At War / En Guerre

A gripping drama by Stéphane Brizé, showcased at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in May, tells the story of French factory workers at "Perrin Industrie." For five years, they agreed to salary cuts to keep the company afloat. However, the German headquarters, dissatisfied with the factory’s insufficient profitability, decided to shut it down and leave the workers jobless. In response, the factory's union launches a strike, with emotions running high.

The film’s consultant was Xavier Mathieu, an activist with the General Confederation of Labor. Many of the film’s dialogues and speeches were spontaneous. The drama has sparked mixed reviews from critics, ranging from high praise to accusations of unrealistic portrayals. Ultimately, though, the audience will decide.