Three seasons inside the Presidential Palace, l’Élysée: Yves Jeuland films the corridors of power and explain how this project came about.

It was on June 13th, 2014. I found myself in the office of the President of the Republic for an impromptu, unplanned meeting, a one-on-one discussion lasting nearly an hour. Gifted with an extraordinary memory, François Hollande recalls a 2001 encounter, [when he was still Secretary of the Socialist Party]. He reminds me of some forgotten details of our conversation and of the aborted film I was to make on Lionel Jospin. He tells me “And yet it was a good idea. By the way, Jospin never really showed what was under the shell.” “If I may, neither did you . . .” François Hollande takes a moment to think, then shows a discreet smile. “Would it mean that if I were to accept being filmed by you I would have a brighter electoral fate than Jospin? One should think twice before turning you down!” He laughs, then gathers himself. “It is true that I also have a tendency to pull into my own shell, stay behind the armor; few people really know me.” Two months later, it was the beginning of the filming. I had often had the opportunity to shoot the political sphere and politicians, in their race to power – Paris à tout prix, Un village en campagne – or in the last months of a reign – Le Président, Delanoë libéré; but never had I shot the exercising of power.