“I”(the director) had graduated from film school and worked in film related areas several times, but I had been anxious because it seemed there was no way to make my own film and I wasn’t sure of my path. One day, my mother suggested that we go to France together. Mother was translating ESSAYS, written by the 16th century French writer Montaigne, and she had received a grant for her work. She planned to use the opportunity to do research and translation in France for t...more

“I”(the director) had graduated from film school and worked in film related areas several times, but I had been anxious because it seemed there was no way to make my own film and I wasn’t sure of my path. One day, my mother suggested that we go to France together. Mother was translating ESSAYS, written by the 16th century French writer Montaigne, and she had received a grant for her work. She planned to use the opportunity to do research and translation in France for three months. However, just before departure, my grandfather ―Mother’s father― died, and our travel plan drifted in sadness. In the midst of this unexpected sorrow and fear about an uncertain future, we set out, camera in hand. While we followed Montaigne’s path, we confronted each other's regret, fear, and anxiety, and Montaigne participated in our journey through ESSAYS as an affectionate roommate. Montaigne’s wisdom, embodied in the phrase “When I dance, I dance; when I sleep, I sleep", holds true for everyone who participates in this film’s journey.less