Private Project

Merci, Fontainebleau

A young south-Korean composer thanks the spirit of the French Fontainebleau Palace where he followed a very special summer program...

Summer 2023, Fontainebleau Palace, France. Young Jun Lee, a south-Korean composer studying in Baltimore works with musicians, architects and visual artists. They all got selected by the Fontainebleau schools of music and fine arts, a special summer program created in 1921 for American students in a French castle. At the end of the residence, he feels grateful and his words find a mystic recipient: Fontainebleau.

  • François Bibonne
    Director
  • François Bibonne
    Writer
  • Young-Jun Lee
    Writer
  • Fondation des Ecoles d'art américaines de Fontainebleau
    Producer
  • Studio Thi Koan
    Producer
  • Young-Jun Lee
    Key Cast
  • Charles Fox
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    July 31, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    France
  • Country of Filming:
    France
  • Language:
    English, French
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - François Bibonne

My aim is to bridge different cultures through classical music. Passionate about music history and story-telling, I'm specialized in music documentaries and can't edit a movie before I know the soundtrack.

My first movie, Once upon a bridge in Vietnam, which uncovers classical music in Vietnam, launched my career.

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Director Statement

"Merci, Fontainebleau" draws the path of a young Korean composer student in the Fontainebleau Palace, France.

I wanted to use the frame of the French castle to bring something magic and funny for people who don't know much about classical music and architecture.

The hero represents the rise of Asian culture amid western classical music, and his voice could convey an innocence and a spontaneity that flattered me. More than a music documentary, this short film is the expression of gratitude from a student for his school.

It takes place in the summer 2023, during the Fontainebleau schools of music and fine arts - one of the most summer programs at the highest level since 1921 designed American students.

Indeed, two stories are intertwined: the feeling of the hero and the history of the schools, also divided between music and fine arts.