Michel Gondry is one of the most prolific and creative directors working today, despite his latest feature, The Green Hornet, failing to garner much love from fans. The French director got his start making music videos and French films, but made his first real splash in the Americas with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in 2004. And while he’s spent the last seven years making films in English, Gondry is set to return to his French roots for L’ecume des Jours, or The Foam of the Days, according to Variety.
L’ecume des Jours, based on the 1974 novel by Boris Vian, literally screams for Gondry’s unique storytelling ability, obsession with in-camera effects and strange but endearing visuals. Colin is a rich man and inventor of the pianocktail, a brilliant “olfactory-musical” instrument that plays both to the ears and the nose. When he meets Chloe, they are immediately wed and live in a world of happiness until she develops a water lily in her lung. A rare occurrence, the only way to treat it is to surround the affected with flowers, a feat which eventually breaks Colin’s bank.
The film also focuses of Colin’s friends Chick and Alise, to which he bequeaths a fourth of his fortune so they can be married. Chick becomes obsessed with philosopher Jean Sol-Partre and eventually bankrupts them, causing obvious marital turmoil.
The storylines each are weird and without the name Michel Gondry attached they sound muddled and possibly boring. But Gondry’s outstanding style is perfect for weird, quirky stories and L’ecume des Jours sounds like it was written specifically for him.
Casting the four leads has already begun with Audrey Tautou, Romain Duris, Lea Seydoux, and Jamel Debbouze lined up to star. Of course, it’s early and nothing has been signed, but Tautou will likely land the role as her films frequently find their way to this side of the Atlantic, which would give Americans another reason to see L’ecume des Jours other than Michel Gondry, a less than household name.
French producer Luc Bossi is also on board, watching over production for Studio Canal. Gondry’s name always garners a lot of attention, so expect to hear a lot about this one as it moves forward. With four main characters and a name like Audrey Tautou already near signing, L’ecume des Jours will likely move quickly into production. More as the cast fills in.
