‘It’s the synthesis of all our shit’: Michael Yoon recounts the chaotic filming of BDE

With each of his films, Michael Yeun seems to push himself further. This is also his main motivation: to push the boundaries of disorder. In BDE, his fourth feature behind the camera, he raises the bar. The director was inspired by the evenings spent in business school to stage this schoolboy comedy where all shots are allowed.

“It was during these years of study that Mikhail, who I became, was born in Morning Live and The eleven commandments,” he explains into the AlloCiné microphone. BDE (Abbreviation for Student Office, Editor’s Note) follows the adventures of four longtime friends who find themselves face-to-face with over a hundred students from their old school during a ski weekend in the middle of spring break.

In the casting, Michael Yun invites Lucien Jean-Baptiste, Helena Noguera, Ryan Bensetti, Lola Dubin, Ludovic or even Vincent Desanat, his partner who followed him from his debut. “This movie is a synthesis of all our stupidity and everything we have experienced over the years“, he begins. The group is joined by other personalities such as Manon Azem, Tomer Sisley, Michel Laroque, Gilbert Melk or rugby player Sébastien Chabal.

I was happy to see my character take it seriously

On screen, the director weaves together and indulges in a hallucinogenic dance number, a snowmobile chase, an exploding cabin and a scene with a bear. All without a moment’s break. Vincent Desanat, who has known Michael Yun for a long time, was not surprised when he read the script:I was quite amazed at all the nonsense he could write and I was glad that my character takes it seriously.“

In order for chaos to be possible on the screen, everything must be organized and thought out. “The most difficult part was managing 14 actors at the same timeIt specifies the director who also plays the lead role. You have to capture all of these people at once and give them something with each capture..”

Michael Yun has a haunting memory of the shooting: “This is a movie made during the launch. If there was that much energy on screen, it had to be on set.” We can take his word for it before the BDE.

BDE is available on Prime Video from February 24.