Two blank-slate besties try to become gods of YouTube wisdom in 23 chaotic minutes.
Freely adapted from Flaubert's unfinished book 'Bouvard et Pécuchet' (published posthumously in 1881), 'How to Excel at Everything' explores the dynamics operating in our current era of online self-study and YouTube tutorials. Guided by algorithmic recommendations, B and P try to learn everything without any pedagogical compass, falling into a new rabbit hole everyday. Exploring the thin interstice between online DIY culture and the dismantling of institutional pedagogical structures, 'How to Excel at Everything' translates the gamification of our lives and the rise of self-help culture into a learning odyssey.
Direction
Balac translates Flaubert's unfinished satire into visual language of 2024 doom-scrolling.
Writing
Biting adaptation that makes 1881 feel like it was predicting TikTok.
Director
Marion Balac
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Flaubert's original Bouvard et Pécuchet was his unfinished satire of human knowledge — Balac weaponizes this against our era of infinite DIY content.
The 'Pokémon-like' visual language isn't just cute: it mirrors how we gamify self-improvement, turning mastery into collectible achievements.
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