1
Multitude le film
2
Stromae
L’enfer
3
Formidable
4
Quand c’est
5
Papaoutai
6
Santé
7
Fils de joie
8
Alors on danse
9
L’enfer – TF1

When absence masquerades as presence

  • The projectLe projet
  • Insights
  • The song

Released in June 2013 as the second single from Racine Carrée, Papaoutai quickly became one of Stromae’s most iconic tracks and most viewed videos, amassing over 1 billion views to date. Directed by Raf Reyntjens, this visually striking video dives deep into the emotional pain of a child yearning for an absent father, captured in a distorted world that blurs the boundaries between reality and abstraction.

The video unfolds in a world that feels both nostalgic and strange, a washed-out version of the “sweet sixties,” where everything seems familiar, yet wrong. The central figure is a life-sized doll of Stromae, clumsily taking on the role of the father. Its awkward movements and inappropriate behavior embody the painful truth: this presence is no presence at all.

The set design plays a key role in this emotional landscape. The houses appear miniature, their cramped garages and child-height doors emphasizing the child’s vulnerability and confusion in the face of this absence. This clever manipulation of perspective creates a world where the boundaries of childhood imagination and the harshness of reality collide. Inside, the set designers used forced perspective to create an illusion of depth, drawing viewers into a surreal world where everything feels slightly off-center, just like the emotional state of the child in the song.

With its clever wordplay, Papaoutai resonates on a linguistic level as well. Stromae blends the phrase “Papa où t’es?”(“Dad, where are you?”) with the slang term “empapaouter,” meaning to fool someone, creating an evocative twist. This play on words, known as trompe-oreille, is a subtle yet powerful layer in a song that explores the emotional chaos of trying to understand and cope with loss. The video’s surreal imagery, paired with its unforgettable fusion of house, pop, and African rhythms, makes Papaoutai a poignant reflection on family, absence, and the longing for connection.

© Thomas Van Cottom
© Thomas Van Cottom
© Thomas Van Cottom
© Thomas Van Cottom
© Thomas Van Cottom
© Thomas Van Cottom
© Thomas Van Cottom
© Thomas Van Cottom
© Thomas Van Cottom
© Thomas Van Cottom
© Thomas Van Cottom
© Thomas Van Cottom
© Thomas Van Cottom

The video’s surreal imagery, paired with its unforgettable fusion of house, pop, and African rhythms, makes Papaoutai a poignant reflection on family, absence, and the longing for connection.

  • CreditsCredits
  • Special thanks
Raf Reyntjens – Director
Rik Zang – Director of Photography
Luc Van Haver – Art Director
Eva Van Riet – Producer
Jonas Van Herp – Producer
Marion Motin – Choreographer
Yves Verstraete – Art Director
Coralie Barbier – Stylist
Britt Angé – Stylist
Caroline Koreman – Stylist
Lili Dangvu – Head of Make-up
Corentin de Saedeleer – Post-Production Supervisor
Helena Overlaet-Michiels – Editor
Helena Overlaet-Michiels – VFX
Caviar – Post-Grading
paul van haver (stromae) — co-director
luc van haver — co-director
coralie barbier — co-director
julien soulier — co-director
auguste bas — producer
lou bardou-jacquet — production coordinator
giuseppe conti — producer be
gaëlle birenbaum — communication & project manager
evence guinet – dannonay — executive assistant
gaëlle cools — content & community manager
roxane hauzeur — textile product manager
diego mitrugno — office manager
félix lambot — line producer be
mathieu perez — 1st ad
benoît debie — dop
letizia giorgi — 1st camera assistant
cyprien rigaud — 2nd camera assistant
glauke vankeirshilck — camera trainee
bao debie — camera trainee
simon moirot — dit
emilie sornasse — qtake operator
xavier servais — key grip
nicolas baquet — grip
lucas gonzalez — grip
nathan meynsbrughen — grip
marco viera — grip
jérémy tondeur — grip
arnaud hock — gaffer
kilian delcorte — consolist
thibault doens — electrician
michael stolz — electrician
abdel mousshin — electrician
alicia dubois — mua
thomas ruelle — location manager
mustapha amzir — craft
justine debekker — painter
thibault flament — painter
kgs — grip
grip on — moving grip
tsf — light
lites — camera
flo catering — catering
studio monev — permissions
david le bozec — storyboarder
laurent ferrante — storyboarder
gaëlle champion — artistic direction
abyssal executive — production belgium
royal post — post production
jonathan trebois — post production manager
cindy durand paucsik — post production
vincent amor —  grader
julien laudicina — set supervisor & graphic designer
alicia boinot — 2d graphic designer
quentin mesureux — 2d graphic designer
robin deriaud — 2d graphic designer
ronan dusmenil — 2d graphic designer
terence nury — editor assistant
hadrian kalmbach — grading assistant
Chaz Buzan, Emilie Camacho, Nastasia Caruge, Dylan Laboid, Thierry Menda Malebo, Yanis Maurin, Karl Ruben Noel, Vibez, Ceasare Willis
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Informations & teamInformations & équipe

Mosaert is a multi-disciplinary creative house, composing & orchestrating singular creations that uncover unexpected experiences. Over the past 15 years, we have pushed boundaries with made-to- measure experiences in the fields of music, fashion, and audiovisuals. Our approach is rooted in collaboration, where we listen closely to our partners while introducing fresh ideas that elevate their vision.

Whether it’s art direction, collaborations, commissioned projects or full- scale productions, our collective of talents is focused on transforming emotions into surprising, one-of-a-kind creations.

info@mosaert.com

Mosaert is a multi-disciplinary creative house, composing & orchestrating singular creations that uncover unexpected experiences. Over the past 15 years, we have pushed boundaries with made-to- measure experiences in the fields of music, fashion, and audiovisuals. Our approach is rooted in collaboration, where we listen closely to our partners while introducing fresh ideas that elevate their vision.

Whether it’s art direction, collaborations, commissioned projects or full- scale productions, our collective of talents is focused on transforming emotions into surprising, one-of-a-kind creations.

info@mosaert.com

CEO & creative director
Paul Van Haver
Executive & creative director
Luc Van Haver
Fashion designer & creative director
Coralie Barbier
Communication & project manager
Gaëlle Birenbaum
Office manager
Diego Mitrugno
CEO & creative director
Paul Van Haver
Executive & creative director
Luc Van Haver
Fashion designer & creative director
Coralie Barbier
Communication & project manager
Gaëlle Birenbaum
Office manager
Diego Mitrugno