Mark Brown is a paleobotanist. He has devoted his life to a crazy project: recreating a primary forest in his own garden in Normandy. Viewers of Pierre Creton’s previous film, A Prince, already know him: he is the man giving a lecture on the origin of flowers to the class of Alberto, played by Vincent Barré. Those who are familiar with Creton’s work will recognize the members of his usual band, all gathered here. Because his films, whether made alone or with Vincent Barré, always come from a place between curiosity and friendship, adventure and loyalty. This time, the adventure involves letting Mark Brown guide us, walk after walk, in search of the endemic plants of the Pays-de-Caux. In 2006, Barré and Creton made a wonderful film-herbarium in the high-altitude valley of the Spiti River, in the Himalayas: The Arch of the Iris (FID 2006), a film vibrant with beauty, the handheld DV camera collecting each specimen in situ. By replaying this gesture in more familiar landscapes, between the Seine and the cliffs, the directors give it a whole new dimension. First, there is “The Shooting,” filmed digitally: the little band joyfully strolls, from meadow to peat-bog, following in their guide’s wake. One takes notes, another records sounds, a few chat along the way, and Mark gushes over each and every flower. Meanwhile, the last one bustles about, focused on his task: checking the light, choosing the focal length, triggering the shot that will capture on film the singular beauty of each plant. The collection of these shots forms the second part of the film: “The Herbarium”. After the wide shots and landscapes, after the digital image, the sudden appearance of flowers in close-ups, transfigured by 16mm, is a wonder for the eyes. Flower after flower, in a low voice, as if intimidated by so much beauty, Mark Brown improvises a commentary, between science and poetry. Too modest to say it aloud, he shares another lesson by example: getting closer to plants, sharing their lives, is a condition for poetic survival in the midst of disaster. Cyril Neyrat