Kids of the coal mine
Winner of the IDFA Silver Wolf award in 1999, this extraordinary film explores the social consequences of prolonged economic underdevelopment. The film’s place of action is The Borinage, a district in the Belgian Hainaut province that had been a mining area for centuries. The filmmaker Patric Jean, who was born here, shows a region that reminds us of the Great depression years in the 1930’s. The film is of particular interest because it unravels the social fabric of a peoples struck down by unemployement, without any prospect and lacking the fighting spirit to change their deplorable living conditions.
Social interest
Since the coal mines were finally closed in the 1970’s, unemployment has increased enormously in the Borinage. Even today the Borinage as an area is known for its penurious aura. A large part of the population is still living in deplorable conditions, without any prospect of improvement and lacking the fighting spirit to change their situation. Through filming Patric Jean inspires confidence into a number of people, thereby lending a voice to their taciturn poverty.
Historic Interest
In 1933 the Belgian filmmaker Henri Storck (1907-1999) and his Dutch colleague Joris Ivens made the film MISÈRE AU BORINAGE, dealing with the poverty and miserable working conditions in the Borinage, a mining district. The young filmmaker Patric Jean was born here, so with this personal film he not only follows Storck and Ivens in their footsteps, he also searches for his own roots. Jean finds an area where, if possible, the situation is even worse than in the time of Storcks film.
Political interest
This film shows that a stable middle class is key to a country’s prosperity and self-esteem. Once an area has been impoverished by massive unemployment, it is very hard to turn the tide. Poverty seems to have a tendency to perpetuate itself through generations.
Style
In his films Patric Jean often explores the social consequences of prolonged economic underdevelopment. A recurring strongpoint is his abillity to inspire confidence into his film subjects. Thereby he not only lends a voice to their taciturn poverty but also offers the viewer a chance to learn to understand the predicament of poor people
About the Borinage region
The Borinage is the name of an industrial region in the Belgian province of Hainaut, surrounding Mons and extending to the French border. Traditionally a coal-mining district, most of the mines have been closed. Glass-making and metallurgy are the now the regions primary industries. Already in 1248 a treaty organized the coal-mining in the Boringage. It stipulated how many mine shaft could be exploited as well as the time the local people could spend on coal exploitation (to prevent the farmers from neglecting their land). The wealth of the entire Borinage depended heavily on this industry, with the apex lying in the 19th and 20th centuries. After the Second world war, however, the exploitation of coal mines in Belgium came to a halt, which resulted in a dire economic situation for the former coal-mining districts and the Borinage.
Scenes
The Poverty Trap
The French speaking Belgian province of Hainaut has been deeply affected by the decline of the coalmining industry. Here we journey back to the place where director Patric Jean grew up and experience the harrowing effects that this decline has had on the population.
Tragic Stories
Every family has a tragic story to tell of how they are struggling to survive and how the future holds no answers. Here we learn of the difficulties facing a family with four children and a man who has lived in the village all his life without being given the chance of a proper education.
A helping hand?
Many children grow up illiterate due to a lack of education. Some have the chance of going to school but for many this does not appeal or is not an option due to their situation. The lack of opportunities for families looking for homes is also limited due to little help from the district council.
What the politicians have to say
The failure of the welfare system and the politicians is the reason behind the villagers’ poverty, according to the locals. But what do the politicians have to say about the poverty stricken area and its inhabitants?
No way out
For many inhabitants is it not possible to leave the area due to lack of motivation, money or opportunity. But what does the future hold for the area with new regulations from the local council seemingly blocking the hope for change? We learn of a harrowing tale of a woman who fled her tragic past in the village to begin a new life elsewhere.