Between the months of February and May 2020, almost the entire planet came to a halt. The coronavirus and the first lockdown caught humanity off guard. For the first time in history, populations were ordered to stay at home and only leave for essential needs. It is from images of a slowed-down planet, a nature rediscovered in a new light, and these city centers deserted by a large part of their usual users that the documentary "Le Monde Respire" (The World Breathes) was conceived and realized.

This film, whose story is narrated by Thomas Dutronc, extensively gives voice to about fifteen personalities committed to environmental issues, among whom we find Nicolas Hulot, Aymeric Caron, Bouli Lanners, and Bertrand Piccard, to name a few. Environmental activists, scientists, artists, academics, young climate activists, NGO leaders, all believe that this Covid crisis says something about the functioning of our societies and our relationship to major environmental issues. For these personalities, the observation is clear: if we do not take advantage of the stop imposed by the health crisis to invent another world, we will probably have wasted our last chances.

Beyond these interviews with leading personalities, "Le Monde Respire" also met dozens of anonymous individuals and companies whose commitment to a more resilient and fairer world did not start with the Covid crisis.

"The virus brutally put humanity in its place, accepting to be deprived of fundamental freedoms, but could we gradually change our behaviors, economic models, consumption models to avoid future deprivations?" For all these women and men, and many others, the answer to Nicolas Hulot's last question seems obvious...