Please note: This was screened in Dec 2018
Following Cannes winner The Measure of a Man, director Stéphane Brizé and actor Vincent Lindon come together once again for this noisy and impassioned story of a workforce that fight back when the factory they were promised job security from closes down.
Two years ago, a factory in France made an agreement with their workers: they would undergo a tough pay freeze in exchange for five years of job security. Now, despite record profits, the owners are breaking their promise and shutting the factory down – but not without a fightback from their 1,100 employees. Lead by passionate and articulate union man Laurent Amédéo (Lindon), the workers come together in an attempt to save their jobs.
The film is a must see for Lindon alone; he executes the role flawlessly, embodying the brutality of the conflict with power and grit. His performance combined with the handheld, news-style camera work makes At War a dynamic and active watch that puts you right at the heart of the dispute – in solidarity with the workers, battling for justice.