Pierre Nin’s crazy dream came true in Cannes’ funniest film

what are you talking about

Mark runs with his whole team to the small village of Seven to finish his film with Aunt Denise. On the spot, his creativity manifests itself in a million ideas that throw him into a strange chaos. Mark then begins writing a book of solutions, a handbook of practical advice that could be the solution to all his problems…

“The Book of Decisions” is presented at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

The science of sleep

On January 16, 2012, Pierre Nini attended the Révélations des César dinner (where he appeared thanks to I Like Watching Girls) and chose Michel Gondry as his godfather, who had just come out of a chaotic Green Hornet experience. He is about to return to cinema with The We and the I. After eleven years, the actress finally realizes her dream of shooting for a film director and it is in Cannes that their baby is presented.

The feature film, titled The Book of Solutions, tells the story of Mark, a filmmaker who is trying to finish his new film and escapes to his aunt’s house in the small village of Seven to overcome it with his team. But many of the ideas inspired by this change of scenery end up causing more complications than anything else.

For Michel Gondry, it’s a personal story in which 75% of what we see on screen (especially some completely unimaginable things) really happened, as he tells us shortly after the first screening of his new project, where laughter erupted. The theaters erupted like the hilarious responses in the movie.

Because the solution book is funny. Very funny. And he owes much to the carnage of Pierre Nin, who gives it his all as the irrepressible alter ego he dreams of filming with one day. Although funny, the feature film still tackles serious topics, such as mental illness, to which Mark is a victim, as is Michel during post-production of L’Écume des jours.

Ten years later, a key stakeholder took this book of decisions away from him, which was surprising compared to what one might expect from a Michel Gondry film about cinema. One would think that his love for System D would be expressed in the same way as in Be nice, rewind!, but no. There are a few tricks, but overall, in the end, more sober.

The same is true of his work, where 7’s love of arts and crafts intertwines with more personal stories, such as L’Épine dans le cœur, a documentary about Aunt Suzette. The one with whom Marc takes refuge in The Book of Decisions (which is dedicated to him), where he is portrayed by Françoise Lebrun.

If the film knows as much success in theaters as it did during its Cannes presentation, Pierre Nin’s dream finally realized will be even more beautiful. We’re already hoping to see him collaborate with Michel Gondry again.