It takes two to Tango; The making of Canal+ and BETC's new campaign

This week, Canal+ released its latest campaign, one that continues to highlight that the 30-plus year relationship between the brand and its agency – BETC Paris – is one of the most creatively successful in the business. 

From talking bears and determined clowns to dramatic script writers and meddlesome kids, most of Canal+'s work has been comedy gold, but Tango, it's new offering, is a different approach. But it's one that ios no less impactful, as two dancers, amid a swirling sea of paper, perform the Tango.

Below, Nicolas Lautier, ECD at BETC Paris, and Iconoclast's Pierre Dupaquier, one half of directing duo WE ARE FROM LA, tell us about the pivot from downright funny to dirty, the power in having a long-lasting client/agency relationship dancing, and how the film came together. 

Tango is a beautiful and minimalist film; what was the spark of inspiration for the spot?

NL: Making a film is not easy at all. As advertisers, we know how difficult it is to protect an idea. It faces a thousand opportunities to deteriorate throughout the process. The best ideas, the ones that resonate long after [release], rarely emerge in isolation; they most often come from the friction, the bounce, the ping-pong of thoughts. Tango shows the fragile and magnetic moment where Canal+ Group's vision collides with filmmakers' talent in the storm of creation.

Tango shows the fragile and magnetic moment where Canal+ Group's vision collides with filmmakers' talent in the storm of creation.

With Tango, we wanted to pay tribute to the fragility of cinematic creation and highlight Canal+'s unwavering and enduring support for cinema, as well as its ambitious vision for the seventh art. 

Above: BETC and Canal+'s Tango campaign, which was released this week.

BETC has had a long, successful relationship with Canal+ but most of the campaigns have been comedic; what was there a different approach for this one?

NL: We haven’t turned the page on comedy, far from it. I invite you to look at everything we’ve released, and what’s coming in 2026. But some subjects deserve to be seen from a higher perspective. 

The client/agency trust that this advertising history has built is a true blessing.

To speak about Canal+’s relationship with cinema, we wanted poetry, romanticism, passion — especially in a world where the film genre can be taken over by streaming platforms and lose its value. Tango is a declaration of love.

With such successes behind you for Canal+, is there ever any worry about living up to the previous campaigns?

NL: Of course, between The Bear, The Closet [both below], The March of the Emperor, and more recently The Codes, The 40th Anniversary... and many more , the bar is set very high. Now, instead of seeing this legacy as a pressure, it gives us an absolutely incredible freedom. It’s because BETC has created these cult films throughout the years that the agency can now propose increasingly creative, surprising and innovative campaigns. The client/agency trust that this advertising history has built is a true blessing.

Above: Some of the comedic Canal+ spots released across recent years.

Why did the Tango feel like the right dance to use in the film?

NL: Tango is a dance known for its demands. It’s a form of bodily communication that requires as much technique as harmony. And this demand echoes that of Canal+, which stands out for its commitment to ambitious and diverse cinema. 

[Pierre's] exceptional filmography of music videos was definitely a plus given the nature of the film.

Creation, like Tango, requires knowing when to yield, regain control, and accept the power struggle. This tension is visually embodied in a crescendo leading to the tornado.

Why was Pierre Dupaquier the best choice to direct this film, and what did he bring to it?

NL: Pierre, from the duo We Are From LA, was a unanimous choice. He has this incredible ability to capture emotions on film in a way that is both aesthetic and spectacular. His exceptional filmography of music videos was definitely a plus given the nature of the film.

Above: A behind the scenes glimpse of Canal+'s Tango spot.

How much of the film is shot in-camera and can you tell us about choreographing the sheets of paper?

PD: From the beginning, I wanted to make a raw, unadorned film, focused on bodies, emotions and what truly happens on screen. With Mathias Boucard, our DOP, we envisioned a matte, non-glossy image — something very physical and grounded — that doesn’t aim to seduce but to feel right. Shooting on 35mm, doing as much as possible in-camera and keeping post production to a minimum were ways of bringing back as much organic texture as possible.

Doing as much as possible in-camera and keeping post production to a minimum were ways of bringing back as much organic texture as possible.

Casting was therefore crucial; actors who could convey emotion and feel comfortable in their bodies, without being obvious tango dancers. The idea was for their dancing to come as a surprise. Even the natural elements become part of the choreography — the swirling leaves move with the bodies, spiral into chaos and then fall into order as the alchemy takes hold. Everything is there: passion, disorder and, finally, harmony. 

Above: The swirling paper was shot in-camera on set, with post production allowing the idea to be pushed further. 

The music is obviously important, but so too is the sound design; can you tell us about that aspect of the project and how integral it was?

NL: Sound design was an integral part of the film from the very beginning. We rebuilt almost everything with a foley artist — footsteps with different tonalities, the friction and movement of paper, breathing, pens, fabric, hands. This meticulous work was essential to keep the film grounded in something real and physical. 

The final tornado was absolutely done for real, but what we shot on set was very different from what ends up on screen.

For us, poetry isn’t something abstract or decorative; it has to be felt, and sound plays a crucial role in making that emotion tangible

What was the most challenging part of the project?

NL: Honestly the most challenging part was choreographing the sheets of paper. The final tornado was absolutely done for real, but what we shot on set was very different from what ends up on screen. Post production gave us the freedom to push the idea much further, while always staying true to the physical energy of the shoot.