She teaches the grumpy painter Dufayel (a brilliant Serge Merlin) that “small moments” are the only ones that matter. She teaches us that you can defeat the absurdity of life not with philosophy, but by making a map for a lost tourist or leaving stones in your pocket for luck.

Before 2001, director Jean-Pierre Jeunet was known for dark, gritty sci-fi. He had co-directed Delicatessen (1991) and The City of Lost Children (1995)—films populated by rust, rain, and surreal monstrosities. He even went to Hollywood to direct Alien: Resurrection (1997), an experience he found technically impressive but emotionally sterile.

: The score by Yann Tiersen, featuring the accordion and toy piano, became an international sensation and is now synonymous with the cinematic image of Paris. 3. Critical and Commercial Success