It is unusual for a film to make me feel physically uncomfortable. Not because it is disgusting or otherwise bad, quite the contrary. It is as if my asthma is triggered simply by the sight of the pollution in Fos-sur-Mer in southern France. The area has three times the average number of #cancer cases in France, and 63% of the inhabitants have at least one chronic condition. This is completely understandable when you see director Pascal Messaoudi’s film, which insists on showing the people and life within the contrasting scenic narratives. These beautiful images on a tripod make me, and perhaps others, feel lucky not to be forced to live in Fos-sur-Mer. Simple research reveals that the inhabitants are more exposed to industrial pollution, which has a direct adverse effect on humans.
Food trucks for the people
However, the film shows great respect and love for its participants. Right by the roundabout, where huge lorries queue to enter the industrial area, is the exit to Snack de la Fossette. This is where Nathalie and Fred have their small mobile food truck, selling steak sandwiches, fries, and other snacks to satisfy the truck drivers’ hunger. The director has installed a camera here that films both the customers, who are primarily men, and the woman Nathalie behind the counter. We hear fragments of small conversations about a father’s funeral, about today’s rising prices, and about what the radio in the truck is broadcasting. It is primarily a program featuring listeners’ stories about how many people in the area have asthma, cancer or sclerosis.
Meanwhile, the drivers order food with mustard, mayonnaise or samurai sauce. Nathalie, serving the hungry and friendly customers, has been there for 30 years. She is always ready for a chat and a cigarette. So, even though the conversations are fragmented, there is a friendly and loving atmosphere. It is like spending a short time with friends trying to fix the world. This is a very nice cinematic touch, and the sound quality is excellent.
The contrasting images, including high-voltage pylons, factories, blast furnaces, smoke, and happy bathers and surfers, are absurd in many ways. Can you really enjoy swimming in water near factories without risks? This is precisely one of the questions that the film raises in its portrayal of the area. The region is also home to a large port, where around 490,000 tons of goods are handled in 20,000 containers every year.
When are we willing to say no to goods and necessities that make life easier?
The honest problem
The shepherd I meet is the only person who really points out the problem, saying, “People complain about the price of petrol, but all they do is drive – I walk!” This is one of the film’s main points. When are we willing to say no to goods and necessities that make life easier? I am happy to have electricity, a refrigerator, and a computer. I don´t have a car and usually travel by train. However, I gladly accept lifts and don’t turn down flights.
The shepherd complains about the lack of water for the animals and kicks the dry grass. Throughout the film, the images of shepherds and industry, the sea and hatch-free containerships, forklift trucks, and coloured containers are well composed and remain static. But people seem to enjoy themselves. Young men risk their lives as they train with a bull that furiously chases them. Line dancing is popular. There are barbecues on the beach, 1950s parties, and cars. It’s a picture of life as it is lived in many Western cities.
The dust and heat
The food truck faithfully arrives every working day, staying in the same place with its hatch open and the French flag fluttering. There are plastic tables and chairs outside for those who want to sit down, as well as a small parasol to shield them from the sun. And it is very hot. Here you can feel the dust and the heat. And you can definitely feel mutual respect among the customers and Nathalie. She has been there for 30 years, preparing food for the drivers. One of the remarks in conversation, `It must have changed? `Yes, it is all going downhill, ‘ she replies, smiling. She will soon have to pack up again to be ready for tomorrow morning.
I am very enthusiastic about the atmosphere in the film, not least about the music. It underpins the narrative and the feeling. Even though there is pollution in the air, people seem to accept the conditions or at least live with them. I myself am a consumer of goods produced or shipped in this French region and many others around the world. Ultimately, it is up to the audience to take a stand.
