Released in early June, the comic strip “BFF” tells the story of a successful pianist leading a double life with his band of friends. A life partially inspired by that of one of its co-authors, Thomas Cadène.
A seasoned scriptwriter for more than fifteen years, Thomas Cadène expresses himself above all in his favorite field, comics: from “Altlife”, a story of metavers who save humanity, through “Les amants d’Hérouville”, which recounts part of the life of the composer Michel Magne, through “Fluide”, speaking of discovery and sexuality, he is interested in all subjects.
Jack-of-all-trades, he also wrote the screenplay for the video game “Unmaze” and participates in the edition of the teen magazine called Topo”. His latest work, “BFF”, produced with screenwriter Joseph Safieddine and the designer Clément Favre, was released on June 8, 2022.
I accept everything that is new and that I have never done. I like to go on an adventure […] and discover new constraints, new ways of working.
Friendship, double life and lies
A page from the “BFF” comic strip by Thomas Cadène, Joseph Safiadine and Clément Favre. [Éditions Delcourt, 2022 — Cadène, Saffiedine, Fabre]Adapted from a comic originally published on the web, “BFF” is a story of double life, friends and lies. “We wondered what founded human relationships. Why do we lie to others?”, recalls Thomas Cadène, interviewed by RTS during his visit to the Angoulême festival in January 2022.
The comic tells the story of Gro, who hides his life as a star pianist of classical music from his friends. To ensure their sympathy and his reputation as a nice “loser”, he tells them that he is an artist and that he is having a hard time, while the rest of the gang exercises classic trades, in finance and law.
“It’s the classic shot of the misunderstanding, which becomes a lie, then a story. Gro combines two lives: that of the slightly strange, but reassuring boyfriend who lives in a seedy studio, and the one where he goes to New York and Berlin regularly to play. It’s a bit like the Batman of the arts”, explains Thomas Cadène. He also specifies that Gro is inspired by the clichés accompanying the professions of the arts. “A lot of people told us that our story wasn’t possible, but I’m sure it is.”
A hero close to his creator
Gro’s life is a bit like that of Thomas Cadène, who says that in his circle of friends, no one evolves in the world of comics or the arts. “It suits me very well, but none of them share the mentality of what I do. I might be hugely successful or not at all, I would remain the shady guy who makes a fuss.”
In the comic strip script, Thomas Cadène, Joseph Safieddine and Clément Favre explore a paradox: in our ultra-connected world, everyone knows everything, but is only interested in what is familiar to them. “It’s what we imagine, our needs projected onto others. In a group of friends, each and everyone builds a role in which he or she feels carried or confined. The day we wants out of that role, others take it as a betrayal.”
Radio subject: Didier Charlet
Adaptation web: Myriam Semaani
Thomas Cadène, Joseph Safieddine and Clément Favre, “BFF”, Delcourt editions.
