Misère au Borinage
| Misère au Borinage | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Henri Storck Joris Ivens |
| Written by | Henri Storck Joris Ivens |
| Edited by | Helen van Dongen |
Release date | 1934[1] |
Running time | 36 minutes |
| Country | Belgium |
| Languages | French, Dutch |
Misère au Borinage (
coal miners, in the Borinage region of Hainaut Province in Belgium. It is considered a classic work of political cinema[2] and has been described as "one of the most important references in the documentary genre".[3]
Misère au Borinage was shot in
coal miners who have been evicted from their houses and made unemployed following their participation in the strike. It also shows the poor living conditions of the miners and their families. The film makes the argument that strike action could be justified by the poor conditions in which Belgian workers lived.[4]
The film was made against the context of the Great Depression and premiered in Brussels in March 1934.[5] According to Robert Stallaerts, Storck's work as director of Misère au Borinage justified his status as "father of Walloon cinema" even though he was actually Flemish.[6]
In 2000, a new documentary was made about the Borinage as a tribute to Storck: "Les Enfants du Borinage - Lettre à Henri Storck".
See also
- Belgian general strikes
- Les Enfants du Borinage - Lettre à Henri Storck(2000)
References
- ^ Mathijs 2004, p. 37.
- ISBN 978-0-19-518270-5
- ^ Misery in Borinage
- ^ Mathijs 2004, p. 41.
- ^ Mathijs 2004, p. 42.
- ISBN 0-8108-3603-3
- Bibliography
- Mathijs, Ernest, ed. (2004). The Cinema of the Low Countries. London: Wallflower Press. ISBN 9781904764007.
External links
- "Critique: Misère au Borinage (Misery In Borinage) by Ivens & Storck". La Revue Toudi. Retrieved 2009-10-13. Review of the film and video (version of 1933) without music or comment; French and Dutch titles.
- Misère au Borinage at IMDb
