Nicolai Fuglsig of MJZ directed this film for French DIY home brand Leroy Merlin that tells the story of two people who, united by destiny, decide to build their lives together. Conceived by Paris agency BETC, the poetic and philosophical piece for the DIY market has the couple discovering that if you look after a house, it will look after you in return. Their home grows like a tree, with new branches making room for extensions as the family evolves. Rather than showing off tools and tricks, the film emphasizes the emotional link between a house and a home and how building is also about building yourself.
Olivier Apers, VP, executive creative director at BETC, explained the universal and emotional metaphor, noting, “What is more symbolic than a tree to express life and the essential place that our homes take in each of our lives?”
Via production houses MJZ and Henry, director Fuglsig teamed with noted cinematographer Phedon Papamichael (an Oscar nominee for Nebraska) on the piece titled "A Life To Build." The set designs were created by Christopher Glass (The Jungle Book, Apple Air Pods).
