Au cas où je n'aurais pas la palme d'or

Simon is a forty-year-old filmmaker whose projects stumble more often than they succeed. After losing a foolish bet he shaves his head and notices a lump on his skull. Convinced he might be terminal, he summons family, friends and professional actors to his apartment in the Lilas district of Paris and decides to film what he calls the comedy of his life. The gatherings mix rehearsed lines with raw arguments, awkward confessions and impulsive improvisation, as Simon tries to turn personal chaos into art without any guarantee that truth or laughter will follow.

Released in 2011, the film was written and directed by Renaud Cohen, who also plays the lead role. The small cast includes Julie Gayet, Maurice Bénichou, Frédéric Pierrot and Emmanuel Salinger. The production sticks close to its Paris setting, keeping the feel of a compact, actor-driven project.

There are no records of major festival prizes or high-profile award nominations for this title. It did not make an appearance among César contenders or on international award shortlists, and it lacks notable industry honors.

The movie has remained largely obscure beyond a handful of French indie cinema conversations. It never generated a widely quoted line or an iconic scene, though its meta premise and the presence of known French performers have kept it from disappearing entirely from filmographies and niche discussions.

Critical and audience response was lukewarm to negative, reflected in very low ratings on some user-driven sites. The film aims at dark, self-referential comedy while touching on aging, creative failure, family dynamics and the blurry border between acting and living. Many viewers found the tone inconsistent and the pace uneven, so its themes land more as intentions than fully realized insights.