Alex Berger

Vaucluse scenario

“ I moved to the Vaucluse because I loved it. The colours, the smells, the sounds… I found it incredibly synaesthetic.”

Avec la complicité de Mathilde Hingray

I was born in Philadelphia. My mother is from the Vosges; my father is American. I emigrated to France when I was ten. We went to live in my grandparent’s village. There were lots of immigrants working in the Vosges factories in 1972. I was at the bottom of the class with Driss, who, like me, spoke no French. I learned to fit in quickly and well, making the most of boredom to dream and create my life scenarios! I used to watch Les Enfants du Rock on Antenne 2. Later, I met Antoine de Caunes. We set up a production company with Tim Newman.

My first trip to Provence was with my grandfather. We used to play a game in the car. He would come off the Nationale 7 and say: “Look and tell me when you spot a trompe-l’oeil.” It was magical! The houses had fake windows to keep out the heat. I fell in love with the Luberon and my wife Florence simultaneously. It was my father-in-law who married us. Roussillon has become my adopted home. I have my life here. But I need Provence and Paris: two different audiences, different atmospheres and two different sources of inspiration. I find myself torn between two worlds that come together. I launched the 5th season of The Bureau from Avignon during lockdown. I am modestly involved in local politics, working alongside Dominique Santoni, President of the Vaucluse Departmental Council. In a region where tourism and craft industries are the mainstays, audiovisual production is the logical way to create appeal while safeguarding the environment. The LUX Vaucluse project sets out to bring together schools, businesses, and creatives... We are gradually developing the tools and infrastructure to complement filming in the PACA and Occitanie regions. Meanwhile, as president of the OKHRA museum, now Centre de la Couleur du Roussillon (CCR), I look to give a new dimension to this unique museum and arts centre created by Mathieu Barrois and his wife, Barbara. The centre aims to spread its influence throughout the region by sharing its passion for ochre and colour through various activities.