The universal quest for happiness is one of the human invariants. The pharmaceutical industry is developing entire classes of drugs (anxiolytics, antidepressants, sleeping pills, opioids) that promise their consumers, if not happiness, at least some peace.
HAPPY PILLS explores the industrial response to an existential quest and our intimate relationship to drugs. In Switzerland, Israel, France, Peru, Niger or the United States, the documentary follows six characters who each need chemistry to lead what they see as a better life. In the end, it is our consumer society and the Eldorado of prescription joy that HAPPY PILLS questions.
SCREENINGS & AWARDS
World Premiere: Festival dei Popoli 2022
2022 Trondheim Dokumentarfestival
2023 Solothurn Film Festival
2023 Victoria Film Festival (Canadian Premiere)
2023 One World Prague (Czech Premiere)
2023 Global Science Film Festival
2023 Moscow International Documentary Film Festival Doker
2023 this human world – International Human Rights Film Festival
Upcoming: Special Screening – exhibition The Heavens at Synthesis gallery in Sofia, Bulgaria (May 30)
PRESS
Reviews: Cineuropa, Le Temps, La Reppublica, Geo, National Geographic, Le Parisien, France Info, Frankfurter Allgemeine, Elle, The Guardian, Les Échos, Le Monde
“a film that does not present a gallery of monsters, but holds up a mirror to our society and to the spectators”
Antonino Galofaro, Le Temps
DIRECTORS BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY
Arnaud Robert
is a Swiss journalist, director and writer. His work has been published by National Geographic, Le Monde, Le Temps, La Repubblica, Néon, Les Inrockuptibles, Vibrations. He is a regular contributor to Radio Télévision Suisse. He has directed three documentaries that won awards at Vues d’Afrique festival in Montreal and Jean Rouch Festival in Paris. His last medium-length film, “Gangbé“, had its world premiere at Visions du Réel festival in Nyon.
Paolo Woods
is a Canadian-Dutch photographer based in Florence. He is dedicated to long-term projects that combine photography with investigative journalism. He published books on oil networks, Iran, Chinese in Africa, Haiti and on tax havens. He has received two World Press Photos awards. « Happy Pills » is his first film.
CREDITS
Directors Arnaud Robert, Paolo Woods
Image Leandro Monti
Sound Théo Viroton
Editing Nicolas Hislaire
Music Camilla Sparksss
Sound editing Benjamin Benoit
Mixing Denis Séchaud
Calibration Robin Erard
Animations / Graphics Wedodata, Julie Brunet, Lara Poix
Co-production RTS, Steven Artels, Gaspard Lamunière; ARTE G.E.I.E, Catherine le Goff
Production Intermezzo Films, Luc Peter, Katia Monla
PRODUCER’S BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY
Luc Peter
Luc Peter has been directing and producing documentaries since 1995. Camera operator on most of his films, Luc Peter is also director of photography for other directors, among others, ON DIRAIT LE SUD by Vincent Pluss (Swiss Film Prize Award 2003). Since 2001, he is associate producer at Intermezzo Films.
luc@intermezzofilms.ch
PRODUCTION COMPANY
Intermezzo Films
28 rue de Bâle 1201 Genève / 022 741 47 47 info@intermezzofilms.ch
http://intermezzofilms.ch/
Intermezzo Films was founded in 1993 to produce feature and documentary films in a spirit of freedom and artistic standards, to foster innovative and creative movies. The company is committed to be an independent entity, close to the films it produces.With more than 50 films, Intermezzo Films is today one of the leading production companies in French-speaking Switzerland.
