Michel Gondry, Do It Yourself

BEST PORTRAIT PRIZE, FIFA 43

If Georges Méliès had a modern heir, it would undoubtedly be Michel Gondry !
​“Michel Gondry: Do It Yourself” presents an intimate and captivating portrait of a visionary artist who revolutionized the world of music videos and cinema. Renowned for his eccentric visual style, Gondry became an iconic figure through collaborations with global legends such as Björk, Daft Punk, and The Rolling Stones. His almost self-taught approach to filmmaking has made him a cornerstone of the industry, earning him an Academy Award for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. This documentary, directed by François Nemeta—who has worked as Gondry’s cinematographer for many years — delves into the eclectic universe of this creative genius. Featuring contributions from notable figures like Kylie Minogue (pop singer), Beck (multi-instrumentalist), Jack White (musician), Spike Jonze (director), and Charlotte Gainsbourg (actress and singer), this rare film provides a privileged glimpse into Gondry’s world. Michel Gondry: Do It Yourself takes us deep into the singular universe of an artist who continually pushes the boundaries of visual creativity.

Directed by the filmmaker behind In Bed with Michel Gondry (2023).

Director’s Statement:
It all begins as an intimate documentary ​“In Bed With Michel Gondry.” We meet him, and very quickly, with his complicity, we take him on a surprising and playful journey, resembling a visual ​“exquisite corpse.” From one sequence to the next, Michel Gondry engages with various participants around thematic discussions. Each discussion takes a different and creative form: surreal, poetic, musical, quirky, or pseudo-scientific. These filmed interviews in France, the United States, or Iceland will be staged with a good dose of humor and a touch of uncontrolled derailment – a thrilling creative tremor! To achieve this, I want to set up a chrono-thematic exploration of Gondry’s creative universe, with Michel being actively staged. He will seamlessly transition from one place to another, through stunning visual transitions (unexpected ellipses, impromptu location changes, paradoxical image eruptions), where reality will slip away to reveal dream and magic. We are about to observe an astonishing animal, whose creativity is always awake, ready to leap, and we must be ready to capture it! The simplicity of the setup and our proximity will naturally lead to digressions, asides, comedic or unexpected moments. I know Michel will play along with mischief and will be an ideal accomplice. In addition, I will put a small 16mm Bolex camera in his hands, which will allow him to film during the making of our documentary. Michel is very familiar with this camera and uses it often. His shots will complete the film in the form of an innovative, free, and creative end credits, signed Gondry. We will also make use of the countless and enjoyable archives available to us: film clips, music videos, short films, as well as unpublished archives and interviews with artists who have worked with him. Michel is a chameleon: he can skillfully embrace multiple cinematic forms, from blockbuster productions to the most intimate documentaries, from cut-out animation films to wild road movies with amateurs. I want to showcase in this documentary Gondry’s ability to embrace all genres, always with the obsession of surprising the audience and taking them to places they don’t expect. Is it necessary to emphasize that in this documentary proposal, I will never attempt to imitate the unimitable ​“Gondry style”? My formal approach will certainly resonate directly with Michel’s portrait and his universe, but it will be personal, stemming from my own sensibility as a director. I am eager to share Michel Gondry’s humor, uniqueness, and creativity, and to highlight his generous values of humility and humanity. But my story is intertwined with Michel’s, and because I have an intimate glimpse into it, I do not want to make a hagiographic film. I grew professionally alongside Michel. I intend to make a film with him, rather than a film about him. In 1990, I finished my film studies, devouring music videos late into the night on MTV. This was the golden era of MTV, and France didn’t really exist on this planet. One night, a French band caught my eye : Oui-Oui. Neither cheesy French pop nor depressive rock, Oui-Oui sings in French without trying to imitate Americans. And their music videos are truly original, creating a unique universe. I distinctly remember the first concert I attended: I had crossed the entire Paris region to see them. We quickly hit it off, and I asked them who made their music videos. The drummer of the band, who had been rather in the background until then, replied: ​“It’s me.” I realized I would never make their music videos, but I had just met Michel Gondry. We immediately connected, and a few weeks later, we created a fan club together and published a small fanzine, Oui-Oui are the World. This fanzine was made up of homemade photo novels and funny interviews. The whole thing cultivated a taste for the absurd and whimsical. After finishing my film studies, I returned to see Michel and gradually became his assistant. This adventure lasted several years, during which I experienced the making of some of his most iconic music videos: Björk / Human Behaviour, Bachelorette – Rolling Stones / Like a Rolling Stone, Massive Attack / Protection, Daft Punk / Around the World. Then, I became a director in my own right, notably making music videos, while Michel became one of the most influential creators of his generation, even winning an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. How did the young drummer of Oui-Oui I met thirty years ago become one of the most prolific creators of his time? How did he manage to make a name for himself in Hollywood without ever giving up his distinctive style? What role do dreams and indelible childhood memories play in his works? And what utopia in action is embedded in the creations of a man who can make a superhero movie in Hollywood (The Green Hornet) and then adapt an allegedly unadaptable novel by Boris Vian (Froth on the Daydream), who can shoot a documentary about his teacher aunt in the Cévennes (The Thorn in the Heart), have a lively conversation with Noam Chomsky in New York, and then take out his scissors to make a mini-animation for Instagram ? Shy and modest, Michel has long hidden behind his camera. Today, it is time to turn the lens on him, with his active complicity.
- François Nemeta

In the presence of director François Nemeta on March 13^th and 16^th in Montreal and on March 14^th in Quebec City.