Cinema surveillance images are loading at the bottom of the page

The science of sleep - Gael García Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alain Chabat, Michel Gondry

Threat advisory: Elevated - Significant risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

Close your eyes. Open your heart.

The science of sleep, a playful romantic fantasy set inside the topsy-turvy brain of Stéphane Miroux (Gael Garcia Bernal) an eccentric young man whose dreams constantly invade his waking life.

While slumbering, he is the charismatic host of Stéphane TV, expounding on the science of sleep in front of cardboard cameras. In "real life," he has a boring job at a Parisian calendar publisher and pines for Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg), the girl in the apartment across the hall. While Stephanie is initially charmed by Stéphane, she is confused by his childishness and shaky connection to reality. Stéphane's co-worker, Guy (Alain Chabat) a vulgar but practical man, offers advice on the opposite sex, but Stéphane is too far in the clouds to listen. Unable to find the secret to Stephanies heart while awake, Stéphane searches for the answer in his dreams.

Written and directed by Michel Gondry, the boundlessly inventive creator of award-winning films (Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind), music videos and commercials. The science of sleep is a whimsical trip into a cut-and-paste wonderland fashioned from cardboard tubes, cellophane and imagination.

Theatrical propaganda posters

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film fantasy romance sleep dream Paris France French TV show host art cardboard

Persons of interest

Gael García Bernal .... Stéphane Miroux
Charlotte Gainsbourg .... Stephanie
Alain Chabat .... Guy
Miou-Miou .... Christine Miroux
Pierre Vaneck .... Monsieur Pouchet
Emma de Caunes .... Zoé
Aurélia Petit .... Martine
Sacha Bourdo .... Serge
Stéphane Metzger .... Sylvain
Alain de Moyencourt .... Gérard
Inigo Lezzi .... Monsieur Persinnet
Jean-Michel Bernard .... Policier pianiste
Yvette Petit .... Ivana
Eric Mariotto .... Policier
Bertrand Delpierre .... Présentateur JT
Michel Gondry .... Screenwriter
Michel Gondry .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

The science of sleep official movie sites:

France
USA

The science of sleep film production notes (.rtf)
The science of sleep QuickTime movie trailers
Awards and film festivals:

European Film Awards 2006: Won: Award For an Artistic Contribution (Pierre Pell, Stéphane Rozenbaum for the Production Design)

NB: English and French languages with English language subtitles
Studios and distributors:

Rialto Entertainment * Madman Cinema

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

The science of sleep is less about science and sleeping than it is about art and dreaming.

Stéphane is a man who has difficulty differentiating between the waking and dreaming states; Gael García Bernal slips effortlessly between the two (if there is a difference between them). You'll find it very frustrating to follow these changes but if you sit back and let everything wash over you then you'll drown in a fantasy of dramatic and romantic imagery. Try to watch with your right brain.

The fantasy, romance movie The science of sleep is directed by Michel Gondry and stars Gael García Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alain Chabat.