USA | 95 MINUTES | English |
THE HAPPY FILM
Documentary, NY Director(s)
New York designer Stefan Sagmeister lives in the city of his dreams, and creates work for the likes of the Rolling Stones and Jay-Z. Business is good, creative juices are flowing, and yet he suspects there must be more to life. Sagmeister takes on the daunting project of changing his personality by trying to figure out the causes of happiness. On the advice of a trusted psychologist Sagmeister experiments with three different approaches: meditation, therapy, and drugs. The Happy Film follows his pursuit, and all that he encounters along the way: joy, ecstasy, heartbreak, change, love, and death. Sagmeister accents his quest with a whimsical panoply of graphics, charts, and proverbs that illustrate his curious and adventurous spirit. The Happy Film is not guaranteed to make you happier, but Sagmeister's journey will surely move you to reexamine your own pursuit of happiness.
—Brian Gordon