The absurdist dystopian short was filmed overnight inside Galeries Lafayette stores in Paris
The Galeries Lafayette Group-produced short film “Two People Exchanging Saliva” won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film on Sunday, giving the Paris-based retailer an unexpected presence on Hollywood’s biggest stage.
The 36-minute black-and-white film was written and directed by Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh. Much of the production was filmed overnight inside Galeries Lafayette Champs-Élysées and in the La Suite apartment at the retailer’s Boulevard Haussmann flagship in Paris.
“It’s amazing news for us, for all the team,” Galeries Lafayette Group image and innovation director Guillaume Houzé remarked from Los Angeles, where he attended the Academy Awards ceremony. While the film had already collected numerous festival prizes, Houzé described the Oscar as “really super, super special.”
The short presents an absurdist dystopian narrative in which kissing has been outlawed and everyday interactions are conducted through ritualized slaps to the face. The story follows Angine, played by Zar Amir, a dissatisfied woman whose fascination with a playful salesgirl portrayed by Luàna Bajrami draws the attention of a jealous colleague. Vicky Krieps serves as the film’s narrator.
“Two People Exchanging Saliva” premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in September 2024 and built strong momentum across the international festival circuit. Among its accolades were the grand jury prize at AFI Fest in Los Angeles, best in block at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, and both the Canal+ national and national audience awards at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival.
The film was developed through Galeries Lafayette’s “By Night” initiative, which offers artists funding and access to its department store locations after hours. For the project, the filmmakers were granted unusual access to the Champs-Élysées location, where production took place across six nights after closing.
“They came with this amazing idea and this topic,” Houzé said. “It’s an absurd premise, but what a poetic and beautiful way they managed to do the film — the lighting, the cinematography and the actresses are stunning.”
As the film gained recognition, actors Isabelle Huppert and Julianne Moore joined the project as executive producers during its festival run.
“That was part of the journey, actually,” Houzé said. “They loved the film, and they wanted to be part of this adventure. And so, very quickly they jumped on board with us on the film.”
For Galeries Lafayette, the Oscar win reflects a longer tradition of supporting artistic creation. The family-owned retailer has increasingly positioned its stores as spaces for cultural experimentation in addition to commerce.
“We’ve been supporting creation for 130 years,” Houzé said.
It’s a real commitment. It’s not about communication. It’s really part of our DNA.”
In recent years, that strategy has expanded through initiatives such as the Fondation Lafayette Anticipations, a contemporary art institution in Paris designed by architect Rem Koolhaas, as well as partnerships with film festivals and emerging filmmakers.
“The idea is always to answer the question of how to be the more useful for the artists, but also for the customers,” Houzé said. “We want to give to our customers a taste of what artists are working on today.”
Following the Oscar win, the retailer is considering ways to showcase the achievement in its stores, including the possibility of displaying the statuette — or a replica — at its Champs-Élysées location.
“I would love to put the Oscar inside,” Houzé said. “That would be amazing.”
After more than a year of campaigning and festival appearances, however, Houzé suggested the filmmakers may take a brief pause before deciding on their next steps.
“The campaign started like a year and a half ago,” he said. “So I think they need to rest.”