A Bientot Jespere (Be Seeing You) is one of Marker's most important SLON films.
SLON means "Elephant" in Russian. Marker uses this moniker to symbolize confronting the elephant in the room (of society)...the exploitation of the working class.
Modern day slavery, by any other name.
The SLON movement is organized around anarcho syndicalist principles- the liberation of the working class by putting the power and profits of production into their hands, as collective managers and benefactors.
It's a horizontally based, bottom up approach to labour relations, as opposed to the top down vertically organized models that we currently have in place; of which are constantly pushed on societies around the world.
This is cinema as a political weapon.
In this film, Marker and Marret focus on the Rhodiaceta factory in Besancon, France. A textiles company that employs 14,000 workers.
The film opens with a man selling Christmas trees to workers as they leave the factory.
This exposes the true reality of the so-called "trickle down effect"- always touted by capitalism and it's proponents.
The idea that one must hoard money in droves at the top, in the upper echelons of the capitalist hierarchy (read: pyramid scheme), is a blatant and obvious fallacy.
In fact, profits don't trickle down at all.
They trickle out from the larger body of workers, who then distribute the wealth, created from production, in streams to those around them, as they buy goods and services offered by others in their community. Much like how lakes distribute fresh water for people to drink and things to grow, via rivers, creeks and streams. Flowing out, on a subtle grade, as opposed to down from on high.
A labour organizer named "Yoyo" calls the men together the men as they filter out from the facility after their shifts.
He wants to talk to them about the layoffs management is about to impose upon them right before Christmas. A heartless act they blame on market forces...though, surely a ruse to ensure the security of their own bonuses.
A month long strike was held in 1967, evolving the labour movement from the sit ins of the 1930's, to something more militant.
This strike resulted, not in a raise of pay, but rather the education of an entire class of young workers.
Thus, Marker is emulating that model with this film, passing on the knowledge to the next generation, by telling their story through the art of cinema.
This is SLON.
The workers made the choice to strike as a collective body.
Instead of working, they rallied together as a community. Creating a support system for those out of work; a library; and even leading cultural debates.
They saw culture as a struggle, and necessity, equal to man's need for bread.
For they were tired of those at the top defining the culture in which they existed- using it as an excuse to keep them repressed.
It was these men at the top, seeking to define culture and impose it on those below them, that were responsible for creating the myth of the red scare. The dehumanization of communists as a means to bust unions, prop themselves up at the top, and maintain the status quo.
But as these working men began to pursue liberation, they were able to free themselves from these chains and strip away this indoctrination.
And, in turn, they started to shift the narrative and define their own realities.
What started as an act of the union metamorphosed into an entire social movement, as students and other communist-minded groups began to join the cause as an act of solidarity.
This is the spark that would go on to fan the flames of social movement unionism 30 years later.
It's common to hear those on the right argue that communism is responsible for destroying the traditional family structure, and that this leads to many of society's ails.
But as you can see from the testimonies here...it is actually the mechanistic design of capitalism that is responsible for the breakdown of the family...because it breaks down the individual...in order to keep them repressed, so that they can easily be manipulated, controlled, and enslaved within it's design. Which causes families to fall apart, in turn.
For this benefits those at the top. Enabling them to protect the wealth and power they hold through institutions.
Institutions like the media and the police.
If the popular media is a tool these elites use to maintain the status quo and control, by spreading lies and half truths...then this- and other films like it- are a force for truth and revolution in themselves.
Such is the nature of SLON.
For, if the police are but vigilante thugs whose sole existence is protect the forces of capital that maintain this system of oppression; then we must have each others backs and work together to become an unmoveable force for justice.
An informed labour force that works together as one body cannot be conned, manipulated or bought off.
And this is exactly what those in power fear- and the reason why they are willing to use violence to maintain dominance and keep the rest of us in check.
They will always try to bust the unions; demonize communism; and stifle collective action.
Because these are the forces that will defeat them. And they know it.
SLON is, thus, a weapon that will help win this war; and restore balance to society and the world.
And this film is a call to arms.
Our backs will not be broken.
We will not be defeated.
And for those who own capital..."We'll be seeing you"...
SLON forever! Forever SLON!
Marker would continue this trend and solidify his reputation as a visionary revolutionary artist and filmmaker with the 1984 film 2084, which acts as a nice follow up and companion piece to this film here.
10 out of 10.
SLON means "Elephant" in Russian. Marker uses this moniker to symbolize confronting the elephant in the room (of society)...the exploitation of the working class.
Modern day slavery, by any other name.
The SLON movement is organized around anarcho syndicalist principles- the liberation of the working class by putting the power and profits of production into their hands, as collective managers and benefactors.
It's a horizontally based, bottom up approach to labour relations, as opposed to the top down vertically organized models that we currently have in place; of which are constantly pushed on societies around the world.
This is cinema as a political weapon.
In this film, Marker and Marret focus on the Rhodiaceta factory in Besancon, France. A textiles company that employs 14,000 workers.
The film opens with a man selling Christmas trees to workers as they leave the factory.
This exposes the true reality of the so-called "trickle down effect"- always touted by capitalism and it's proponents.
The idea that one must hoard money in droves at the top, in the upper echelons of the capitalist hierarchy (read: pyramid scheme), is a blatant and obvious fallacy.
In fact, profits don't trickle down at all.
They trickle out from the larger body of workers, who then distribute the wealth, created from production, in streams to those around them, as they buy goods and services offered by others in their community. Much like how lakes distribute fresh water for people to drink and things to grow, via rivers, creeks and streams. Flowing out, on a subtle grade, as opposed to down from on high.
A labour organizer named "Yoyo" calls the men together the men as they filter out from the facility after their shifts.
He wants to talk to them about the layoffs management is about to impose upon them right before Christmas. A heartless act they blame on market forces...though, surely a ruse to ensure the security of their own bonuses.
A month long strike was held in 1967, evolving the labour movement from the sit ins of the 1930's, to something more militant.
This strike resulted, not in a raise of pay, but rather the education of an entire class of young workers.
Thus, Marker is emulating that model with this film, passing on the knowledge to the next generation, by telling their story through the art of cinema.
This is SLON.
The workers made the choice to strike as a collective body.
Instead of working, they rallied together as a community. Creating a support system for those out of work; a library; and even leading cultural debates.
They saw culture as a struggle, and necessity, equal to man's need for bread.
For they were tired of those at the top defining the culture in which they existed- using it as an excuse to keep them repressed.
It was these men at the top, seeking to define culture and impose it on those below them, that were responsible for creating the myth of the red scare. The dehumanization of communists as a means to bust unions, prop themselves up at the top, and maintain the status quo.
But as these working men began to pursue liberation, they were able to free themselves from these chains and strip away this indoctrination.
And, in turn, they started to shift the narrative and define their own realities.
What started as an act of the union metamorphosed into an entire social movement, as students and other communist-minded groups began to join the cause as an act of solidarity.
This is the spark that would go on to fan the flames of social movement unionism 30 years later.
It's common to hear those on the right argue that communism is responsible for destroying the traditional family structure, and that this leads to many of society's ails.
But as you can see from the testimonies here...it is actually the mechanistic design of capitalism that is responsible for the breakdown of the family...because it breaks down the individual...in order to keep them repressed, so that they can easily be manipulated, controlled, and enslaved within it's design. Which causes families to fall apart, in turn.
For this benefits those at the top. Enabling them to protect the wealth and power they hold through institutions.
Institutions like the media and the police.
If the popular media is a tool these elites use to maintain the status quo and control, by spreading lies and half truths...then this- and other films like it- are a force for truth and revolution in themselves.
Such is the nature of SLON.
For, if the police are but vigilante thugs whose sole existence is protect the forces of capital that maintain this system of oppression; then we must have each others backs and work together to become an unmoveable force for justice.
An informed labour force that works together as one body cannot be conned, manipulated or bought off.
And this is exactly what those in power fear- and the reason why they are willing to use violence to maintain dominance and keep the rest of us in check.
They will always try to bust the unions; demonize communism; and stifle collective action.
Because these are the forces that will defeat them. And they know it.
SLON is, thus, a weapon that will help win this war; and restore balance to society and the world.
And this film is a call to arms.
Our backs will not be broken.
We will not be defeated.
And for those who own capital..."We'll be seeing you"...
SLON forever! Forever SLON!
Marker would continue this trend and solidify his reputation as a visionary revolutionary artist and filmmaker with the 1984 film 2084, which acts as a nice follow up and companion piece to this film here.
10 out of 10.
