Mentalism is fascinating. This unique branch of magic blends various methods, from psychology to classic sleight of hand tricks. In France, mentalism has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many shows on the subject. Several artists have distinguished themselves in this art, and it is about them that we will speak in this article. Of course, this list is not exhaustive!
Mentalism is a branch of magic, but on the "mental" side. A mentalist can, for example, read your thoughts, perform telepathy experiments, bend objects with their mind, or even write predictions that will prove accurate in the near future…
French mentalists
Viktor Vincent
Viktor Vincent is a French mentalist who blends storytelling, illusion, and retro aesthetics to create unique shows. A graduate in filmmaking, he uses theater to tell stories where mentalism becomes a narrative tool. Fascinated by the past and timelessness, he adopts a 19th-century-inspired style. In 2015, he received a Mandrake d'Or, one of the distinctions in magical art.
Viktor Vincent became known to the general public with his shows on France 3 and France 2, then on TF1 with Mentalistes: dans la tête des stars and Diversion. Since 2020, he has regularly appeared on Vivement Dimanche.
He is the author of several books for learning mentalism (Les secrets du mentaliste, Le carnet du mentaliste, …), and notably a thriller Apparition.
Fabien Olicard, born in 1982 in La Rochelle, discovered magic in his childhood. After a science baccalaureate, he trained himself and specialized in mentalism in the early 2000s. He presented his first show in 2012 and has enjoyed growing success. He has created several shows blending humor, science, and mentalism (Archétype, Mots de tête, Fabien Olicard vous mentalise, …).
In 2016, he launched a YouTube channel with the challenge of posting one video a day for a year. This channel now has over 2.2 million subscribers. He posts analyses, documentaries, videos on memory or body language, and even has a second channel dedicated to behind-the-scenes content and puzzles.
Charlie Haid is a French mentalist who became known through his videos on TikTok, where he has over 2.2 million subscribers. He is also the author of the book Hack ton cerveau… Et celui des autres!, which offers mentalism tips accessible to the general public.
He presented the show Intensément Mentaliste at the Le Point Virgule theater in Paris, combining humor, mentalism, and audience interaction.
Léo Brière
Léo Brière, born on January 11, 1994, in Argentan, is a French mentalist and illusionist. In 2016, he embarked on mentalism with his first show "Influence," followed by "Prémonition" in 2018. His participation in the show "La France a un incroyable talent" in 2018 propelled him to prominence, reaching the semi-finals. He won the French Magic Championship in 2019 and received the Mandrake d'Or in 2021. His show "Existences," presented in 2023, blends mentalism with reflections on identity and the perception of time.
