Filmed in a small village in the Southern Alps where he spends his holidays with his family, Pierre-Gilles de Gennes shares his story as a man and as a researcher. Through numerous interviews, interspersed with scenes from his daily life, he performs simple demonstrations to explain the fundamental principles of physics he has worked on. He then delves into broader societal issues such as the decline in scientific vocations among young people, the origins of life, and the relationship between science and religion.