A Gluttonous Farewell to Planet Earth Isn't for Everyone

This Fellini-esque sci-fi party’s a real gas—and ultimately, an unexpected departure from the norm. 

It was thrown by French utility company GRDF to tout its long-standing support for farms and communities that invest in producing green gas, a renewable energy source derived from organic waste. 

In the trippy two-minute spot below, we visit the near future, where a large group of decadent, beautiful people (well, they’re rich, at any rate) gather in the countryside for a sun-splashed day of unabashed gluttony. 

They bust dipshit dance moves, chortle for no particular reason, show off their designer clothes and pets—and they eat. And eat. Oh my, do they ever.

Soft shell crabs, lobster tails, succulent meats, cheeses, fruits and pasta—nothing escapes the gaping maws of these indulgent, spray-tanned, Botoxed 1 percenters.

Then, just as belts begin to burst and their colons cry out for mercy … it’s time to go. 

And unless you paid very close attention to the commercial’s opening shots, their means of transportation might surprise you, because …

… it’s a campy-cool solid-gold rocketship! We’ve been watching a farewell party staged by the well-to-do before they escape to another planet. (Good riddance! Can you take the Trumps along for the ride?) 

Meanwhile, we’re reminded that such intergalactic flight probably isn’t a viable solution to Earth’s ecological woes. Waitstaff clean up after the partygoers, collecting their food waste for processing. 

“By helping you recycle organic waste to produce a green, local and renewable gas, we bet that, together, we can change the future of our planet,” a voiceover says. “One thing is for sure, we’re happy to stay behind.”

Clearly, the oddball film won’t suit everyone’s taste—and even though we lapped it up, we feel the revelry lasts about 20 second too long. (On the other hand, perhaps the excessive scenes of chowing down mirror the overfed, overstimulated lifestyles of the partiers.) 

Working with Paris-based Rosepark, director Nima Nourizadeh, best known for music videos and features like American Ultra and Project X, crafts a compelling, comical confection that extrapolates current trends in a way that feels over-the-top yet plausible. 

That’s because we’re glimpsing a future that’s just as indifferent and wasteful as the world we live in today, one which might prove untenable unless serious steps are taken to ensure Earth’s survival in the here and now.

CREDITS

Brand : GRDF
Communications and Digital Director : Jérôme Chambin
Media Images : Jérôme Andrieu-Casado, Pauline Armanet, Oirdia Hadek
Social : Lucie Calonne
Web : Aurélie Messa, Elhadj Allassan Timite
Press : Claire Maindru

Agency : ROSAPARK
Co-founders : Jean-Patrick Chiquiar, Gilles Fichteberg et Jean-François Sacco
Copywriter : Louise Mussot
AD : Cerise Leclerc
Managing Director : Delphine Drutel
Advising Director : Virginie Matias
Account Director : Camille Huguenot
Strategic Planner : François Peretti
Social media manager : Jeanne Neushwander et Cassandre Géron

TV production : Elodie Jonquille et Sanae Belkouri
PR : Mélanie Colléou, Theda Braddock

Production : Phantasm
Director : Nima Nourizadeh
Producer : Olivier Muller
Director of Production : Jean-Pierre Crapart
DOP : Daniel Voldheim
Editor : Walter Mauriot
Post-production : Nightshift / Mathematic
Sound Production : Schmooze