“It was incredible, the film, the Olympic flame, the Cannes marches!” : Béziers resident Sofian Ribes looks back on his crazy year

Sofian Ribes jokes: “I love being the center of the world.” Midi Libre – Mélissa Alcoléa

Il a été reçu en mairie de Béziers ce vendredi matin. Et Robert Ménard lui a offert un petit présent. Midi Libre – Mélissa Alcoléa

He became a little star, recognized in the street, sought after on the networks. Midi Libre met this week with the Biterrois Sofian Ribes, who played in Artus' film "Un p’tit thing en plus." He looks back on the great adventure that allowed him to transcend his disability to rub shoulders with the stars.

Impeccable green Adidas t-shirt. Radiant and communicative smile. This Friday morning, Sofian Ribes, 20, leaves his wheelchair to sit on a chair on the terrace, opposite the Béziers town hall. In a few minutes, he will be received by the mayor. But before that, at the end of June, he agrees to return, alongside his mother, Virginie Ribes, to the crazy year he has just experienced…

"It’was incredible, the film, the Olympic flame, the Cannes marches, the penalty shootout with Zidane in Aix-en-Provence(as part of Universe football Editor’s note),” he sums up a little quickly. The Biterrois suffers from a rare and incurable neurological disease, ataxia-telangiectasia, which paralyzes his muscles and forces him to use a wheelchair. He also went through chemotherapy, from the age of 10 to 13, due to eye cancer. Fragile health. But a taste for light and a boldness, which will propel him to the front of the stage. Like a lovely gift of life, finally.

"I love being the center of the world"

It all started in 2020, with Covid. "He was no longer in school, he was bored, we thought that social networks were a good idea to publicize his illness", explains Virginie, her mother. "At first, it was medical, but it can quickly bore people so he started posting funnier videos." Followers are pouring in.

Today, Sofian is at the head of a community of 900,000 people, between TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. And it was on these networks that he met the comedian and comedian Artus. One day, the latter publishes an ad, looking for different profiles for his film. "Soso had already made a small appearance in Toulouse Lautrec with Rayane Bensetti", relates his mother. "I love being the center of the world", Sofian confirms with a smile. Virginie responds to the casting but remains unanswered even though the casting date is imminent. "I restarted Artus: there had been an error, an oversight. Sofian made a video and he was…" Taken to participate in the film "A little extra thing" released in 2024 and a hit in theaters. Filming lasts a month and a half at the end of summer 2023. "There was a lot of goodwill. I wouldn't have could imagine better", confides the mother. A real bond is formed between the young Biterrois and Artus. Sofian shows his forearm and this tattoo: "A little extra thing" with the writing of Artus.

"On the carpet, we only saw them"

Everything comes together very quickly, until the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. And this very strong and moving image of Artus carrying Sofian on the steps and the red carpet. Result: the Cannes festival should in the future install a ramp to facilitate access to the Palais des Festivals for people with reduced mobility. Furthermore, Artus, by revealing that no brand had agreed to dress disabled actors, threw a spanner in the works. "For the brands, it seemed more fun to dress Brad Pitt. But it's stupid because on the carpet, we only saw them!" "Finally it’ rsquo;it was Mr. Pinault who offered them all of the costumes with the couture alterations." For Sofian : a Gucci jacket, Yves Saint-Laurent pants. And stars in their eyes. "The closing of a success", Virginie further testifies.

Rencontre avec le Biterrois Sofian Ribes ce vendredi matin, à Béziers ! Atteint d’une maladie rare, il a tourné avec Artus, monté les marches du festival de Cannes, porté la flamme olympique ! pic.twitter.com/GSjDhB2zJ9

— Midi Libre Béziers (@MLBeziers) June 28, 2024

So, "you must never give up and always believe in your dreams", says Sofian who nourishes many more projects. "He would like to collaborate with a sports brand to represent disability and continue in the cinema. He had a casting call for a short film." Today, calm has returned to his daily life, punctuated by physiotherapy sessions. If it is not stable, the disease progresses slowly. "Because having goals is your primary energy and it fights illness." Sofian, who lives currently in Espondeilhan, aspires to rediscover the excitement and the spotlight. We wish him that.

Looking for an apartment at the Polygone

Sofian and his mother now live outside the city. Espondeilhan. But for these Biterrois (Sofian grew up in Béziers, attended the Ecole des Tamaris, at the Lucie college -Aubrac), today it is time to return to the city. Sofian would particularly like to live in one of the apartments located in the Polygone shopping center. "It’is ça or a city like Toulouse", explains Virginie who hopes to reé lay &agrav; the urban thirst of his son. This Friday morning, this is the request that both made to the mayor of Béziers. The latter in fact received them at the town hall to salute Sofian's journey and give him a small gift. He immediately used it. his network to try to move this issue forward. Virginie Ribes is indeed encountering difficulties in this project, due to the fact that she has stopped working. to work to take care of Sofian. Anyone who can help them à find an apartment at Polygone can contact them by email assoc.sofian.officiel@gmail.com

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