Great success for “La ferme des Bertrand”, this documentary which tells the story of a family of farmers from Haute-Savoie

The film by Haut-Savoyard director Gilles Perret has attracted more than 140,000 spectators since its theatrical release on January 31, 2024. It tells the story of a family of Haute-Savoyard breeders over three generations.

There are films that directly echo current events. This is the case of The Bertrand farm. The release of the documentary on January 31 took place only a few days after the start of the farmers’ mobilization. In the middle of a debate about their working conditions. In three weeks of operation, more than 140,000 spectators attended the screening. Which makes it the first documentary at the start of the year at the box office.

Directed by Gilles Perret, the film retraces the moving life journey of a family of dairy producers living in Haute-Savoie for more than 50 years. While the agricultural world struggles to make itself heard and revolts, this intimate, social and economic story touches the public of the region. “We currently understand why they are revolting, it’s a difficult future,” confides a spectator at a cinema in Annecy. “At 70 they are all dead or broken for nothing, it’s a very committed film that I love”, adds another spectator.

Quincy, in the preserved landscapes of Haute-Savoie is the Bertrand farm. Among the fifty or so inhabitants of the village, Gilles Perret, a native of the country, is a director. For the second time, 25 years apart, he filmed the daily lives of his dairy farming neighbors. By mixing archive images, the film retraces a family saga. It begins in the 1970s with three brothers who work hard to build their ideal farm.

“A ray of sunshine”

Through the words and gestures of people who have succeeded one another over the years, the film reveals the long hours of work, the technical developments and the concern for transmission. Without denying all the constraints that farmers undergo, the director has chosen to treat the agricultural world from an optimistic angle. “If the film works, it’s also because it’s a beautiful story. Agriculture is doing badly and we arrive with a ray of sunshine on a farm that works well with farmers who have chosen their profession, who are proud of it and who make a good living from it. he analyzes.

With The Bertrand Farm, Gilles Perret also highlights the reasoned approach of certain farmers who wish “keep nature clean”.