Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?

In his new documentary Michel Gondry unfolds his impressions of conversations with American linguist and activist Noam Chomsky in a pulsating stream of fantasy in hand-drawn animation. The world-renowned linguist talks about his earliest rebellion during childhood, makes a connection between the appropriation of language and memory creation, and describes his fascination with Isaac Newton’s discovery of occult forces which refute the concept of the world as a place which functions mechanically. Using the unmistakable handwriting of his own music videos, animation techniques and a 16mm camera, Gondry translates Chomsky’s visions into archaic, unscientific images, playfully weaving them into one organic and surreal roundelay. Trees sprout from the gyri of the brain and morph into geometrical shapes containing groups of people escaping. Constantly addressing with fond humour and great ingenuity his own uncertainty vis-à-vis Chomsky’s discourse, he creates an unforgettably dreamy visualisation of the way we perceive the world through language.