The allotments at Rouxmesnil,
Dieppe, France
Directed by Peter Brosens

26 MIN
BETA DIGITAL (16/9)

Original version available
with English or French commentary
 
documentary – lifestyle – surroundings – art – culture
– society – history – nature – work – everyday life

SYNOPSIS

Kaleidoscope tastes the nectar of the gardens… The allotments, otherwise known as "the poor man's field" were introduced during the 17th century as a response to the poverty then reigning in France. These vegetable plots ("Schrebergärten" in German), became widespread in the 19th century (notably under the influence of Abbot Lemire) with the arrival of the industrial revolution, which encouraged peasants to move into towns. Located on the outskirts, these enclosures were used as pleasure gardens or vegetable plots for the city dwellers. Nowadays, they are once again booming. Often useful, sometimes picturesque, occasionally giving rise to great flights of fancy, the gardens are micro-worlds that symbolise the desire for unity and balance in a destructured and destructuring environment. In Dieppe, the gardener's association has existed since 1922 and currently works to improve the site at Rouxmesnil, which accommodates 91 gardeners on a plot of just over three hectares. Former railwaymen rub shoulders with the out-of-work. Some live there on a permanent basis, others spend an hour or so on their plot, or pass the weekend there. Here, not only do flowers, lettuces or garden gnomes prosper; there is also a growing network of solidarity, with codes and dreams the size of a plot of earth, and often much bigger.

CREDITS

Directed by : Peter Brosens
Script : Peter Brosens
Mister Kaleidoscope was written and acted by Marc-Henri Wajnberg
Image : Jean-Paul De Zaeytijd
Editing : Dominique Lefever
Sound : Damien Defays

INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION

Wajnbrosse Productions
Video cassette available on request Contact-us

PRODUCTION

ARTE France
Panic Productions
Wajnbrosse Productions

With the support of
Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) ,
Ministère de la Communauté Française de Belgique et des Télédistributeurs Wallons

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