The Take (2004)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Avi Lewis

Writer:

Naomi Klein (writer)

Release Date:

18 March 2005 (Italy)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

Occupy. Resist. Produce.

Plot:

The film in not about auto-parts workers in suburban Buenos Aires, but about workers of a ceramic floors factory in Neuquen, several hundred miles southward, in Argentinian Patagonia.

Plot Keywords:

Worker | Take | Globalization | Democracy | Canada

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Matilde Adorno	...	Herself - Worker
Michel Camadessus	...	Himself
Bill Clinton	...	Himself (archive footage)
Gustavo Cordera	...	Himself (singer) (as Bersuit)
Freddy Espinoza	...	Himself (president of La Forja)
Raul Godoy	...	Himself
Néstor Kirchner	...	Himself
Naomi Klein	...	Herself (also narrator)
Avi Lewis	...	Himself (also narrator)
Celia Martinez	...	Herself
Carlos Saúl Menem	...	Himself (also archive footage) (as Carlos Menem)
Lalo Paret	...	Himself (activist)
Juan Domingo Perón	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jorge Rimondi	...	Himself (Judge)
Anoop Singh	...	Himself (Director of the IMF's Western Hemisphere Department)
Luis Zamara	...	Himself
Luis Zanón	...	Himself

Directed by
Avi Lewis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Naomi Klein		writer

Produced by
Laszlo Barna	....	executive producer
Silva Basmajian	....	producer
Avi Lewis	....	producer
Naomi Lewis	....	producer
Katie McKenna	....	co-producer

Original Music by
David Wall

Cinematography by
Mark Ellam

Sound Department
Stefan Fraticelli	....	foley artist
Jason Milligan	....	sound
Dwayne Newman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Geoff Raffan	....	adr editor
Geoff Raffan	....	adr recordist
Geoff Raffan	....	dialogue editor
Brian Schwarz	....	foley editor
Brian Schwarz	....	foley recordist
Brian Schwarz	....	sound effects editor
Rob Hutchins	....	studio assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Lee Towndrow	....	main title designer

Camera and Electrical Department
John Jordan	....	second camera operator
Robin McKenna	....	second camera operator

Other crew
Danny Webber	....	legal counsel

Production Companies

• Barna-Alper Productions
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) (associate production)
• Klein Lewis Productions
• National Film Board of Canada (NFB) (co-production)

Distributors

• MK2 Diffusion (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• 2-1-0 Films (2006) (Greece) (all media)
• Celluloid Dreams (2004) (worldwide) (all media)
• Fandango (2005) (Italy) (all media)
• Sagrera TV (2005) (Spain) (all media)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2006) (Finland) (TV)

Runtime:

Canada:87 min

Country:

Canada | Argentina

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) | Color

Certification:

Spain:13 | Singapore:NC-16 | USA:Unrated | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company:

Barna-Alper Productions

an above-average doc on a great subject

I saw this on television (CBC) yesterday night and thought it was a good documentary. I had heard of the film and its topic before and was deeply intrigued. Having also read Klein's "No Logo", you could say I had more interest in this than most. Lewis and Klein move swiftly in telling their tale of Argentinian workers' plight for dignity and labour. A balanced interplay of rhetoric that appeals to the intellect and the emotions will win over many of the viewers. The length is such that the film does not become boring or drawn-out and good editing judgment focuses on relevant segments. Regardless of their take on these events in Argentina, I think everyone has something to learn from this film. A project like this gives me faith in our country's National Film Board ... also thanks to CBC Newsworld for not fearing to air this several times (even though late at night).