The Hard Path
Richard Mille x Ilia Topuria
2026
Client
Richard Mille x Ilia Topuria
Role
Concept, Copywriting, Direction, Production, Post-production
Ilia Topuria pulls no punches entering the Richard Mille Family as the first ever fighter associated with the brand. In the film entitled The Hard Path, this generational talent is presented with absolute authenticity, speaking candidly about his journey, passion and drive. The visuals alternate between the unpolished streets of Madrid and a stripped-back gym, centring on the man himself – a formidable machine, free from embellishment or distraction.
Subtle precision and refined technical prowess underpin the narrative of this film. So, rather than focusing on his illustrious status as a world champion and international sporting icon, here we delve into the person behind the name.
We see Ilia away from the glare of the spotlight and the octagon, allowing his genuine character to shine through.
To amplify emotional resonance, we opted for the raw and honest feel of 16mm analogue film. For us, nothing quite compares to Kodak’s Ektachrome, a classic stock, which a lot of people will associate with National Geographic magazine.
There’s an undeniable sincerity in the colours and textures, with slight imperfections adding a layer of authenticity that brings this unique story to life.
The sound design also leads in this ‘warts and all’ direction. Here Ilia delivers his story, in his own voice, by using his own words, and we thought there was something incredibly powerful about that.
So much so we opted for a stripped back sound design that only incorporates genuine sounds recorded during our shoot. No artifacts nor tricks, just the noise of total commitment.
Credits
Guillaume Mille
Director
Pierre Edelmann
Director of Photography & Producer
Clément Menu
Camera Operator
Toby Thirling
Sound Engineer
Jon Espel
First Assistant Director
Alberto Arias
Technical Director
Vanesa Aparicio
Head of Production
Clara Muñoz
Production Manager
Noemí Ramal
Production Coordinator
Alejandro Camacho
Location Manager
Mario Martín
Location Manager
Beatriz García
Stylist
Laura Milagritos
Make-up & Hair
Vivian Rodríguez
1st. AC / Focus Puller
Cecilia López
2nd. AC / Ass. Camera
Joaquin Alonso
Loader 16mm Magazines
Diego Iglesias
Videassist
Alberto Cayuela
Digital Imaging Technician
Daniel Bermús
Gaffer
Alberto Morales
Best Boy
Jaime Mangas
DMX Operator
Javier Villarreal
Spark
Eva Arios
Spark
Adrian Maldonado
Spark
Angel López
Key Grip
Aitxane Gurrea
Art Director
Fabiola Bicedo
Art Assistant
Javier Lamberti
Props
CCCAR
Ultra Arm
Ismael Campos
Camera Truck
Jean Soiedard
Interviewer
Samir Farhi
Color Grading
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