Attention danger travail

Stupeurs et Tremblements, Swimming Pool, Mystic River and Kill Bill were landmark movies in 2003 but that year also saw the release of a documentary on 08th October of that year in a sole Parisian cinema: Attention Danger, Travail. But if this idiosyncratic movie would have been projected all over France and why not in the rest of the world, it would have created a cultural tsunami and contributed to a wide awakening from the population. But because Attention Danger Travail breaks conventional codes about conditioning of work and unemployment, maybe that's why it was shown in such discreet conditions.

Directors Pierre Carles, Christophe Coello and Stéphane Goxe interviewed unemployed workers who are proud to be on the dole and the latter explain why they chose to leave their workplaces and how they try to enjoy themselves with few economical means. In parallel, the documentary showcases mecanisms and tricks from various sources (sly managerial methods, showy publicity, hypocritical speeches from politicians) to embrace the philosophy of work and its supposedly greatness. With harrowing testimonies from former hurt employees, you feel that the whole movie looks like a delightful arm wrestling between lucky jobless people and ruthless bosses, the latter with a little help from politicians in high places. Attention Danger Travail is a little forerunner for in the following years, many documents and tv programs emphasized on the dark sides of work and in 2003, the word "burn out" had just started to appear. Of course, blossoming at work is a vast debate and don't forget that artisans can love their professional activity but they have to be their own manager too. Here, sympathy automatically springs to mind when listening to these happy unemployed men and women and their arguments command respect: when you're on the dole, you have time to develop yourself, to do what you really want deep in your heart. Besides, a former manager says: "friends of mine tell me: "I'd like to be like you, not to work"" while another workless woman defends herself: "people keep telling me: "you haven't got much money". Yes but it doesn't really matter. Money isn't everything. I can have a rest every afternoon. I can freely go to museums. I can read everything I want".

These atypical human beings sound sincere in their convictions but in spite of their apparent relaxation, it's a shame the filmmakers tend to skip the material means with which they try to make the most of their limited economical means. Their fragile situation requires a minimum of resourcefulness and unfortunately, this condition is mainly occulted throughout the documentary. Nevertheless, their authentic words weight their gold in front of soporific speeches delivered by high bosses. Besides, one character says about former boss French Michelin: "he never knew what it was to work".

If you enjoy pieces of work which go the opposite way of what is usually shown in media mainsteam and make you wonder, Attention Danger Travail is for you and through the allusion of former French prime minister Nicolas Sarkozy: "work more to earn more" which will be his motto when he is French president in 2007, my personal answer will be: "not for me". And however, I love my job!