TEMPORARIES/RICHELIEU (Canada-France, 2023, 89′)

Wednesday, October 2, at 10 am, Politecnico di Torino, Aula Emma Strada, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24

Event in collaboration with CGIL – CISL – UIL Torino e Politecnico di Torino

On Wednesday, October 2, at 10 am Job Film Days presents the film Richelieu (Canada-France, 2023, 90′) by Canadian screenwriter and editor Pier-Philippe Chevigny at the Politecnico di Torino, in collaboration with CGIL – CISL – UIL Torino and Politecnico di Torino. The screening denounces the extremely harsh working conditions to which seasonal immigrant workers in Canada are subjected and the discrimination against them.
The film will be presented by Tatiana Mazali (Turin Polytechnic University, Bachelor of Science in Cinema and Media Engineering). Followed by debate with Mattia Pirulli (CISL national secretary), Stefano Sacchi (vice-rector Politecnico di Torino). Giorgio Vernoni (Ires Piemonte) will moderate.

Methods of access: admission by invitation.

Direction and screenplay: Pier-Philippe Chevigny
Director of Photography: Gabriel Brault Tardif
Editing: Amélie Labrèche
Cast: Ariane Castellanos, Marc-André Grondin, Nelson Coronado, Eve Duranceau
Production: Le Foyer Films, TS Productions, JPL Films

Ariane, facing economic issues after her difficult divorce, comes back to the Québec Richelieu Valley, her hometown. There, she finds a job as an interpreter for seasonal immigrant workers in a food-processing plant. Stéphane, her boss, is aggressive and lacking in humanity, as is another factory manager, Michèle. Through her work, Ariane gets to know the immigrant community from Guatemala, a country she is familiar with because of her father?s origins. The working conditions are exhausting and, not enough, the workers are also guarded in their dormitory, which is illegal. They try to rebel against it, but it is useless. The bosses are ruthless, also towards Manuel, who is forced to work despite severe back pain that will bring him close to death. Solidarity is established between Ariane and Manuel, but the woman is fired because of the choices she made. In the face of abuse and injustice, she cannot remain passive. Yet, she seems to be the only one who sees these human beings as real people.

Pier-Philippe Chevigny ( Montréal, Canada, 1988) is a director, screenwriter and editor. He studied Cinema at the University of Montréal. His movies melt contemporary socio-political issues with a precise visual. In 2019, his short film Rebel got international applause. After making several music videos and short films, in 2023 he filmed his debut feature film, Richelieu premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. He is currently working on a new movie written together with Chloé Robichaud. He has also completed his short film Mercenaire starring Marc-André Grondin, already in the cast of Richelieu.

Filmography (selected): Carré de sable (sf, 2012), Les jours qui suivront (sf, 2012), Le philanthrope (sf, 2013), Tala (sf, 2013), La visite (sf, 2016, doc), Vétérane (sf, 2017), Rebel (sf, 2019), Richelieu (2023).