Germinal (1993)

It's mid 19th century in northern France. The story is about a coal miner's town. The workers are exploited by the mine's owner. One day, they decide to go on strike, and the authorities repress them.

Director:

Claude Berri

Writers:

Claude Berri, Arlette Langmann,

Stars:

Miou-Miou, Renaud, Jean Carmet

2 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Miou-Miou	...	Maheude
Renaud	...	Étienne Lantier
Jean Carmet	...	Vincent Maheu dit Bonnemort
Judith Henry	...	Catherine Maheu
Jean-Roger Milo	...	Chaval
Gérard Depardieu	...	Toussaint Maheu
Laurent Terzieff	...	Souvarine
Bernard Fresson	...	Victor Deneulin
Jean-Pierre Bisson	...	Rasseneur
Jacques Dacqmine	...	Philippe Hennebeau
Anny Duperey	...	Madame Hennebeau
Gérard Croce	...	Maigrat
Frédéric van den Driessche	...	Paul Négrel
Annick Alane	...	Madame Grégoire
Pierre Lafont	...	Léon Grégoire

Storyline

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

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Plot Keywords:

coal miner | strike | mine owner | mine | coal | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

France Belgium Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

March 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

De mijn

Filming Locations:

Nord, France

Box Office

Gross:

$378,854 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Renn Productions, France 2 Cinéma, DD Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

160 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Near the end of the film, when Etienne and Catherine are looking for the way out of the mine, we see the 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.

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Quotes

Victor Deneulin: Before you make a living I must make a living first. The smallest increase will bankrupt me.

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Connections

Version of Germinal; or, The Toll of Labor (1913)

User Reviews

And you thought YOU had it bad?

"Germinal" (French, 1993): This EPIC story, adapted from Emile Zola's novel and put to film by Claude Berri (director of "Jean de Florette" and "Manon of the Spring"), is the gritty depiction of hard working coal miners in 1800's France, trying to eek out a living and better their lives by forming a labor union. Loaded with issues rising through the Industrial Age, Gerard Depardieu, Miou-Miou, Judith Henry, and Jean-Roger Milo deservedly star in a frighteningly bleak setting, with ominous musical scoring, and the relentless, black dust of coal. Comparisons to the wealthy mine owners lives, opulent and very isolated from their industry's realities, are blatant and clear. Zola wanted some economic and moral balance – even just a little – and set about depicting a situation that could not be denied.