AT WAR

In their fourth collaboration, director Stéphane Brizé and star Vincent Lindon examine the politics, passions and broken promises of one of today’s biggest battles: profits versus people.

After sacrificing extra benefits for the promise of job security – forgoing bonuses and overtime in return for at least five years of employment – the 1100 workers of an automotive parts manufacturing firm in southwest France are stunned to learn that their factory is closing. The financially successful plant is the only employer in the region, but its German owners remain unsympathetic about the impact of their decision. As union representative Laurent Amedeo (Lindon, MIFF 2013’s Bastards) fights for their rights in heated negotiations, the employees strike for their livelihoods.

A detailed and rousing feature that wouldn’t feel out of place in Ken Loach’s filmography, this spirited social realist drama takes to its topic like it’s stepping onto a battlefield, with the irrepressible Lindon leading the charge.

"Ripped from the headlines, keenly researched and carefully crafted, this fictional tale has near-universal resonance." – Screen Daily