|
A FILM SPLIT INTO THREE SECTIONS.
First period - The Family Business (the 1950's and 1960's)
At the time, the company was much more than just a factory; it was a living environment, with housing, sometimes known as ‘barracks’, schools, a church, a priest who was paid on a supervisor’s pay scale, an infirmary run by religious nurses, etc. The entire organisation was controlled by the company manager, who was responsible for both the production side and the Vidalon living area.
Second period - The Time of Crisis (the 1970's)
The film shows how the company was forced to “tighten its belt."
Third period - The Time of Recovery (the 1980's and 1990's)
However, tightening its belt wasn’t enough; it had to start making fundamental changes creating a system that was more flexible and able to adapt to new markets.
Appartenances focuses on the past, and it is here that its interest lies. It shows how a company used to function forty years ago, with all its unique history, value system, and organisational structure.
For example, the film shows production workshop using non-streamlined paper machines - something which no longer exists today. It shows unique social relationship systems, such as during the incident when the machine broke down, which we were fortunate enough to film..
THREE FILMS ABOUT THE CANSON AND MONTGOLFIER PAPER-MILLS
Appartenances (1996) is the first film of a series of three documentaries featuring the Canson and Montgolfier paper mills. This company is located in Ardèche (45 miles south-west of Lyon), where it has been producing paper for almost 300 years. Our team of sociologists has been monitoring changes within the company for more than 30 years, and we have been filming there for 25 years.
First Prize of the Festival du Film scientifique d’Oullins (1996), Firm History First Prize of the Festival du Creusot (1997).
Rumeurs d'ateliers (1993) is the second film.
Selected in 1993 by the Festival du Cinéma du Réel (Beaubourg Center) and by the Congrès Mondial d’Anthropologie in Mexico.
Annonay (France), Qingdao (Chine): First Part, October 1997-April 1998 (2001) |
VERSION FRANCAISE - FRENCH VERSION
