"A simple idea as starting point: take viewers by the hand and lead them to the heart of Espigoule, sharing everyday village life over four seasons. But it took ten years of experimentation to get speech, accent, and gestures just right—a natural, authentic sense of the villagers' humor and self-mockery. Thanks to the help and connivance of childhood friends playing their own roles, I transformed my own village into an imaginary world called 'Espigoule.'" (Christian Philibert)