In mid-nineteenth-century northern France, a coal mining town's workers are exploited by the mine's owner. One day, they decide to go on strike, and the authorities repress them.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
- 2 wins & 11 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Miou-Miou | ... |
Maheude
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| Renaud | ... |
Étienne Lantier
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| Jean Carmet | ... |
Vincent Maheu dit Bonnemort
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Judith Henry | ... |
Catherine Maheu
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Jean-Roger Milo | ... |
Chaval
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| Gérard Depardieu | ... |
Toussaint Maheu
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| Laurent Terzieff | ... |
Souvarine
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| Bernard Fresson | ... |
Victor Deneulin
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| Jean-Pierre Bisson | ... |
Rasseneur
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| Jacques Dacqmine | ... |
Philippe Hennebeau
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| Anny Duperey | ... |
Madame Hennebeau
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| Gérard Croce | ... |
Maigrat
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| Frédéric van den Driessche | ... |
Paul Négrel
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| Annick Alane | ... |
Madame Grégoire
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Pierre Lafont | ... |
Léon Grégoire
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| Thierry Levaret | ... |
Zacharie Maheu
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| Fred Personne | ... |
Pluchart
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| Cécile Bois | ... |
Cécile Grégoire
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| Yolande Moreau | ... |
La Levaque
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Maximilien Regiani | ... |
Pierron
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Bruno Tuchszer | ... |
Captain of the Guards
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| Anne-Marie Pisani | ... |
La Mouquette
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Fred Ulysse | ... |
Dansaert
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| André Julien | ... |
Mouque
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Albano Guaetta | ... |
Jeanlin Maheu
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| Georges Staquet | ... |
Levaque
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| Yvette Petit | ... |
Veuve Désir
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Delphine Quentin | ... |
Lucie Deneulin
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Alexandrine Loeb | ... |
Jeanne Deneulin
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| Solenn Jarniou | ... |
Madame Rasseneur
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| Frédérique Ruchaud | ... |
Honorine
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| Jenny Clève | ... |
Rose
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Fernand Kindt | ... |
Company Secretary
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| André Chaumeau | ... |
Company Cashier
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Philippe Desboeuf | ... |
Doctor
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Séverine Huon | ... |
Alzire Maheu
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Jessica Sueur | ... |
Lénore Maheu
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Mathieu Mattez | ... |
Henri Maheu
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Alexandre Lekieffre | ... |
Maxime
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Sabrina Deladerière | ... |
Philomène
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Joël Petit | ... |
Bébert
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Nathalie Hequet | ... |
Amélie
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Claude Berri | ... |
Narrator (uncredited) (voice)
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Corinne Masiero | ... |
Bit Part (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Claude Berri | ||
Written by
| Émile Zola | ... | (novel) |
| Claude Berri | ... | (written by) & |
| Arlette Langmann | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| Claude Berri | ... | producer |
| Hervé Bourges | ... | co-producer (uncredited) |
| Pierre Grunstein | ... | line producer |
| Georges Prost | ... | co-producer (uncredited) |
| André Rousselet | ... | co-producer (uncredited) |
| Bodo Scriba | ... | associate producer |
Music by
| Jean-Louis Roques | ||
Cinematography by
| Yves Angelo | ||
Editing by
| Hervé de Luze | ||
Editorial Department
| Nadia Ben Rachid | ... | assistant editor |
| Laure Mercier | ... | assistant editor |
| Raphaël Péaud | ... | assistant editor |
| Isabelle Tat | ... | assistant editor |
Casting By
| Gérard Moulévrier | ||
Production Design by
| Christian Marti | ||
| Hoang Thanh At | ||
Art Direction by
| Olivier Radot | ||
Costume Design by
| Moidele Bickel | ... | (as Bernadette Villard) |
| Caroline de Vivaise | ||
| Sylvie Gautrelet | ||
Makeup Department
| Laurent Blanchard | ... | hair stylist |
| Laurent Blanchart | ... | hair stylist |
| Dominique Colladant | ... | special makeup effects artist |
| Reiko Kruk | ... | special makeup effects artist |
| Hugues Lavau | ... | makeup artist |
| Joël Lavau | ... | makeup artist |
| Nathalie Louichon | ... | makeup artist |
| Isabelle Luzet | ... | hair stylist |
| Gérald Portenart | ... | key hair stylist |
| Pierre Vadé | ... | hair stylist |
Production Management
| Francis Barrois | ... | assistant unit manager |
| Patrick Bordier | ... | production manager |
| Marc Vadé | ... | unit manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Frédéric Auburtin | ... | first assistant director |
| Eric Bartonio | ... | second assistant director |
| Natalie Engelstein | ... | second assistant director |
| Nathalie Engelstein | ... | second assistant director |
Art Department
| Yann Biquand | ... | second assistant decorator |
| Frédéric Bénard | ... | assistant art director |
| Jean-René Coulon | ... | property master |
| Denis Gautelier | ... | carpenter |
| Frédéric Jourdan | ... | carpenter |
| Mathieu Junot | ... | props buyer |
| Yvon Moreno | ... | painter |
| Enrique Santana | ... | decorative painter |
| Patrick Schmitt | ... | prop buyer |
Sound Department
| Nicolas Becker | ... | foley artist |
| Bernard Chaumeil | ... | boom operator |
| Pascal Chauvin | ... | sound effects |
| Mathilde Cousin | ... | assistant sound editor |
| Pierre Gamet | ... | sound engineer |
| Dominique Hennequin | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Michel Klochendler | ... | sound editor |
| Jacques Lévy | ... | post-synchronisation / post-synchronization |
| Jean-Noël Yven | ... | foley artist |
Special Effects by
| Jean-Pierre Maricourt | ... | special effects (as Jean-Pierre Moricourt) |
| Derek Meddings | ... | special effects coordinator |
| Christophe Messaoudi | ... | special effects |
| Philippe Sylvain | ... | special effects |
Visual Effects by
| Angus Bickerton | ... | model unit focus puller |
| David Carrigan | ... | first assistant director: vfx unit |
| Alan Church | ... | clapper loader: Magic Camera Co / focus puller: Magic Camera Co |
| José Granell | ... | director of miniature effects |
| Antony Hunt | ... | executive producer: The Magic Camera Company |
| Frederic Moreau | ... | optical effects supervisor |
| Antoine Simkine | ... | visual effects executive producer: Duboi |
| Andy Stevens | ... | model unit camera assistant: Magic Camera Co |
Stunts
| Jean-Louis Airola | ... | stunts |
| William Cagnard | ... | stunts |
| Albert Goldberg | ... | stunts |
| Philippe Guégan | ... | stunts |
| Jérôme Henry | ... | stunts (as Jerome Henry) |
| Frédéric Vallet | ... | stunts |
| Lionel Vitrant | ... | stunts |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Benoît Barbier | ... | still photographer |
| Stéphane Cry | ... | electrician |
| Patrick de Ranter | ... | steadicam operator |
| Laurent Fleutot | ... | first assistant camera |
| Gil Fontbonne | ... | grip |
| Charlie Freess | ... | key grip |
| Jean-Yves Freess | ... | best boy grip |
| Marc Koninckx | ... | second camera operator / steadicam operator |
| Denis Moncel | ... | gaffer |
| Patrick Renault | ... | electrician |
| Nicolas Sommermeyer | ... | grip |
| Alain Tanguy | ... | electrician |
| Richard Vidal | ... | electrician |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Nathalie Chesnais | ... | wardrobe |
| Christophe Giraud | ... | costume painter/dyer |
| Pierre-Jean Larroque | ... | wardrobe |
| Gil Noir | ... | wardrobe |
| Fabio Perrone | ... | wardrobe |
Location Management
| Jean-René Coulon | ... | location manager |
Music Department
| Jean-Claude Casadesus | ... | conductor |
| Bernard Gérard | ... | music arranger |
Script and Continuity Department
| Véronique Lagrange | ... | script supervisor |
Additional Crew
| Élizabeth Boorn | ... | production secretary |
| Pierre Choumeurthe | ... | production assistant |
| Sylvie Coen | ... | legal counsel |
| Claude Davy | ... | press attaché |
| Nicolas Davy | ... | production assistant |
| Nicole Dehayes | ... | choreographer |
| Alain Dumoulin | ... | miners' tools made by |
| Claude Fenioux | ... | financial controller |
| Catherine Staub | ... | production accountant |
| Pierre Trémouille | ... | financial director |
Production Companies
- Renn Productions
- France 2 Cinéma
- DD Productions
- Alternative Films (co-production)
- Artisti Associati (II) (co-production)
- Canal+ (in collaboration with)
- Sofiarp (support)
- Investimage 2 (support)
- Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC) (support)
- Groupe Pinault (support)
- Ministère de l'Éducation Nationale (support)
- Ministère de la Culture et de la Francophonie (support)
- Eurimages (support)
- Région Nord-Pas-de-Calais (support)
Distributors
- AMLF (1993) (France) (theatrical)
- Alternative Films (1993) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Artisti Associati (II) (1994) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Herald Ace (1994) (Japan) (theatrical)
- AMLF Vidéo (1994) (France) (VHS)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (1994) (United States) (VHS) (subtitled)
- Transmundo Films (1995) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- Transmundo Home Video (THV) (1995) (Argentina) (VHS)
- Nordisk Film Home Entertainment (1999) (Finland) (VHS)
- Pathé Vidéo (1999) (France) (DVD)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (DVD)
- Gemini (1995) (Russia) (theatrical)
- Guild Film Distribution (1994) (United States) (theatrical)
- Sony Pictures Classics (United States) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Tobis (Germany) (theatrical)
- C/FP Video (Canada) (VHS)
- Ciné+ (2020) (France) (tv)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (United States) (VHS)
- PFC Vidéo (France) (VHS)
- Pathé International (1993) (World-wide)
- Pathé Vidéo (France) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Fuji (film stock)
- Kodak (film stock)
- Orchestre National de Lille (music performed by)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
It's mid 19th century, north of France. The story of a coal miner's town. They are exploited by the mine's owner. One day the decide to go on strike, and then the authorities repress them.
Written by Michel Rudoy |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | FRF164,000,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | The movie cost 165 milllion francs, which made it the most expensive French movie ever made at the time of release. See more » |
| Goofs | Near the end of the film, when Etienne and Catherine are looking for a way out of the mine, there are shadows of the lamps on the right wall of the tunnel. It's to be supposed that the only light inside the mine came from the lamps. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Guarding Tess/Lightning Jack/The Hudsucker Proxy/The Ref/Belle Epoque/Germinal (1994). See more » |
| Crazy Credits | Dedication at the beginning of the movie: "For my father" See more » |
| Quotes |
Etienne Lantier:
Capitalist tyranny is destroying us. See more » |