Seven years in the making, Crois Pas Qu’on Dort (Don't Think We're Sleeping) isn’t just a film, it’s a testament to grit, independence, and identity, both behind and in front of the camera. Since 2017, we’ve collaborated with Nike to tell a coming-of-age story that transcends sports, following three standout athletes through five life-changing years.
We started the process with over 500 athletic profiles, whittled down to a few dozen, and eventually locked in on the final three protagonists: Charles-Antoine, a runner with an intellectual disability and Leyna & Maysane, French twin sisters and heirs to their Laotian-Algerian family’s very own taekwondo dynasty.
These aren’t just athletes, they’re the underdogs of French society, pushing not only for gold medals but for identity, independence, and recognition. They’re fighting for a win in life, not just in sport. It’s about being seen, not just as athletes but as individuals claiming their place in the French narrative.
To support the narrative of visibility and recognition Pi Studios created the CPQD Pledge - a commitment to a safe, diverse, and inclusive environment that fosters learning. The commitment saw us recruit a film crew and creative squad who represent our athletes and their communities to help bring the story to life. From brainstorm to delivery, Parisian creatives consulted with the team at Pi Studios with the ambition to make all creative decisions as relevant as possible.
The poster was shot by Solene Gun, whose lens captures the grit and grace of immigrant Parisian youth. Her work reflects her own experience as a Turkish immigrant living in Paris and touches on the alienation and resilience that defines her community. We were instantly drawn to her cover for Dazed's ‘Togetherness’ issue and were thrilled when she agreed to shoot the images that would become the movie's posters.
Solene Gun : Dazed Magazine
The concept is a literal visualization of the film’s title Crois Pas Qu’on Dort (‘Don’t Think We’re Sleeping.’) We see the athletes laying down - dreaming not sleeping - with the image turned 180 degrees to demonstrate their determination to flip societal expectations on their head. Solene and the team distilled the essence of our three athletes into a striking visual nod to the French tricolor, encapsulating their spirit in every shot. The images, much like its subjects, refuse to be ignored.
For the titles, Ruder Plakat was chosen as the typeface due to its bold and impactful quality and is used at dramatic scale - a rallying cry of Parisian youth. The typeface was then modified by Anthony & Hugo from Parisian design studio Athenia who employed varying letter widths to echo the movement and rhythm of sport as well as geometric forms as a homage to the Olympic Rings. Together with CC Studio we then developed a motion system where the letterforms open up, resembling the transformation of the ‘awakened’ state of the athletes in the film.
Crois Pas Qu’on Dort is more than a documentary; it’s a visual anthem for the underdogs, flipping the script on who gets to be seen and celebrated. This film captures a generation fighting for their place in the world. With a creative team that mirrors the very spirit of these athletes, this project is proof that you don't need to be part of the establishment to create something iconic.
The trailer for the movie can be seen below and the full movie is in cinemas now and will be streaming soon.