sense of authenticity. Nonetheless, the characters and their experiences ultimately remain a work of fiction.
Ava Baya Shares Her Character’s Love For Motorbike Riding
The on-screen motorbike stunts are a crucial aspect of ‘GTMax’ that defines its distinctive cinematic identity and cements its points of realism. Olivier Schneider has been a part of the film industry for a long time as a stuntman and stunt choreographer. He has worked on some of the most celebrated pieces of action media, including ‘Fast X,’ ‘No Time to Die,’ ‘Moon Knight‘ and more. As such, his expert contribution to this film’s action-centric narrative remains evident. Similarly, the project also benefits from lead actress Ava Baya’s love and enthusiasm for motorbikes.
In an interview with CineSerie, Baya spoke about ‘GTMax’ and discussed her real-life passion for motorcycles. As it turns out, the actress sports a prominent interest in motorcycles and has been riding them regularly for ten years. Consequently, once she and her agent heard about Schneider’s project, they knew it was the perfect role for Baya. Thus, the actress was excited to collaborate with the filmmaker on this project from day one and formed a similarity with her on-screen character with ease.
Additionally, while the project employs stunt doubles for certain taxing scenes, Baya reportedly did most of her bike-riding scenes herself. This adds to the sense of realism behind Soélie’s character as a believable amateur robber and acclaimed motorbike athlete. As such, even the less emotionally driven and more technical/visual aspect of the story’s protagonist maintains a sense of authenticity. Therefore, despite the film’s fictionalization, it manages to deliver a realistic story.
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