A shaman from the South American rain forest visits France for a public relations campaign. In a hotel's elevator in Paris he meets a French good-for-nothing named Perrin he's fascinated with. He follows Perrin to his flat and although Perrin is not very enthusiastic about so much interest in his person, he lets the shaman spend the night in his flat. After an official meeting on the next day being part of the PR campaign the shaman suffers from a heart attack. Hardly being able to speak and laying in a hospital bed he demands to see Perrin. The latter is not very interested in meeting the shaman again. However it looks like it is to late for animosities as the shaman and Perrin seem to be tied mentally somehow since they've met in the elevator.
Acting
Jean Reno at peak deadpan, Bruel perfectly insufferable
Direction
Veber's tight farce mechanics applied to shamanic visions
Costume
Wanu's ceremonial gear vs. Perrin's catastrophic apartment
Director
Francis Veber
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Harrison Lowe was an actual Native American activist and actor, not a Hollywood casting choice—rare authenticity for 1996.
The film satirizes France's patronizing 'eco-tourism' PR machine of the 90s, where indigenous peoples were flown in as props for environmental galas.
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