“I delved into the life of the composer Michel Legrand”

David Hertzog Dessites was not yet born when Michel Legrand entered his life. “My mother listened to the song “Les Moulins de mon coeur”, from the film “The Thomas Crown Affair” on repeat while I was in her womb. A connection that continues today, 52 years later, and which has motivated the production of my documentary “Once upon a time Michel Legrand”, confides the director.

It was during a Michel Legrand concert that David Hertzog Dessites took the plunge. “I was like a kid in front of a Christmas tree. I said to him, ‘Listen, Mr. Legrand, if I exist, it’s a bit thanks to you.’ is possible?” So I told him that my mom was a huge fan of his music, and that she listened to his work when she was pregnant. And then he replied: “Ah, that’s great, I love this story, I’m even happier to have created this song. It was the beginning of a beautiful, complicit relationship and a unique collaboration, with a man whose lively mind and passion for music never seemed to fade.”

An adventure rich in emotion and sensation

The film project quickly took shape, explains David Hertzog Dessites. “I wanted it to be as exhaustive as possible. Gradually, I delved into the life of Michel Legrand, speaking with those who had shared his journey. Many were those who had disappeared, and Michel him -even, aged 84, was aware of it “Posterity, I don’t care about it”, he said, a remark which says a lot about his humility and his strong character.

“I was not destined to make films”

“Making this documentary was a major challenge, carried out with limited resources,” he recalls with emotion. “I was not predestined to make films,” explains the man who directed his first film. “I come from a working-class background, I did many odd jobs, such as sweeping the city of Cannes before making making of for cinema”, he confides. A snub to life, an astonishing journey for the man who walked the famous steps of the Cannes Film Festival alongside his father.

“Precious support, that of Guillaume Joué, general director of OCS, who was able to make my childhood dream come true. The film also received a warm welcome in Hollywood, where it was acclaimed by a standing ovation and where it won the prize for best documentary film.”

In “Once upon a time Michel Legrand”, David Hertzog Dessite was able to capture the very essence of this great composer. It is a vibrant tribute to Michel Legrand, both to the man and to the artist.