The roads of Saintonge are known for having an abundance of roundabouts. They have a cultural as well as an anthropological explanation – as the voiceover asserts, they are a French invention, one of many innovations alongside the rabies vaccine and human rights. The simplicity of movement and the piece of urban ornamentation suddenly reveal the local culture’s obsession with itself.

This documentary film, which screened at Cinéma du Réel in Paris, takes an analytical look at the picture-perfect landscapes where oysters, Crémant, parasols and ladies from another era intermingle. Born in Limoges, Quentin Papapietro began his career as a critic for the prestigious Cahiers du cinéma, but managed to make 20 short films in the last decade. Considering his relatively short career as a film director, his work has already been screened in a retrospective at the Cinémathèque Française in 2019.