The life story of the well known art-therapist Alain Vigneau is an inspiring one. When I first met him at one of his clown workshops, I was impressed with how people felt encouraged to express themselves in a more genuine and creative way. The roller coaster of emotions shared in an atmosphere of great intimacy and improvised chaos struck me. As an art-therapist, Alain encourages others to celebrate their unique tragicomedy and set free their inner child.

I became intrigued to know more about Alain, a man whose pains and dreams from childhood carried him out on a unique journey, first as a shepherd and then as a clown, to acquire a particular understanding of the human tragicomic condition.

With life today so ruled by self-demand and selfcriticism, and with almost no room for self compassion, I felt the intrinsic message of Alain’s work to be quite relevant.

As a director I am interested in exploring human essence and how it is affected, in each of us, by events beyond our control.
With Brin d’Amour I wanted to tell a story both biographical and archetypal, inviting people to reflect on their inner child and inspire the possibility of a more authentic life.

Frederico Custódio