Director/Script: Florent Emilio Siri
Photography: Giovanni Coltellacci
Music: Alexandre Desplat
Principal Cast: Benoît Magimel, Bruno Putzulu, Rüdiger Vogler, Jean-Yves Chatelais, Alexander May, Andrea Schieffer
Producers: Frank Le Wita, Marc de Bayser
Co-Producers: Joachim Ortmanns, Carl-Ludwig Rettinger, Dominique Janne
Production: Film Oblige, Lichtblick Köln, K2 with the support of Centre National de la Cinematographie, EURIMAGES, Conseil de l'Europe, Canal Plus and Filmstiftung NRW/WDR
WDR editor: Michael André
Distribution: Films Distributions Paris
Tel: +33 1 42 92 00 12
Fax: +33 1 42 92 00 21
Distribution Germany: Lichtblick Film & Fernsehproduktion GmbH
Tel: +49 221 925 7520
Fax: +49 221 925 7529
Prix da la Jeunesse - Namur 1998
Prix Cyril Collard 1998
San Sebastian 1998
Prix Public - "Entrevues" Belfort 1998
A friendship overshadowed by sweeping industrial change: Just like their fathers and grandfathers before them, Marek, a Polish immigrant, and Mimmo, an Italian, work in the mines of Lorraine in Eastern France. In their free time, they hang around with their buddies at snack carts during the day and hit the bars and brothels at night. When the miners find out their Christmas bonuses are going to be cut, the trade union calls them out on strike. While Marek is out picketing with his fellow miners, Mimmo gets involved with a questionable character trading in girls. Of course, he promises Mimmo better times ahead. This sincere work was the cinematic debut of Florent Emilio Siri, one which won numerous awards and made him the discovery of the San Sebastian Film Festival.