VIDEO. Lot-et-Garonne: Francis Cabrel takes part in the search for a doctor in his village of Astaffort

No concert this Wednesday 22 September evening, at the modest Music’Halle d’Astaffort where emerging artists and big names in French song perform, but a video clip expected by the entire population and by the surrounding municipalities. For several months, Gérard Rivière, emblematic doctor of the village, Paul Bonnet, the mayor, Philippe Marsac, his first deputy, Sophie Mas-Chevalier, president of the association of the medical house and pharmacists, have been activating multiple levers to attract a doctor in this village of 2 000 inhabitants struck, like others, by medical desertification.

There are only two medics left here, one of whom is the devoted Gérard Rivière, who delays his retirement every year. Several actions have already been taken. A search is launched on the Medelse platform. The latter supports healthcare professionals in their careers by focusing on their immediate research in the short or long term. When the doctors are installed, Medelse must be paid, 6 500 € per doctor. “We have not yet had a convincing return,” says Dr. Rivière. Poles were also extended through friends in France and Belgium. There again, white cabbage.

An accident at the genesis of the film

Released this Thursday on social networks and wherever it can be shared, this film, quirky, funny and relevant, highlights the team of the medical house, the structure itself and the quality of life offered by Astaffort . It was scripted by Jean-Christophe Houin. The artistic director of the Agen theater company “L’escalier qui monte” has been living in Astaffort for a few months. He was also noticed in the videos to extol tourism in Lot-et-Garonne.

“This movie starts with an accident,” he explains. During a bad reception after a flight in paraglider, he suffered a rupture of the ligaments of a knee. He is doing his rehabilitation at the Astaffort medical center. He finds Elodie, the psychologist, with whom he collaborated professionally. She talks with him about the search for a doctor, evokes the project of a video, asks him if by chance … “The reception was so wonderful at Astaffort and at the medical center that I offered him the scenario”. Gift. “Then they said to me: can you shoot it?” He had never done that.

Thanks to a crowdfunding campaign on the HelloAsso website, subsidies granted by the Astaffort town hall (3 124, 50 €), by those of neighboring municipalities and the hoped-for help from Agglo d’Agen, a communication budget is being finalized. In particular, it ensures the possible invoice of Medelse and communication operations such as this short film directed by Jean-Christophe Houin and shot by Cédric Lopiccolo. The original music is by Esthen (Baboo Music, the label founded with Aurélie Cabrel). The whole village appears in the image, including the most famous of the Astaffortais: Francis Cabrel.