Broadcast this Wednesday evening, on France 2, of the film “In the name of the earth” by Poitevin Edouard Bergeon. Christophe Rossignon, the producer of this feature film, tells how this film was born, which achieved 2 million admissions.
A few days before the opening of the Paris Agricultural Show – Porte de Versaiiles, this Wednesday February 23 at 9:10 p.m., France 2 will broadcast Edouard Bergeon’s film “In the name of the Earth”. First feature film by this Poitevin director sadly inspired by his family history where he denounces the misery and distress in which farmers are plunged. Before this film, Edouard Bergeon, whose farmer father committed suicide by ingesting pesticides, had shot the shock documentary “the sons of the earth” where he followed the daily life of Sébastien, a farmer in the difficulties of his job.
Christophe Rossignon, the producer of the film “In the name of the earth”
Christophe Rossignon, film producer, who produced the film “In the name of the earth” was invited to a meeting with the public, during the last International Film Festival of Saint Jean-de-Luz, to present his job as a producer . The opportunity for him to tell the story of the creation of Edouard Bergeon’s film “In the name of the earth”, a feature film that he produced and whose story deeply touched him, the son and brother of farmers.
Christopher Rossignon : One of my collaborators sees Edouard Bergeon’s documentary, she finds the DVD. She said to me “You should look at this in relation to your origins and in relation to your brother”. I see this documentary and I fall out of my closet. I call my sisters. I want to tell them look at this. Don’t tell my brother just yet, but it will affect you. First of all, it’s a family thing. And then I try to meet Edouard Bergeon. I call him. We talk about agriculture, our farming parents. And listening to him, I tell him “you have to make a film of your life, of your father’s suicide.” No I can not. I don’t want to stage myself. I don’t want fiction, I don’t know how to write, I do documentaries, I don’t want to answer Edouard Bergeon.
I will not let go for three months. I will circle around him. We are going to eat. And then, at some point, we meet. And for this project he said to me “If you want, find less a scriptwriter and find time because I need you to be by my side.”
And so, it was a wonderful adventure. We had absolutely not imagined that the film would make this success. We never imagined that we would end a whole evening at the Elysée with the President of the Republic, who we thought didn’t understand anything about agriculture. We made a complete mistake with everything that led to Parliament, to the Senate, to try to change the law, to try to find a way to help these farmers who are on the edge of the abyss. We ended up in Brussels with Yannick Jadot, with the whole European Parliament. This film took us to do incredible things.
“In the name of the earth“a film by Edourad Bergeon with Guillaume Canet, Veerle Baetens, Anthony Bajon, Rufus… This film, supported by France Bleu, released in theaters on September 25, 2019 achieved 2 million admissions.
Pierre is 25 when he returns from Wyoming to find his fiancée Claire and take over the family farm. Twenty years later, the farm has grown, and so has the family. It’s the time of happy days, at least at the beginning… Debts are piling up and Pierre is exhausted at work. Despite the love of his wife and children, he gradually sinks…