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RELEASES France

Ordinary citizens unite against "big business"

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A group of provincials, including an oyster farmer and a restaurant owner, find themselves out of work due to the pollution of the lake next to which they lived and worked. Multinational agrochemical company Naterris is responsible for the pollution and offers a ridiculously small compensation at the end of a legal battle whose outcome can only be appealed if new evidence is provided.

Four ordinary citizens with very different personalities – played by Roschdy Zem, Jean-Paul Rouve, Marie Gillain and Adrien Jolivet – thus travel to Paris to take on La Très Très Grande Entreprise [+see also:
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(“The Very Very Big Company”). Launched today by Pathé on 261 screens, Pierre Jolivet’s new feature (produced by Produire à Paris) explores with humour and light-heartedness this modern version of David and Goliath.

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According to the director, the film "recalls Italian comedies of the 1960s and 1970s, in terms of their political edge. Simon Michaël and I tried to write a film about political engagement. When confronted with phenomena that are beyond us, it’s more interesting to fight rather than let ourselves be crushed. From the outset, the struggle led by the characters is simple: ‘I haven’t received enough compensation, I want more.’ In the process, they realise that the struggle is elsewhere, beyond the immediate issue. The real stakes are moral and no longer just financial."

Thus, the foursome try their hand at spying, by finding jobs at the multinational’s headquarters as a cook, cleaning lady and security agent.

This week’s ten other new releases include three critically-acclaimed films which were lauded at the latest Cannes Film Festival: Claire Simon’s French/Belgian co-production God’s Offices [+see also:
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(released by Shellac on 72 screens); German director Andreas Dresen’s Cloud Nine (ASC Distribution - 18 screens); and Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski’s Four Nights With Anna [+see also:
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(Les Films du Losange - 22 screens).

Also hitting screens is Michel Delgado’s French comedy Bouquet final [+see also:
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, which is set in a funeral parlour and stars Didier Bourdon, Bérénice Bejo, Marc-André Grondin, Gérard Depardieu, Marthe Keller and Michel Galabru (Gaumont - 350 screens).

The agro-chemical industry is also the focus of Jean-Paul Jaud’s documentary Nos enfants nous accuserons (“Our Children Will Accuse Us”), which is being launched by CTV on a 21-print run.

The line-up also includes Daniel Burman’s Argentinean/Spanish/French co-production Empty Nest (Océan Films - 12 screens), a Singaporean feature and three US titles.

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(Translated from French)

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