All language subtitles for La Commune Paris 1871 (2000) CD2

PART 2

Citizens, good evening.

Tonight we meet Eugene Protot,
Justice Delegate,

who is just leaving
the Commune Council.

You've now taken a measure
against police arbitrariness.

Yes, indeed.

Following arrests, searches
and requisitions of all sorts,

which some citizens denounced,

citizen Vermorel and l
have moved to adopt a decree

protecting citizens against
the arbitrariness of police measures

that may occur
in these troubled times.

lt is vital for our Republic
that all traitors and conspirators

be neutralized.

But we must guarantee
the respect of individual freedom.

What do you intend to do?

All arrests are to be announced
within 24 hours

to the Commune Justice Delegation

to evaluate the validity
of detention.

Persons abusing power - prison
governor, guard or policeman -

shall be prosecuted.

This is not a police state
and never will be!

Can l help you?

We are from the Women's Union,
we are delegates.

We've come for a meeting room

which should have been granted
by the Executive Commission.

You're not the first in line,
please take a seat.

Citizen, it's urgent!

ln the year 1 871,
on the 1 1 th of April at 3:00 p.m.

Birth certificate
for Christian Ernest Antoine, male,

born at 6:30 a.m.

l have 2 children.
l need to feed them.

That's all.
Please come back next week.

- That's all l get?
- That's all!

lt won't get me very far.

- We're from the Women's Union.
- l'm listening.

We've come for a meeting room.

The Commune has allocated one
in each District.

- So l hear.
- We've come for it.

The 1 1 th District Sub-Committee
should be in charge of that.

The best thing is to see
citizen Patey who'll direct you.

Citizen Patey?

We've discussed this,
there's work with the ambulances.

Also the wounded

who need help and money,
so we have to take up a collection.

No, we're not responsible
for collections.

We have other priorities.

- More important than charity.
- Discuss this with Patey.

- Over there?
- Next door, on the left.

Give me 5 minutes.

You're allowed 5 stamps.
Please, l'm with...

There are problems
at the wash-house.

Beatrice Jossiau, 5 stamps.

ls that it?

Yes. For one week.

But the father of my children
is a prisoner in Germany.

Prisoner in Germany?
Since when?

Last year.

Citizens, excuse us, but we are
delegates from the Women's Union

to get a meeting room.

Citizens, stop that racket, please!

Listen, l asked Colonel Favy

for an inventory of the troops
in the District. l'm still waiting.

Bloody hell,
how can l give you an inventory!

We can't even assemble our men.

They're at the front, home,
some we don't know.

lt's the Sub-Committee's fault,
giving orders to our soldiers.

lt's your own incompetence!

- You're no judge.
- Who gave you stripes?

That's enough!

l warn you Guillaume.
You know very well that staff orders

are always short-circuited by you.

You're well aware:
requisitions for futile parades,

or police operations
we're not informed about.

We need
permanently garrisoned Battalions

for District security
and police affairs.

The conflict between the Town Hall
and 1 1 th Legion officers

reflects the one between

the Central Committee
and the Commune.

For the Sub-Committee,

the non-elected Legion officers
have no legitimacy.

Eventually, the Sub-Committee
will monopolize all power

in the 1 1 th District.

You can't control your own men!

l remind you that you are supposed
to help us in our work!

Well then, citizen Marcellin,

to help you,
l'll write War Delegate Cluseret,

for control
over the 1 1 th Legion administration!

l know your problems!

You're always at headquarters!

When Cluseret agrees,
it will all become more efficient!

We've come for the meeting room
we've been allocated.

Do you have the keys?

Ten minutes later....

We are delegates
from the Women's Union.

We're being sent
from one office to the next...

What's this?

l'll handle it.
Francois, got the keys?

May l leave now?

No, no. You stay here
while l book you!

You're not going to arrest a woman
just to get to her husband?

We've come for a meeting room.

There's no room.

What do you mean?
They're giving us...

We need a place
legally recognized by all women.

You have lots of empty workshops,
142 Oberkampf St., there's one...

There are hundreds of women..

expecting a meeting place
in the Town Hall.

Go look,
you'll see the great space you got!

- lt's a shed!
- That's all we've got.

We can't hold meetings here!

That's all we've got.

We can't hold our meetings here.

You have to clean it up!

Do you know that hundreds of women
will meet here tomorrow morning?

Tomorrow morning!

There's nothing l can do.

You exit here and enter there.
l have to lock this door.

What's that?
Give us the keys first!

l can't.

This is a security zone.
l'm sorry l can't.

What's wrong with him?

Citizen, give us the keys.

We have to get them back.

He shut the door!

They're making fun of us!

This isn't a meeting place.
Women can't come here!

We'll find another.

For tomorrow morning we'll have
to use this, we've got nothing else.

OK. Let's do the poster for tonight.

We'll convene here, but
tomorrow we look for another place.

See all the work there is...

l don't believe this!

Citizens. The Commune War Delegate,
General Cluseret,

inspected the southern forts
and said:

'' ''''My impression is good.''

'' ''''Attacks by a large number
of enemy troops,''

'' ''''repelled with few casualties,
gives us''

'' ''''great confidence in the future.''''''

We remind you that

in its Official Gazette,
the Commune has issued

a document which should help you
to keep a healthy diet under siege.

A healthy diet in the midst
of tragedy! We've seen it all!

lncredible!

Could you please
switch it off, Marie.

This reminds me of an article

'' l saw in this morning's ''''Gaulois''''.''

l'll read you a brief quote:

'' ''''The rebels' false stories.''

'' ''''Dispatches sent to the newspapers
by the Commune''

'' ''''contain more lies than ever before.''

'' ''''What will the rebels say
when they learn the truth?''

'' ''''The Commune states the Versailles
army is repelled and put to flight.''

'' ''''According to them,''

'' ''''our troops face
enormous casualties.''

'' ''''Of course, the trapped Parisians''

'' ''''cannot verify these facts.''

'' ''''We know this is completely false.''''''

So this communard press...

is really a lot of nonsense.

lt's practising disinformation.

And deep down we know it.

l'm deeply shocked,
even worried by this.

Because using television
to spread false news

means we can't trust
any information.

National TV Versailles,
Laurent Duchamp Pothier.

With us in our studio - a man most
of our viewers know, F. Foucart.

An expert political editor,

whom l've invited to talk about

the Commune's social
and economic policy,

a much debated subject recently.

Good evening, my dear friend.

Tell us about these so-called
revolutionary achievements.

lf l was to really speak about

the Commune's revolutionary
achievements,

l would be very brief,
for they've done nothing!

However, l think
it's useful to give an example

of the demagogy
and futility of their actions...

You know, when you are devoid

of any economic
or political experience,

but rely on verbiage, you end up
with a totally mad situation.

On the subject of rents.
Would you like me to....

Yes, it seems quite complicated.

The Commune decided,

to the crowd's delight,

that no more rents would be paid.
Wonderful indeed!

One could also say, we won't pay
for bread or meat, anything.

This is nothing new.

Demagogues have always promised
to cancel debts,

because quite naturally
there have always been

more debtors than creditors.

lt's a very cheap way
to make new friends.

Also, the owners must pay
their own taxes and mortgages.

Exactly!
Because it's a whole system,

a bit like a castle
made of dominoes.

lf one falls, the others follow.

So we don't pay rents.
Fine,

but how will the owners
pay their taxes?

Taxes that run the Government.

Since most buildings are mortgaged,

the owners owe large sums of money
to the Credit Foncier.

How will they pay what they owe?

They don't say,
because they don't know.

lf we follow this logic all the way,
the Credit Foncier collapses,

and no more building sites
are opened in Paris.

l remind those who are talking
about people's rights.

The Paris working class
is partly made up

of construction workers, including
our brave natives of Limousin,

our bricklayers
and plasterers of Creuse.

These are the unemployed today.

There'll be more tomorrow.

This is a cooperative.
And with the Commune, it'll work.

The bench, tools, workshop
will be ours. We'll have equality.

There are 30 of us.
lf we earn 300 francs,

it means 1 0 francs each for sure.

Watch it!

The boss has left, OK.
We're the managers, OK.

But he still owns the place.

lf he comes back,
he'll get the same as everyone else.

The foundry workers must follow us.

We're also waiting for a workshop.
But we really need work.

And we'll get work
if the mechanics get orders.

Then there'll be work
for the foundry.

We can make ammunition
for the weapons

they repair and manufacture.

But we shouldn't lose any more time

and establish a cooperative right
away. Otherwise we won't make it.

We need that too.

Sure we need a cooperative.
But we must be careful.

We must all agree,
so that things go well.

Don't forget what happened with
the state-owned workshops of 1 848,

let's not fall
into a trap like that.

The cooperatives will work because

we want them
and everyone needs them.

lt's our hope against capital.

Following the Saint-Maur Street
mechanics,

the foundry workers' cooperative
opens on April 1 9.

ln order for them to stock up
on raw materials,

the Commune allows requisitions
from inactive workshops.

l've also been told of a new craze

concerning revolutionary taxes.

The Commune is going tax-crazy.

Yes, well, these people
who are always talking about liberty

and independence,

haven't come up with anything other

than to overburden everyone
with taxes.

What was the situation at the start
of the Empire? As we know,

there were the huge building works
by Baron Haussmann.

But especially the railroads.

Today, all 5 railroad companies

have been taxed excessively.

There is a tax which we must admit
is quite unpopular:

the tax at the city gates.

'' Ah yes, the ''''octroi.''''''

They could have lifted it.

'' To the contrary,
the ''''octroi'''' was maintained.''

They have taxed everything.

All this shows a total lack

of political intuition and will.

We all know by now that these people
are a bunch of loudmouths.

l don't want to lay it on,
but l'd like to add -

loudmouths who mistake
blabber for action.

This bunch has done absolutely
nothing in the field of economics.

Silence!

Citizens!

Silence please,
this is for TV Commune. Thank you.

Citizens. With us here
are citizens Avrial and Frankel,

both Commune members,

to explain the decree on the
requisition of abandoned workshops.

During the siege,
the federation of mechanics

had asked for the requisition
of abandoned workshops

in order to manufacture guns.

Two cooperatives were set up
in the 1 1 th District.

Unfortunately this experience
failed, because of the capitalists,

the money-makers
lending at 1 7% interest.

Today,
circumstances are more favourable.

Avrial belongs to the
lnternational Workers' Association,

striving for working class
emancipation.

He led cooperative projects with
fellow workers during the siege.

As Commune Director of Artillery,

he supports cooperatives
of mechanics and foundry workers.

How does this decree apply?

This decree of April 1 6

allows the Employers' Federation

to make an inventory
of all workshops

abandoned
by owners who fled Paris,

leaving many workers with no income.

lt applies to whom?

To all existing
corporate bodies of workers

who'll now be able to open
cooperative workshops.

Also to women
in difficult situations.

Leo Frankel is behind many
of the Commune's social reforms.

A Hungarian Jew, lnternational
Workers' Association member,

he is the spokesman
for the working class,

and favours
the economic emancipation of women.

He bans night-work for bakers,
supports cooperative projects...

ls that you, Marie?

- You're back already?
- Yes.

You've done all the shopping?

And found everything you wanted?

l found everything you wanted,
madame - meat, vegetables.

- lt's not a problem, you know.
- That's good.

But the cost!

- l can imagine.
- Prices go up every day.

lt's normal in wartime.
Still, it's not as bad as the siege.

Just think what it was like
for people during the siege.

l don't think we have the right
to complain.

Madame, youdon't have
the right to complain.

What do you mean?

You don't see what's going on.

But l go out, Marie!
l go for walks in the Tuileries.

l don't live locked up in this room!

You still go out?

Why do you say that?

All the streets are full of
furniture. Everyone is moving out.

Because some people are frightened.

Those who can, leave.

We chose to stay. You'll never stop
people from being frightened.

You may not be able
to leave the building tomorrow.

What makes you say such things
this morning?

Shops shutting down every day.
Giroux is closed!

The National Guard headquarters
moved in.

That's next door!

They say they're going to build
a barricade.

There'll be one tomorrow.

Those are rumours.
l don't think it's possible.

Not in our little street.
Don't exaggerate.

There are some barricades
not far from the house already.

But you know there'll be fighting.
We can't avoid that.

l'm frightened.

No. Things will go back to normal.

The Commune can't win.

On April 1 4, Guillaume,
of the Municipal Delegation,

hands Director Heuzey
a search warrant

for the religious school.

The National Guard takes up post
in front of the school.

A Guard tells an orphan
trying to reach her classroom:

'' ''''There are no more sisters,
thank God!''

'' ''''They're fools who talk rubbish.''

'' ''''Come back later,''

'' ''''you'll find citizens
who'll teach you life!''''''

We don't know
what will happen to us,

though we always have
the mother house,

and communities in the provinces,
where we can shelter.

We'll take the girls
who have been entrusted to our care.

Many of them have no parents at all,

or possibly
just a father or a mother.

We're responsible for them.
We'll protect them

whatever happens.

Yes, we are very worried
not only for the little girls

but also for the future
of this neighbourhood.

Every day, we offer home-care

and sometimes assist births.

Local volunteers help

distribute up to 6,000 meals a day,

thanks to donations.
What's going to become of the poor?

Who will feed them, care for them?
We're worried.

l'd like to remind you of 2 tasks

of the Women's Union.

The first is the defence of Paris.

To mobilize, and to set up

ambulance posts
to help those who are fighting.

But the second, equally important,

is to contribute
to the social revolution

'' which is the Commune's
''''raison d'etre.''''''

For this revolution to succeed,

women workers must free themselves

from their state of slavery.

The best way to do that

is to own our own work tools.

We must reap the benefits

of what we produce.

This can only happen
through cooperatives.

These cooperatives
should enable us...

to radically modify
working conditions,

and to master
the means of our production.

We should, for example,

be able to diversify our tasks,

to stop repeating

the same gesture all day long.

We must earn decent salaries,

equal to men's.

We need to have time off

for education and for our children.

There!

l think it's very important

that women organize themselves

officially.

And that they allow themselves

to become active

and conscious

of what they do and why they do it,
at work,

and to free themselves
of the household.

And be recognized at last by men...

and other women.

For me, cooperatives

represent a recognition of that.

- A new work relation.
- Another way of life.

Absolutely.
Another way of thinking.

lt's also obtaining a certain
autonomy. That's the main idea

of a cooperative -
to be self-managing.

To acquire a certain freedom.
lncluding with work

which is in itself alienating.

lt's to have more freedom.
More space.

lt's also to free oneself

from the way
work has been conceived up to now.

Work is not an end in itself.
lt must be a means

towards other ways of living,

other associations,

since a cooperative
is a free association of workers.

That's what it's called.

lt must be the base

from which we can build
new possibilities,

it could open the way
for something new.

We should have time off.

The Commune isn't....

the men's or women's Commune,

it's a completely new society,

closer to the workers' aspirations.

Women's work
didn't emerge yesterday,

it has always existed.

lt could be a way
for the recognition

of our place in society

with men, not against them,
but together.

lt's not an eccentricity, it's
a reality, and also a necessity.

First of all,
it's a means of survival.

But l think it's especially
a path towards something else.

Since now we have nothing,
we must create it all!

So people have to be able to learn.
Learn other trades.

Escape from all the jobs
to which women are confined.

Open up new possibilities.

l'm also eager for women to express
themselves on an artistic level.

For the moment, women are cut off
from all creation.

l really think that

we can establish associations
that will take care of women,

open up new horizons to them.

Teach them literature.

Teach them to do other things
with their hands and lives,

than just work for survival.

Today in France,
60% of women work in 6 professions

which represent only 30%
of the labour market:

for example,
98% of all secretaries are women.

Yet, women's success rate,
from A levels to University,

is significantly higher than men's.

lf we can obtain financial success,

it will bring us political power

and a recognition
of our independence.

ln any case
it will allow us more freedom

to choose what's best for us.

Yes, but profitability
isn't enough in itself.

Being in control of a structure

to obtain recognition
and independence

might also lead
to a kind of alienation in the way

that is already happening

to others
working in a profitability system.

l think it's important to add
the social or artistic aspect,

to link profitability
and human intentions.

To combine profitability
with creation.

To find something other than this
alienation that will trap us again

in this system of producing,
working, etc.

You give a woman the means
to work differently...

and less.

She's left with very little time

to do anything else,
to think of new things

and she is very diminished by that.

So there's also an educational task

which must start from childhood...

and be organized very quickly.

That's also what a cooperative is.

A better sharing of tasks,
more free time.

To go collectively
towards other knowledge...

through discussion,
towards new things.

To stop only identifying with work.

Even today that's how it is.

lt's not who are you,
it's what do you do?

lt's the first question
you're asked.

l'm often confronted with it.

l've been unemployed for ages,
l don't have a profession.

'' Then they ask:
''''What are you looking for?''''''

'' ''''l don't know, it's not easy.''''''

lt's what do you do,
not what is your activity,

which is something one could accept.

l do something,
like stringing pearls...

l do something.
lt's not what do you do!

lt's always
your professional status.

That's what's so painful.

'' You'd like to say:
''''Spend some time with me, 5 minutes,''

'' ''''you might understand what's up,''

'' ''''and even slip me some ideas.''

'' ''''Since l seem to be stuck here.''''''

l don't agree with that,

because l think that women

don't even need to be asked
what they do.

lt's obvious.
Even if we work, it's substandard.

Our priority is to take care

of the kids, the laundry,

to put up with the old man.

Ultimately... l'm a dressmaker,

and who gives a shit?

ln France, 80% of all domestic work
is done by women.

This represents 3h30 of work
each day

for a woman with children
and a full-time job.

l would like to learn.

To be able to choose.

Exactly. Right now, l can't choose.
l can't do anything else...

Maybe l don't feel like working,

l'd like to have time to think.

- That's good.
- Me too.

Today we don't have time to think.

Yes, and it's serious.

The system gives one
the least possible time to think.

lt's all the same thing...

lt goes beyond all this. First,
there's this cooperative business.

A way of sharing
the means of production.

But what we really need is
to free ourselves totally from work.

Life is elsewhere.
lt's not work.

What's going on?
Why did the National Guard come?

Don't be scared. lt's safe here.
Get on with your work.

The National Guard came because...

they might shut this school
and set up a state school.

We'll talk about this later!

A state school.
Will we have to go?

We'll talk about this later.

Why? lt's important!

You will frighten the young ones.
Get on with your work.

But what are you going to do?

We'll see, don't worry.

Will we return to our parents?

Mother Superior will speak to you
about this later.

Does God like state schools?

God loves all things.

We were saying that
there was more to life than work.

But the problem is we're staging
the Commune now. What is that,

if not an attempt to think

radically differently.

To challenge everything.
Profit, education, all that.

l can't see....

any other revolutionary way.

Then come problems
of the individual abuse of power.

Those are ego problems. Maybe
we can forget our ego a second...

You can't.

l know. But it's a fantasy,
just like revolution.

lt's a dream. Let's at least
try and talk about this.

What can we dream up?

A new system, without profit, etc.

And how do we invent it?

The main question is how?

lt's easy to dream...

The Commune isn't dreams, it's acts.

lf we'd at least listen to everyone.

Regardless of social class,
sex, age.

For me, school acts as the brake.

My son was much more open
in his younger years than he is now.

lt's not only school's fault.
lt's the whole system.

We hear a lot about
social organization of labour.

lt's very fashionable these days.

Listen! l lived through the Empire,
and l can assure you

the social organization of labour

the Commune keeps harping about
goes back a long way!

The Prince, while imprisoned

in Hamm in 1 844,

'' wrote an interesting book called
the ''''Extinction of Pauperism''''.''

Allow me to read
3 or 4 lines from it.

By Prince
you mean Napoleon Bonaparte?

Yes, since for me at the time
he was first Prince,

then Emperor Napoleon lll.

This is what Louis Napoleon
Bonaparte wrote:

'' ''''The working class possess nothing.''

'' ''''We must make owners of them.''

'' ''''Their only wealth is their labour.''

'' ''''We must ensure that this labour
is useful for all.''

'' ''''They are like Helots''

'' ''''amongst the Sybarites.''

'' ''''They must be given a place
in our society''

'' ''''linked to the interests
of the country.''

'' ''''Finally, they are an organization''

'' ''''without ties, with no rights,
no future.''

'' ''''We must give them rights
and a future,''

'' ''''and get them back on their feet
through Associations.''''''

You know what Association is?

lt's the right, given by the Empire,
to assemble, to organize,

to unionize and go on strike.
They forget this today.

The Commune talks of people's
and workers' rights.

These rights were already granted
by the Empire.

ln other words,
nothing new under the sun!

No, absolutely nothing new.

lf it had been left
to evolve naturally,

things would have turned out fine.

But they wanted revolution,
not evolution.

They provoked what became
terrible and bloody,

we now know this.

A workers' association...

which is collective and egalitarian!

ln other words, we all earn
the same, everyone is boss.

But what does this mean, money-wise?

Because you have to eat, live.

And sharing?

We share equally.
The same share for everyone.

We take one share for each.

For example, if there are 4 of us.

One share to cover accidents.

One share for... how do you say?

To invest in machinery.

And one share

for the Association
established by Frankel.

So you want other associations
set up to continue the chain.

You want to set an example?
That's good too.

But everyone is paid the same?
Regardless of seniority?

An apprentice who doesn't work
very well? He gets the same share?

Yes. Those who don't work well
can learn to work better.

ls there a share for accidents?

The second share's for accidents.

There's one for the owner
if he comes back.

So you don't know
where the owner is?

He ran away.

We have no idea.

lf he comes back,
he'll get the same as everyone else.

No more, no less!

Today it's hard to know
who owns most companies.

And today responsibility
is very diluted.

Responsible but not guilty.
Guilty but not responsible.

Cooperatives work
like capitalistic enterprises.

They're hit by the market.

They adapt for the market.

They save money.
They lay off.

lt's not only a question
of work equality and profit sharing.

lt's also equality of speech.
Everyone has the right of say.

And then everyone discusses it...

That's real citizenship.

That's what strikes me
during the Commune.

People experienced citizenship
all the way.

And people participated fully.
They were no longer

subjects of the King
or the Emperor,

but their own masters.
They decided, they advanced.

Do people have
the right of speech today?

TV talks to you
but you can't answer.

lt's the first time in history
that we have a box at home

that talks like this,
but you can't say:

'' ''''No, l'm sorry, l was there just
now, it didn't happen like you say.''''''

Of course,
what makes it worse is that

television sides with
those who have power and money.

How can we discuss with them?

That's how their ideology
is relayed.

And the media are a party to that,

all the media!

We must give back meaning
to citizenship.

Because now it's a word...
you used it,

the bourgeoisie, the wealthy use it.

lt's like consensus:

Law-abiding Citizens,
cast into the same mould.

ln the Commune, being a citizen
meant making decisions,

joining forces.
lt's something to win back now.

Take women's power,
the Women's Union...

we should think about that too.

Careful,
they say it's getting better.

They propose things like

women's right to vote,

social progress, etc....

What l mean is...

For the European elections,
50% didn't vote. What is democracy,

with people elected with
so few votes? Why don't people vote?

They can't blame it all
on their fishing habits.

The political class is like a caste.

Away from the world, its realities.

The Commune set up the possibility
of dismissal from office.

Now we delegate power

to people for their entire mandate.

They betray their program: no sweat.

The Commune set up removability.
Something to consider!

People are no longer represented.

l totally agree.

What do the elected do? Hide behind
the technocrats who tell us,

'' ''''We're doing our best
but it's complicated.''''''

There's one world vision: theirs.

That's monolithic thinking:
one economic world vision.

Without it, there's no solution.

You were talking about cooperatives

with a social aim.
lt was also a way out for us

when the bosses failed us.

We had a need then...

But today employers
are very different.

Workers don't have much say.

The board of directors and
the president make the decisions.

And the worker....

lf he complains, he gets the boot.

On the other hand -

l don't mind being hard
on the bosses,

but they're confronted

with an international situation

where some groups
don't pay their workers at all.

They have to face that,
and so do we. Our social gains...

should be applied
in those countries.

We could fight for that.

This brings us back
to ideological pressure,

and the question of the media.

The monolithic thinking you talked
about. They want us to believe

economic problems
come before social ones.

That's a lie!

lt's inhuman
and an economic deception.

Take Japan for example.

lt was supposedly economically
successful 1 0 years ago.

Workers and employees accepted

minimal social progress.
Today they're sinking,

because if you don't combine
social and economic issues,

you've got no chance.
You're sure to scupper!

ln 1 870, the wealthiest 20%
of the world population

had 7 times the income
of the poorest 20%.

ln 1 997,
this difference was 7 4 to 1.

Today, the richest 20%
share 86% of the world GDP,

vs. barely 1 % for the poorest.

The world's 3 richest persons own

more than the total GNP

of the world's 48
least-developed nations,

that is to say, 600 million people.

There are problems everywhere:
outcasts, illegal aliens,

destitute, people who need help.

Now's the time to open
the phone-book, call, do something.

That's how you change things.

Not by saying let's go to the
barricades, we're revolutionaries.

lt's easy to say there are problems

in the Third World.
Sure there are.

But there are just as many right
here. A lot can be done right here.

So you open the phone-book,
what page?

There are plenty of NGOs...

Against unemployment...
to fight against poverty.

Or to help disabled elderly.

Small things. Changes don't come
with great speeches.

lt's possible, at a given time,
to work on a political level too,

for a peace agreement, etc.
But it's up to us,

each one of us, in our
own environment, with friends, etc.

What you're saying sounds almost
like some humanitarian thing.

ln other words, swallow the pill.
Accept the system as it is and...

stick a band-aid
on the wounds it has inflicted.

- What would you do?
- l'm wary of that.

You think charity is good?

But it's not just charity.

lt's the state
handing over to NGOs the job

of making band-aids
for its own survival.

That's not normal.

He wasn't talking only
about charity. He said NGOs.

There are many NGOs,
fighting unemployment, destitution.

lt's not necessarily just a poultice
on a wooden leg.

l think what you said is important.

But people won't become militants
because of this film.

This experience
was very interesting.

But l hope that a lot of us were
already active in NGOs,

and felt they were already
doing things.

ls that how to change society?
That's another subject.

l think we can change society
if we want to.

lt's just a question
of joining forces.

To discuss things with people,
with friends.

The problem is we are silent.

What about the pervading lethargy?
No one's angry.

We're angry, but it's not enough.

No, l don't think we're angry.

We are, in a way.

We're indoctrinated into accepting
our individual comfort.

Then we complain.

Where did the anger come from?
We have no problems. We live well.

Working conditions
might be worse than ever.

No. Come on.
They have their TVs, their flats.

They didn't have that before.
They don't suffer as much.

lt's insane. l've realized this
after having read books

on the terrible conditions
in the 1 9th century.

Here everyone's in costume

and we've recreated the houses
and the street kids.

But think about today -
what do you see?

More than a century later,
we've sent people to the moon, etc.

But it's exactly the same thing.

Homelessness, precariousness,
destitution.

Growing inequalities....

The rich getting richer.

All this under a left-wing
government, or so they say,

- that's been in power for...
- 1 4 years.

So, fine, we've got lnternet,
the moon, space...

mobile phones, but...

The soup kitchens
are also very good business.

500,000 meals a day.

Don't you find that the experience
of this film showed us that...

incredible things happened
between us?

- For sure.
- Free speech!

Let's not think
that we made a revolution!

No, but we experienced
that human relations...

that's essential for me.

Do you realize
the relations we have between us?

Yes. lt's fantastic.

That's where it starts.
Human relations,

relating to a person
sitting next to you all the time,

even when things change,
as they often do.

To convey things...

to give and to receive all the time.

l had that feeling
of giving and receiving.

Especially receiving, a lot
and from everyone...

on all levels.

The participation of the cast
in the making of this film

is precisely what the global media
are afraid of,

and probably one of the main reasons
why the TV channels

which were asked for support,
refused to finance this film.

What the media
are particularly afraid of,

is to see the man
in the little rectangle

replaced by a multitude of people,

by the public....

Good evening.

lmportant news
has just reached our teleprinters.

The Official Gazette informs us
that a court-martial has been set up

to rule on cases of insubordination
among the National Guard officers.

The Commune has also recently faced

a grave loss of manpower
through desertion.

Let us wager that their unpopular
measures will have a reverse effect.

Soldiers! A grave moment.

The Versailles troops
are at our gates.

You marched bravely to Versailles.

You fought bravely
at the barricades.

Brave but foolish!

What? l'd say courageous!

Soldiers!

A soldier may be brave,
never foolish.

The enemy troops are sheep,
but disciplined sheep.

Look at yourselves. Half-undressed,
badly shaven, drunkards!

C. de Beaufort is an aristocrat.

He shares the political views
of his cousin Edouard Moreau.

But his dandyism and position
as Aide-de-camp arouse animosity.

After a few drinks, he makes threats
against the 66th Battalion

which will cost him his life.

Who are you? Word has it
you're something of an aristocrat.

Don't you know that the National
Guard can't stand aristocrats?

Tell me, citizen captain, Count!

Life's not too hard on you, eh?

lf your mother wasn't born
in the gutter, what would you say?

A useless bunch.
Look at yourselves!

Filthy boots. Badly shaven.

Caps on crooked.

Disobey and l'll purge you all!

The Commune has admitted
inefficiency by restructuring

its executive power.

Renouncing
collaborative administration,

it proclaims a new,
9 member commission.

'' The ''''Executive High Commission''''''

is established
to centralize all operations

'' and, l quote, ''''to charge into war''''.''

'' The newspaper ''''Le Temps''''
sums up the situation very well...''

l truly believe
that change is possible in France.

To take for example education -

since its easier
to be precise in this case -

it's a question of global culture,

how people are trained in life

to commit themselves
through their actions.

Let's take participation
in this film.

There are school children here.

When asked what they learn
at school, what they remember,

whether they feel that history
relates to their present life,

if this subject enables them

to understand the world today,

has the teaching of history
changed,

as history itself has changed?

'' l found out
that the answer is ''''no''''.''

lt's the same stuff
we had 1 0 years ago.

There have been huge changes
over the last 1 0 years.

There's an urgent and important need
for awareness.

This film showed me the huge gap
between reflection and action.

ln a barricade situation,
for example, deeply involved

in a direct, strong,

chemical, physical struggle:

as soon as the camera comes up
and we have to speak,

it's a very difficult relationship.

For reflection
to connect with action.

Real change will come
from this type of work.

'' Not through resignation based
on the usual: ''''it's always the same,''

'' ''''it's hard to get on together'''', etc.''

No. Change will come from a search

for a stronger relationship

between action and ideas.

lf we don't want physical
and violent struggle,

we need to go on fighting
for our ideas

and for the means to...
physically defend these ideas.

Have you had time to get yourselves
organized in a more structured way?

But we don't want organization.

Events show what happens
when power is centralized!

Enough of that system,
state-run or not.

We'll find ways to organize
differently, or not at all.

You're the only media around,
the only authority

for those who can't read or write.

We're all at your mercy,
depend on you, believe you.

We've had enough! We must
do things our way, collectively.

We need houses, so we occupy one.

Stop all this hierarchy....

and power struggle.

What's it for?

To be under a dictatorship again?

Every rebellion is the same:

people set up a structure,
a hierarchy:

it always ends the same.
People have to change.

But you're not saying anything!

Yes l am! People must change.

People, fine. They, they! What
are you going to do so they change?

l'd love to loot that pawn shop,
distribute all the stuff.

We'll give Mme Thibaudier
her mattress.

Let's go then!

l've got a message.
lf any women need a babysitter,

l don't mind
doing that while they're at work.

Me too... lf any elderly people
need a hand,

shopping or laundry,

- they can ask me.

l've got a message
for the bourgeois.

They're gonna have a headache,
'cos we're here to kill 'em.

One thing for sure,
we're not going to starve.

Because now the granary gates
are open for the taking.

People wait and say,

'' ''''Can you give me?''''
No, now we'll take.''

But if everyone did that?

But that's exactly what happens!

The bourgeois have always taken
and never given. We'll do the same,

and then you'll see a change.

They must stop wanting to possess.

They must change
their acts and thoughts.

Not to accumulate goods.

That's bourgeois thinking.

We want to destroy that.
lt's over now!

- We loot for others!
- lsn't that extreme?

lsn't their way extreme,

to have starved us for centuries?

How far are you prepared to go?

We're ready to die!

lt'll be the same.
lt's hell here already!

We're not afraid to die,
we prefer to go to heaven.

We have faith.

- What faith?
- The faith of believing.

We shouldn't talk to you.

Your manipulation methods
are those of National TV.

We don't need to prove
our ideas to you.

Your role is a bit strange!
Do you really broadcast

what we say, what you're filming?
Will people see this film?

We try.

What'll you do with it?
You can change our soundtrack.

Let's not exaggerate.
Come to the cafe and see.

We show what you say.

National TV uses propaganda
all the time.

They manipulate people
very strongly.

And you see the kind of press
that's around.

We're with you!

We can't trust anyone any longer!

Even the Commune. They get
a mandate and then forget us.

They forget the people's demands.

How can we trust anyone,
you or them?

We've got to do things on our own.

We're on our own, we'll act alone.

Not for ourselves - to share.
That's what counts, sharing.

lt would be good if one could say

that the educational system

develops critical thinking
towards the media...

But more and more film courses
in schools and faculties

limit their training to Hollywood
or publicity film-making.

This education reproduces

'' a consumerist and violent
''''popular culture''''.''

However, it's encouraging
to see people increasingly aware

of the role played by
the education system and media,

in support
of economic globalization.

National TV Versailles.
Laurent Duchamp Pothier.

Henri Gothie.

Well Henri, tonight
we have a very special programme

on the women of the Commune.
You're just back from Paris.

You're constantly at risk,

for we know what lies in store
for many of our correspondents.

You have fresh details

on these Commune women
we hear so much about.

What's it like in Paris?

Sheer madness.
Women in all kinds of clothing:

knickers, pants, rifles, pitchforks.
They attack, they shriek,

they climb whatever they can.
They scream, sing, shout, harangue.

TV NATlONAL PRESENTS:

A special programme
on the Communards

with quotes from our most famous
and admired literary figures.

'' G. Sand: ''''We see all kinds
of essays, fantasies,''

'' ''''pretences at social science,''

'' ''''deep down, there is only passion,
dreams, appetites.''

'' ''''Ambition, ignorance,
and vanity dominate all...''''''

'' M. Du Camp: ''''ln my view,''

'' ''''the women of the Commune
are malicious and mad.''

'' ''''Women excel in acts of cruelty
which they mistake for courage.''''''

'' E. Zola: ''''This rebellious spirit''

'' ''''which makes Paris
such a revolutionary town,''

'' ''''is embodied in some women
who become true harpies,''

'' ''''shrews spewing fire and flames.''''''

'' F. Sarcey: ''''ln this insanity,
women show more ferocity than men;''

'' ''''it is because they possess
a more developed nervous system;''

'' ''''for their brain is smaller,
and sensitivity sharper...''''''

Well, all this goes to prove that,

as stated paradoxically
by the socialist ideologue Proudhon:

'' ''''When women get to think, they
become mad, hideous, or old hags.''''''

With this wise maxim, Henri Gothie,

ends our special programme.

We invite viewers
to tune in again...

for more of your fresh stories.

With a touch more courage

than the reporters
in Gucci camouflage suits

reporting from their Baghdad hotels
on the 1 991 Gulf War,

H. Gothie now ventures
into the 1 1 th District.

What's that you're reading?

'' The ''''Cri du Peuple''''.
lt's out again.''

'' The ''''Cri du Peuple'''' is available?''

A good thing too.
We need a newspaper

to cover Commune events. And
to communicate with the provinces.

- You're a reporter?
- Sort of.

- That's why...
- l follow different events.

You know the women are getting
organized in each District,

so they too
can have a political voice.

We actually want to have
our own newspaper.

Many new papers are coming out.
l don't know how they'll operate.

But they need to be autonomous.

You have a printer?

You need a printer and paper.

That's something to work out
with the Commune.

Women will reorganize
the production.

But l thought...

We're part of the Commune.
We'll reorganize the printing trade.

You mean men's or women's papers?

No, we must re-evaluate the social
relations between men and women.

ln education, etc....

l think these forces must meet,
but now we need to organize...

Lucienne, watch it!

l'm sure you're
a Versailles TV reporter.

Spy!

What are you doing here?

You've got no business here!

With all the lies you tell about
the Commune,

the people of Paris who are
starving. You think this is fun?

You think it's a joke?

All the dead soldiers!

He ridiculed me!

Kill him. Don't let him continue!

Know any washerwomen?
Ever wash your laundry?

Want to talk about our life here?
Go on, listen to them.

Listen, l work for National TV,
which informs the French people....

Liar! Shoot him!

Which informs the French people!

That's what you call what we saw
on TV about the women?

Caricatures!

lt's difficult to discuss with you.

You piece of shit!
We'll show you poverty.

You've seen nothing yet! This is
just the beginning, l warn you.

Look at where l live.
Here, with 5 people.

Two kids.
We sleep 5 in the same bed.

Can you feel the smell?

Watch out, you'll get dirty.
Feel the moisture on the walls?

l've been around here before!

During the siege,
it was minus 25.

But l'm not a journalist
l'm a caricaturist.

You caricature people, for sure.

But you caricature the bourgeois.
You know how the media work...

Listen! Shut up!

During the siege,
we were freezing here.

l have to work day and night
for my children.

For what?
They might even have to work,

though l didn't want that.

l have to queue for hours
at the Town Hall for food stamps.

ls that fair?
While you people stuff yourselves.

l can't take this life
or this work any more.

We're all sick here.
We're dying off!

And you in the meantime...
Caricatures!

Speak about reality! Reality!

'' - Reality is stronger!
- ''''Pere Duchene'''' caricatures too.''

- No, wait.
- What do they do?

You're a journalist
at Versailles TV.

Think they'll let you speak
about this? About the Commune?

To speak about the people,
their lives. 5 in each bed!

- You want to be on TV?
- We couldn't care less!

ls that what you want?

According to recent information,

the Commune denounced
the role of the Central Committee,

while the latter has suggested

that all decisions by the War
Delegate be under its supervision.

The main question is,
whowill obtain power?

The Commune is debating setting up
a Committee of Public Safety.

The Executive Commission,
set up on April 20,

is apparently not strong enough.

Due to the gravity of the situation,

Jules Miot has demanded
radical measures.

Most of the debate centres on
whether this new Committee

will have 5, 7, or 3 members.

ln desperation,
General Cluseret has established

in each District,
a military office

to pursue draft evaders.

An attempt to bridle
the struggle for power

that splits the National Guard,

and to coordinate
the municipalities,

the Central Committee
and the Legions.

Given the spirit of sedition

animating this useless militia,

we can rest assured
that this measure

will only stir up the rivalries.

Citizens!
Fort lssy is in danger.

General Rossel has replaced
General Cluseret as War Delegate.

l'd like to add that Cluseret was
arrested on charges of treason...

1100 cannon are scattered
throughout the city,

instead of at the ramparts.

Part of the problem

is the autonomous
artillery battalions

which refuse to merge
with the Central Committee.

ln short, Paris is a town
paralyzed by endless committees.

To counter this, General Rossel

has promised to coordinate
military command.

He aims to restructure the Guard,
form independent regiments,

and merge the artillery
into a single body.

The National Guard Central Committee

finds Rossel's reforms unacceptable.

And l quote Edouard Moreau:

'' ''''Today, 1 5 Districts
were represented at a meeting''

'' ''''of the Central Committee,
which voted''

'' ''''to abolish the War Office
and leave the Committee alone''

'' ''''in charge of the war effort.''

'' ''''Given that the Commune is only''

'' ''''a 'communal administration',
if this request is denied,''

'' ''''we, the men of March 1 8,''

'' ''''will act as revolutionaries''

'' ''''and regain control
over our revolution.''''''

Hard to avoid conflict
with such varying opinions!

Amidst growing chaos,

the Jacobite majority
votes to create

a Committee of Public Safety
to centralize power.

Citizens! We're in the Town Hall.
This is a historic event.

The moment is very grave...

After much debating, the Commune
set up a Committee of Public Safety.

This 5-member Committee
will run the entire Commune

to deal with the crisis.

45 members voted for,
23 opposed this decision.

The Commune members discussed
at length whether or not

to publish the minutes

of these divisive sessions.

Will we ever be allowed to see them?

Alright, cut!

What's the matter?
You're at it again?

We've had no proper information
for 3 weeks.

Giving negative information
isn't your job.

ltisnegative information!

They spent all day
wondering what to call it...

That's your opinion.

You know why?
They thought it might scare people.

Committee of Public Safety!
Of course it scares people!

That's Robespierre!

Let's start recording again,

maybe we can talk about
what's going on now!

lt's not our job.
What are you saying?

So? We'll give our opinion
from now on and that's it.

Or l'm going home!

The next day, the reporter resigns,

stating that this Committee
betrays Commune principles,

and that he can no longer
act non-critically in his work.

The Versailles army shells Paris:

80 cannons fire on lssy, Vanves,
Montrouge and le Point du Jour.

Thiers' own battery of 70 naval guns
joins the assault.

The Grenelle and Passy Districts
quickly become uninhabitable.

Good evening.

Every hour, the news from Paris

describes an increasingly
chaotic situation.

Unable to govern itself,

the Commune has established
a Committee of Public Safety.

A return to a dictatorship,

which could, as before,

deny the people the rights
it was pretending to protect.

Furthermore and predictably,

General Cluseret has been arrested

and replaced
by his private secretary,

Colonel Nathaniel Rossel.

This apparently very cold man
deserted the regular army

to join the rebel camp,
asserting - and l quote -

'' ''''his horror for a society''

'' ''''which has signed France's surrender
in such a cowardly way.''''''

As Thiers
is persistently negotiating

details of the Prussian
peace treaty,

'' we believe that Colonel Rossel's
''''horror'''' is very badly aimed.''

This officer,

'' who knows nothing of the
''''socialist'''' system he has joined,''

clearly has no chance of succeeding
in the chaos

currently affecting
the National Guard Battalions.

lt is in the nature of the Commune
to dump its villains.

But unpardonable for it
to waste its talents!

Thank you so much, my friends,
for this lovely time!

How nice of you!

And this delicious dinner!

With all the shortages,
how did you manage?

We don't really have any problems.

Marie moans about costs,
but everything is available.

Except milk. She was
all over Paris and found none.

What about this cream?

Tinned, my dear.
You should try it.

lt works very well.

- lt's an idea!
- Why not?

l'm trying to live
as normally as possible.

But deep down,
l'm very worried these days.

l feel the situation
is deteriorating rapidly.

The Committee of Public Safety

brings back sinister memories.
Distant, but sinister nonetheless.

l'm surprised that no one else
seems to worry about it.

What do you think, Mr. Veuillet?

The income from your business
and rent must be quite disrupted?

My business
is in a deplorable state.

Already, the first siege
made a considerable dent

in my turnover.

With the Commune,
it's a catastrophe.

lncomes have dropped drastically.

Some of my clientele
have taken refuge in Versailles.

l'm waiting for this comedy
to end as quickly as possible.

A sinister comedy.

Yes, really!

Grandfather's liqueur.
There's some left.

An excellent occasion for it.

Thank you.

And you Mr...

l forgot your name, M. Renaud,
forgive me!

Dear colleague, come now!

- How clumsy!
- lt's the liqueur!

What worries me

is Thiers' statement
to the Parisians.

You've read it as well but...

to me, it sounds like
an incitement to civil war.

lf you listen to what he says:

'' ''''The Government wished that you
might free yourselves independently''

'' ''''of the tyrants who scoff
at your liberty and life.''

'' ''''Since you cannot,
it becomes our task.''

'' ''''Therefore, we have assembled
an army at your gates.''

'' ''''An army which comes
not to conquer but to set you free.''

'' ''''lt prevails upon you to prevent
the disasters linked to any assault.''

'' ''''You outnumber
the Commune sectarians.''

'' ''''Regroup!
Open the doors''

'' ''''that they have shut
on law and order.''

'' ''''lf you don't act, the Government
will be forced to take''

'' ''''the swiftest and surest means
available to set you free.''''''

That is a bit worrying.

lt's quite menacing.

But he has to do something.

With these recent arrests
of priests.

Mr. Veuillet,
you're quite concerned.....

Very concerned indeed. Because
l spend a lot of time with the nuns,

and l'm shattered
by the Commune's latest measures.

May 7, the 1 1 th Sub-Committee

requisitions
the St. -Ambroise Church,

transforming it
into a revolutionary debating club.

Thousands of people gather there
every evening.

The red flag is hoisted
over the pediment.

We don't have time to film a
club scene in the Church right now,

so if it's OK, we'll hold the club
in the cafe today.

lf we were there,
what would you tell me,

what would you say in the Church?

You have things to say,
anyone can talk: express yourselves.

First, l'd like to correct you
on one point.

We'll tellyounothing, because
we've got nothing to say to you!

We're going to speak
among ourselves.

About things we need to talk over.

We requisition the Church
as it has the most space.

And symbolically,
we're happy

things are said in there, where
we've never been allowed to speak.

Where our heads were filled
with ideas, so we would never speak.

So we'll tell you nothing!

Can clerics participate?
Are they not people?

No priests in social affairs.
Not their business!

- Yes, as plain citizens.
- Like everybody else.

Then why isn't he
in the National Guard?

lf he's of age,
why isn't he on the barricades?

All citizens aged 1 8 to 40

must join the National Guard

and go to the barricades
or the forts.

The Commune had no time
to put things into practice.

lt had to cope with everything
plus a war.

How to organize ourselves

and build a true democracy?

That's also a question of power.

This power gives you
enormous responsibilities.

Power and duty must be shared.

Any human being
can fall into a trap,

if left
with too many responsibilities.

We can't.
We're not built for that.

That's why we need
direct democracy. Participation...

Everyone should find a place.

lf we're all here,
there must be a reason.

l tried to find my place
among all this.

l'm a bourgeois from the 1 1 th.
l was against the Commune,

but l stayed to help
my neighbourhood.

Then l realized
it was everyone for themselves.

l was very disappointed.

They sent their own kids
to the barricades.

lt's inhumane. Those children
should have been protected.

That's not true,
we did protect the kids.

But you didn't hesitate
to send them to the barricades.

That depends.
ln the beginning we tried to...

l realize that in the end,
the Commune....

'' The ''''legal'''' government troops
massacred children''

and people in hospitals.

The Commune people fought
for their kids' future.

To change it!

lt doesn't mean
sending your own son...

Mme Thibaudier didn't want
her children on the barricades.

The kids did
because they believed in it.

But in the end...

Don't tell me it's the question
of kids that's bugging you.

What bugs you is that
you're the doctor's wife.

Your friends owned a workshop...

The workers dare to take over
workshops left by the owners...

Absolutely not.

...and can do the work they were
doing in the first place, alone.

Absolutely not.
l wanted to help.

'' lf l try to help, l'm told:
''''Bourgeois, sell your earrings''''.''

l can't carry
the miseries of the world.

What would it change?
l try my best...

Changes for the Commune?
l'm impressed!

Why? You can oppose the Commune
and still love thy neighbour.

The problem is she wants to help
the poor, it's not revolutionary.

No insult intended: she's nice!

You continue being bourgeois
and help the poor.

No revolution there!

ln May, the Women's Union
starts to recruit,

to register working women
in federations

and to establish cooperatives.

Did you hear about
our Union in the 1 1 th?

Yes, we heard.

The Women's Union.

lt's time for us to unite!

We're already united
at our workshop.

We've started, we share the work.

Now we'll do it
for the whole District.

All women unite.
We'll do things together.

We must organize.
During the siege,

we saw that we weren't
recognized politically.

We must have political recognition,

and a place in the Town Hall.

We request equal pay
and shorter work days.

Have women organize
their own workshops.

Take their children into account.

We work...

but we're hardly paid,
even less than before.

We need workshops without bosses,

where women
will reap the fruit of their work.

When bosses won't recruit anymore,
we can pool our money.

The unemployed
must go to the ambulances

to look after the wounded.

We tried!

Why are you here, Mother?

l told you l didn't want
to see you here. lt's not for kids!

War isn't for children.

Charles! How often have l fed you?
ls this how you thank me?

No. Listen to me, Celine,
l don't want you here.

- You're coming with me.
- No, l won't!

ln 1 0 days, Celine Thibaudier,
18, seriously wounded,

will be buried alive among corpses
in a public garden.

Her younger brother's body
will never be found.

What l've noticed is that

the Versailles Government
had the will to destroy us

long before we took up arms.

And l feel that in 1 999,
this will of destruction

reappears each time
we try to move forward a bit,

to take a little bit of power,
of freedom.

lf we seize those things,

we'll face guns and cannon
in exactly the same way.

l don't know... They didn't
take control of the bank.

Will we take control of the bank?
Do something besides education,

fighting the Church,
those crumbs they let us play with?

Are we going to tackle
the real powers?

As l was saying, revolution

is the search for happiness.
lt's simple, but to build...

A revolution...

destroys to build.

Because if you build
on the old system...

We know history repeats itself.

Yes, destroy, but during the Commune

the history of France was destroyed.

They burned the archives, part
of France's memory was destroyed.

Go to the archives today,
you'll see,

that's what they tell you
all the time. And it's true.

They say it.
Doesn't make it true.

On the question of memory -

and l've noticed that
whether in school or at university,

where l did a master's degree
in history,

the Paris Commune is neglected.
This has to be made quite clear.

So we must talk about
what the Commune teaches us.

Yes, the Commune was a failure...

No. The Commune is not a failure!

Well OK, it's a revelation.
When l heard about this film

l reread my Valles,
my Louise Michel, my Lissagaray.

l finished these 3 books
and thought: l understand Lenin!

'' He said: ''''This is no joke.''

'' ''''One guy runs the army: Trotsky.
Everybody else shut up.''''''

He commands.

He was responsible for Kronstadt!

Yes, he did that but
their revolution was successful.

Same story.

Thanks for the anarchists killed!

At a time like that, there are
no hesitations,

you ban this, you do that. There's
no question of foreign troops

managing to help the Czar.

We have to win...

'' Listen! ln ''''State and Revolution'''',
Lenin talks only about the Commune.''

l say it's another story because

what impressed me
is that the Commune

opens up many paths and reflections

on its failures.
This one by Lenin.

For others, it's because
the Sub-Committees

were disorganized.

Others might think it

a lack of audacity
towards the banks.

Some think it's very simply

a lack of military daring,
for delaying their attack.

The Commune was not a failure.

The Commune wanted the power
to stay with the civilians.

To organize elections.
lt was their fall and their glory.

lt wasn't a failure - many things
were done in just 2 months.

Things that continued germinating
long after the event.

And if we're still bickering
like this about the Commune,

it proves it's not a failure.

We're not moving fast enough.
We're wasting time chattering.

We pass decrees
which we don't enforce.

On the level of education...
it's useless.

We haven't managed
to put anything into practice.

l'm facing enormous difficulties
with state education.

We couldn't expel the religious
staff in some Districts.

ln the 3rd it went very well. By
April, the religious were replaced

by lay teachers. ln other areas
the religious are still there.

We've barely started
the new education programme.

We can't set up free education
due to a lack of funds.

We can't recruit competent teachers,
let alone pay them.

This creates big problems.

lt's true,
we spend a lot of time talking,

instead of implementing our decrees.

And the budget...

What can one say?

Nothing!

Three quarters of the available
funds goes to the army.

The remainder to supplies
and administration,

which functions miraculously
with so few civil servants.

We should talk about
the worsening military situation.

This is more serious.

Because that's the situation.

About our finances -
we'll probably manage,

thanks to efficient work
and scrupulous savings.

But we must all watch out
for wastage.

As Thiers' army advances,

Commune delegates
assess their position.

Present are Eugene Protot,
Edouard Vaillant, Eugene Varlin,

Augustin Avrial, Leo Frankel,
Francis Jourde and Augustin Verdure.

Concerning the artillery,
there's no shortage of cannon,

ammunition, even gunners.
What's lacking is organization.

We always come back to this.

lnstead of endless
discussions and quarrels,

the Commune should split
into 2 groups.

One would stay here, and the other

would go and fight.

That's our role and our duty.

Enough discussion and waste!
We must act!

You might recall how enthusiastic
l was about a month ago.

Today l can't hide my despair.

Being so close
to the cause of women,

l find,

we've done nothing for them...

even though they have
such dire needs.

Sorry to come back to this again...

We're talking about organization,
wasted time,

our failure
towards women and education.

But l believe that it's due

to our lack of clarity regarding
the central political question.

We can tackle social progress

with strong republican institutions,
and a firmly established

power and administration.

lnstead we tried to handle
everything in one go.

No. lt's a question of time.
You can't say that!

We're assessing 40 days' work.
We can't do everything!

So we need an executive power.

Yes. A strong executive power.

Right now we have
an assembly of 85 members.

Everyone debates, no one obeys.

We're often fewer than 85.

True,
and probably so much the better!

What are our priorities?

We can make long-term plans,

but if the Versaillais arrive,
it's finished.

We've lost Fort lssy now!

So let's not forget the urgency
of the military situation.

But wait a minute. l was the first
to talk about priorities.

The National Guard, feeding the
people, keeping alive trust, etc.

But we should not go
against our own principles.

We've been chosen
to organize a government,

a Commune,
to be as democratic as possible.

Circumstances are difficult.
We know that.

We did our best.

lf we don't succeed, it will serve
as a lesson for others.

And l'm not at all in favour

of handing over
power to a dictatorship,

just because the situation
is extreme.

You prefer not to take
the necessary means

to save a revolution

because of your principles?

What other solutions do we have?
None.

People getting ruffled if it's
called a Committee of Public Safety

is of no importance
compared to what will happen to us

if we're not swift
and efficient.

Citizens.

The fall of Fort lssy
has caused considerable losses.

The bodies of the National Guard
are piled high in the cellars.

Throughout Paris,
people have read Rossel's statement:

'' ''''The tricolour hangs
over abandoned Fort lssy.''''''

Citizen Rossel later declares:

'' ''''l'm incapable of carrying
responsibility for command''

'' ''''when everyone debates
and no one obeys.''''''

Delescluze is appointed War Delegate
in his stead.

Today, he made the following speech
to the National Guard:

The situation is grave,
you are aware of this,

the horrible war
waged by the feudal conspirators

together with the remains
of the royalist regime

has already cost you
much generous blood.

However, in lamenting
these painful losses,

l consider the sublime future
of our children,

and even if we do not reap
what we have sown...

l will still salute with enthusiasm
the revolution of March 1 8...

which brought to France and Europe

prospects none of us could have
hoped for just 3 months ago.

Therefore, fall in, citizens,
and stand firm facing the enemy.

Our ramparts are as strong
as your arms and hearts,

you know that you are fighting

for your freedom
and for social justice,

for this promise
which has eluded you for so long.

lf your chests are exposed
to Versailles bullets or shells,

the assured prize

is the emancipation of France
and the world,

the security of your homes, and the
lives of your wives and children.

'' l say ''''Bravo'''',
because at least''

Delescluze makes everyone
face his own responsibilities.

We're the Commune, we made it,
we should defend it.

Citizen Delescluze belongs
to the Committee of Public Safety...

so l don't know.....

he belongs to a centralized power
at the same time.

lt's thesecond
Committee of Public Safety,

so what's going on? We from
the Sub-Committees support them

because they represent the people,

but it's something
of a contradiction. This hierarchy,

with people who manipulate
and centralize power

and give orders
that sometimes get us,

our friends and brothers,

killed on the field
because of tactical errors.

Who's really calling the tune here?

Us, the Committee of Public Safety,

the Sub-Committees?
Who?

lt's up to us to regain power,
it's our Commune!

Well, it's slipping away from us!

No. Everyone can take action.

We must stop delegating
our authority and power.

We're active.
We support the Commune,

but we must organize.
Not each man for himself.

l agree, especially now.

We must re-focus our efforts. You
support the Sub-Committee, l don't.

They always screw things up.

lt's very easy to criticize attempts

to reorganize the National Guard.

But the real problem is that
the Central Committee and

the Sub-Committees
always give counter-orders.

You mean the Sub-Committee members
who come from our neighbourhood.

You don't recognize their authority?

l know them,
we led the struggle together.

But now we're at war, shit!
We've got to win this war.

But they were with us.

We must focus our energies...
orders must be centralized.

l don't mind being a hero,

but it's all a bit obscure.

lt's totally obscure,
there's no coherent strategy.

We never know what to do.
This, that...

We'll develop a strategy

if organizations
stop screwing things up.

Wouldn't it be easier
to make decisions

in a state of urgency
if things were centralized,

rather than orders
and counter-orders

left, right, and centre:
Public Safety, Sub-Committee, etc.?

That's renouncing the power
the Commune gave you!

- We made March 1 8.
- We must adapt.

We can't delegate, or quit.

The Commune has abandoned
its power and rights

by electing a Committee.
That's bad.

And the Sub-Committee was with us

when we took power.

Sorry, but the people up there,
l've never seen them here myself.

The Sub-Committee led us to
where we are today, a situation...

not only beyond us, but increasingly
difficult on a military level.

What we are witnessing

is a free-for-all

regarding who's going to take power,

make decisions, send orders.

One person disagrees and
sends a counter-order, and so on.

The mess
isn't the lack of authority,

but too many authorities.

Gentlemen,

the criminal insurrection

which dared compound the agony
of the foreign war

with an equally painful
civil war,

and a particularly disastrous one,

had also caused problems
in our foreign relations.

Thankfully,

recent negotiations

have removed all uncertainties.

A final peace treaty
has been signed with Germany!

Africa,

which we are struggling to help,

will now be provided for.

Moreover,

l can say that the dangers
threatening our colony

have been partly averted.

One of the dispatches,

all of which as Head of Government
l have the right to see,

even when not personally addressed
to me,

contains these words,
written by a son to his father,

one of our most valued Generals:

'' ''''l'm fine. Superb 8 hour battle.''

'' ''''Al-Mokrani, head of the
insurrection, killed stone dead.''''''

Thus, gentlemen,

the danger which threatened
our beautiful African possession

has passed,

and will hopefully,
in a few days,

have completely disappeared.

When the Commune is crushed,

100,000 soldiers leave for Algeria
to suppress the Muslim revolt.

They carry out threats made
by a General in the 1 847 campaign:

'' ''''l will enter your mountains; l will
burn your villages and your crops;''

'' l will cut down your fruit trees...''''''

The resistance lasts
until January 1 872,

when the French seize
the last rebel bases

in the oases
of Touggourt and Ourgala.

'' Yesterday our area looked like
a real desert;''

it was surrounded by
the National Guard arresting

all young or young-looking men.

lt was desolation everywhere.

l don't know
why our street was spared,

since people were being arrested
elsewhere.

Some streets had house searches.

The concierge said our turn
would come on Monday.

Your father and Suzanne
saw the dressmaker,

who told them
she had had great difficulty

trying to save a young man of 20
in the Faubourg Saint-Germain.

The 5th and 6th Districts

are also being searched,

and the men of the 5th
immediately drafted.

Since last night, the wind
brings the sound of the cannon,

making us believe
that the Army is in Paris.

But even though shells

reach the Boulevard Malsherbes,

the troops,
whom we await so impatiently,

have not yet arrived.

The Proletarian Club
has opened a debating venue

'' at the Sainte-Marguerite Church;''

it's the second Church
requisitioned by the Commune

in the 1 1 th District.

A red flag hangs
beneath the Church warden's pew,

with this inscription:

'' ''''lt is forbidden to touch this flag''

'' ''''on pain of death.''''''

Things are looking better now.
The Commune has obtained,

or rather, imposed
a contract for me.

l've had to lower my prices.

Still, l think l'll be able to do
a bit more for my workers.

But will it be enough
to satisfy them?

lt is hard for them.

How do you feel
about what she said?

lt's true we have work. But it's
much more difficult than before,

and with less pay.

Also, when you start getting old,

you worry about retirement.

What will l do?

You, Jeanne,
last week you were out of work.

Yes, and l can't just always
criticize.

lt's true l have a job.
But the boss is paying us only half.

lf not, she says, the Commune
wouldn't give her the contract.

Frankly, l'm not so sure.

lt's not fair. We work 1 2 hours
a day for the war effort.

We're paid peanuts,

and when we get our money,
usually we have to wait.

lt's completely absurd.

Our salaries were already low.

lt's all topsy-turvy.
The Commune is in power.

And the boss says
they're only paying half.

On May 4,
following workers' complaints,

Frankel ordered an inquiry
into the clothing trade.

lt showed that the Commune
is signing cut-price contracts

with entrepreneurs
who lower the price of salaries.

Mr Frankel, please!

Salaries have been cut considerably
since the Commune.

Any comments?

ln support of the workers,

we've led an inquiry
into this serious matter.

Since April 25,
exploiters have been

fraudulently contracting
with our supplies Office.

As l told the Commune:

'' ''''This vile haggling
diminishes the Commune's dignity.''

'' ''''Let us not forget
that the March 1 8 revolution''

'' ''''was won by the working class.''

'' ''''l fail to see the Commune's
raison d'etre,''

'' ''''if we who advocate
social justice,''

'' ''''do nothing for this class.''''''

What are you going to do now?

We passed a decree authorizing
the review of fraudulent markets.

We'll do all we can to end
these abuses,

which are beneath our revolution.

Despite war and division,
the Commune pursues its social work.

Other decrees are passed
in favour of the workers:

banning of fines
and salary deductions,

access to objects pawned
for less than 20 francs,

alimony for abandoned women
with children...

Citizens please,
we would like to speak.

So, the rats are leaving the ship!

'' ''''The members
of the Commune Minority''

'' ''''had decided to read,
at the regular May 1 5 meeting,''

'' ''''a declaration
which could have removed''

'' ''''misunderstandings
in the Assembly.''''''

We need unity!

'' ''''The meeting was cancelled''

'' ''''because most Majority members
were absent.''

'' ''''lt is therefore our duty...
please...''

'' ''''to present the public
with our beliefs,''

'' ''''and to reveal the points
separating us from the Majority.''''''

Your treachery!

'' ''''Through a special
and specific vote,''

'' ''''the Paris Commune handed over
its power to a dictatorship''

'' ''''called Public Safety.''''''

You're the dictators!

'' ''''By this vote, the Commune Majority
has declared itself irresponsible''

'' ''''and handed over our obligations
to this Committee.''''''

'' ''''The Minority''

'' ''''affirms to the contrary:''

'' ''''we owe it to the social and
political revolutionary movement,''

'' ''''to accept all responsibilities''

'' ''''and abandon none.''''''

May 1 8.
The Women's Union holds a meeting

to establish
trade union federations for women.

They decide to meet again on May 21.

This meeting,

crucial for the future social
development of women in France,

will never take place.

l want to talk about the film
l'm doing with Peter on the Commune.

lt's quite a new way of working.

lt's a process,
there's a beginning and an end.

lt's about the Commune,
and we speak of revolution.

As actors in this film,

we all had to build
our own democracy,

move forward in this process,

leave space for others,
and find our own.

And l find there's a parallel
with the Commune.

Because l think it's very difficult

to be democratic

when desires are so strong.

When people are driven
by such strong expectations,

the crowd makes it very difficult
to go deeply into things.

ln this film we were sometimes
driven by this joy

which swept us away.

And sometimes disappointments
brought us back down

to find our place again.
l found all that fascinating.

l would like to add

that just before the camera
started filming,

we voted on whether
to have men with us here or not.

l voted against, as l believe
we don't have the same concerns.

Even if some men do understand us,
it's not the same.

And that's not being anti-men.
Not at all. We like men!

But l think that
when it doesn't affect you,

it's difficult to speak for others.

And it's time that women
start speaking for themselves.

lt's time we stop being represented,
and start being.

Men and women aren't the same.

But l think we're entitled to
the same things:

respect and dignity.

lt would be nice
to get to that point.

Here we are in 1 999,

and the Commune echoes,

because we're still
at the same point.

We've traded privileges
for the power of money.

Sure, there have been changes,
women work now.

l think they're still being had,

because now they work outside,
as well as in the home.

lt's still the old ladies
taking care of the kids

and everything.

Of course,
there are people who share,

but we can't say we've made it.

We're being taken even more,
because we think we've got it made.

That makes it even worse.

Because we have a bit of comfort
and semblance.

Before, it was clear.

They fought during the Commune
because they were really crushed.

Whereas we got screwed by comfort.

We talked about the question of film

and TV production, etc.

What about the distribution
of a work like this?

lt really bears a lot of hope.

lf our small group could do this,
with modest resources,

it would be wise and important
to explain this process.

lt asks relevant questions.
To help us question ourselves.

lt's disturbing too.
We also need to question everything,

including ourselves.

To find answers like:
we must act, control our destiny!

We must move ourselves.

This experience is full of hope,
and in that sense,

extremely positive.

We should distribute
not only the film,

but also the life
that took place around it.

USA's number 1 export industry

is not aeronautics,
computers or cars,

but the entertainment industry:

films and TV programmes.

TV is now a global presence:

the number of TVs per citizen

has doubled from 1 980 to 1 995.

Since 1 976,
Hollywood foreign profits

have risen from 30% to 50%.

ln 1 996, the US film industry

held 76% of the European market

and 83% of the Latin American one.

Foreign films in the USA

make up less than 3% of the market.

'' ''''l don't want my house to be
completely surrounded by walls,''

'' ''''l don't want my windows
to be sealed.''

'' ''''l want the cultures
of every country''

'' ''''to enter my home
as freely as possible.''

'' ''''But l refuse to be crushed
by any one of them.''''''

Gandhi

Resistance is a form of violence.

Not the same violence as going
to the barricades or being crippled,

but escaping the comfort
we're used to

is quite a violent move.

How far are you prepared to go?
lt still happens -

maybe not in France right now -

but there are violent street fights
against police forces.

lt can happen.

Once you start thinking about it,
where do you stop?

The illegal immigrants' cause
made me react.

Talking about confrontations,

last month the security police
evicted us violently

from the Vendome Square.

They didn't have helmets or shields,
so they looked human.

But they were stronger
and had orders to use force

to move us.
Even if this is a democracy,

we weren't free to demonstrate,
we had to be crushed.

So we were hit, pushed around,

beaten and suppressed.

But this forces us to react even more.

Like when you're cornered.

What surprises me,
is that unlike some of you,

l feel l discovered something,
something happened to me

to make me commit myself.

l wasn't born with this,

some things were important to me
like respecting others,

hospitality, tolerance, openness,
cultural diversity.

Trying to understand

why things are accepted
or even valued in one society

and completely denigrated
in another.

When you're bicultural,
you ask yourself these things.

Then you apply it to people

of your own culture.

l saw that these principles
of tolerance and openness

were not applied to people

of another culture, or rather
of another class, the poor really.

The problem for French immigration
isn't the foreigners,

but the poor in France.

l'm a foreigner,
l lived in the 1 6th District.

No problems between Saudi Arabians,
lranians and old French.

We got along fine.

The only differences
were on the economic scale.

So when illegal aliens
started saying,

'' ''''Enough,
your society is killing us off'''',''

it forced me to take into account
my own egotism,

of the luck l had,

which l really didn't want to waste.

l live in the rich part of the world,
l've had an education.

Do l sit on it all,
or stand gaping until l die?

Or will l make the effort
to get out of my shell

and meet people who don't
necessarily share my point of view.

Once again it's that question

of struggling alone to confront
this famous barricade,

finding out one's limits and desires,

also maybe learning
how to ask others for help

to overcome this famous barricade.

May 21,
the Versailles troops enter Paris

through an unguarded gate.

Delescluze abandons
all organized resistance

'' and calls for a ''''revolutionary war''''.''

He puts up posters throughout Paris:

'' ''''Citizens, enough militarism,''

'' ''''no more brass hats
trimmed with braid!''

'' ''''Give way to the people,''

'' ''''to combatants with naked arms!''''''

At the Town Hall square,

the objects to be taken
from the pawnshop

are chosen by drawing lots.

Until May 24,
despite the proximity of the war,

crowds of Parisians go there

to profit from a decree

allowing them to withdraw objects

pawned for less than 20f.

Well children,

we won't have the history class

we planned for today.

You can hear
what's going on outside.

And we'd like to know

if you're aware
of what's going on.

Serious events are happening

outside this classroom.

What's happening?

Celine isn't with us anymore.

Do you know why she left?

Where is she?

Why?

Doesn't anyone know
where Celine went?

Somebody know?

She went to fight.

On the barricades!

With her brothers, exactly.

Are they going to die?

People risk their lives.

Do you know why?

Because of the Versailles troops.

Why, what are they fighting
against or for?

The Communards want equality,

the people in Versailles
want inequality.

On May 22,
Thiers' army starts murdering

'' prisoners in the ''''liberated'''' areas.''

During the next days,

thousands of Parisians,
men, women, children,

are shot or bayoneted on the spot.

Thousands more are sent
to summary military courts,

given arbitrary sentences,

and sent to the firing squad.

Troops invade Commune TV.

The broadcasts cease.

Gerard Bourlet decides
to use his radio microphone

to cover events
in the 1 1 th District.

What's going on here?

We're queuing for our stuff.

l can't hear!

We were told we could recover
our things now.

She doesn't want to!

Why not return their stuff,
a decree has been passed.

lt's been passed,

but only for items pawned from end
of October to beginning of November.

Forget the decree.
l need my mattress, my things.

The stuff's been here a year,
and we can't get it.

Citizen Jourde,

Joachim, what's happening here?

What's the situation?

Ask Jourde why
he didn't scrap the pawnshop.

Ask him!

- We can't scrap it.
- Why?

lt's necessary!
lt replaces the moneylenders.

We can at least
return the people's stuff,

for the barricades!

They will get their things.

l'm sorry,
800,000 items must be returned.

There are 3 offices, 3 shops.

We can't return
more than 4,000 a day.

We need a method.

Will the pawnshops be shut?

We'll replace them one day.

Now the priority
is to defend and supply Paris.

We don't yet have one institution

to replace the pawnshop,
to avoid usury,

transfer profits to state care,
to hospitals,

to pay for popular savings.

Let me finish.
lt's important to say

that the money from the pawnshops

allows working people
to be reimbursed

at least to save small amounts
towards future difficulties.

Poverty feeding poverty!

And the Bank of France?

lt's got nothing to do...

Future seems difficult right now!

- The Bank of France?
- Why not money from there?

There's almost nothing there.

They evacuated the money
during the siege. Sorry.

Not for the few millions there

should the Commune risk
a slump in the currency rate

and in our national economy.

Marion, an example
of inequality vs. equality.

Rich people are allowed to do things
that the poor can't.

- Do you think that's fair?
- No.

No, it's not fair.

Will you give us an example?

They have many privileges?

Yes, can you or someone else

give me an example
of these privileges?

The rich don't pay taxes
but the poor do.

Do you know who pays
for this school?

The state.

Yes, the state.

Do you know why

we're here today?

To learn to read and write.

And to learn about
what's happening!

Any changes in this school

since we've arrived?

There's more...

Go on.

Before, we learned to be
good housewives and all that.

Now we learn...

'' more important things.
Also you tell us what's going on;''

before we didn't know
what all the noise was about.

What's happening here?

They're breaking and burning
everything. What'll we do now?

Who's breaking everything? Who?

The Communards.
They'll screw up the whole economy.

They're barricading.
The Versaillais are coming!

But they're burning everything.
Then what'll we do?

What'll you do when
the enemy's here, and no one's left?

Nothing. The same thing happened
in '48 and for what?

Only misery and destitution.

We're fed up
with all these Communards. Really!

That's what you really think?
Really?!

Absolutely, because they're
breaking everything anyway...

We've filmed in your cafe,

people drank, spent money,
and now you've had enough!

Now you've had enough!!

We don't want trouble,

and that's what's happening now!

We're going...to fight.

l'd rather fight

than wait for their soldiers
to come and kill us.

- They won't spare the school.
- For sure!

They'll come here.

They'll come and hurt us.

Even if we're weaker, we can
manage if there are many of us.

lf one very strong person
and thousands of kids fight,

it's the children who'll win.

You shouldn't try to stop us

from going to the barricades!

The first large-scale massacres.

The wounded
of the St. -Sulpice Hospital

are brutally killed
by the regular army

under General Lacretelle.

Dwellers in a slum

are murdered by
General Bocher's brigade....

The French educational system

- which denied us
any financial help -

maintains silence on these
and other Commune events.

This film is dedicated
to French filmmakers

who were prevented
from completing films

on this subject.

Do you know what's happening
in Paris?

l was at the barricades in 1 944
at the Liberation.

l'm ready to go again
for my children's freedom.

What are you doing?

We're building barricades,
it's really urgent!

Would you have gone
to the barricades in 1 871?

Absolutely.
We had real power all together.

The people could have won
this Commune.

We should have done everything
to win it.

ls there a way
out of this situation?

Of course.
We will fight and go on fighting.

We'll win, that's why we're here.

Would you have gone?

Yes. And today

we must go on fighting.
They've established a world...

Why fight?

...of goods and capital,
and we're fed up with that.

We can't stand it anymore.

- And you?
- No, l wouldn't have.

l wouldn't go today either.
lt's always the same:

a nice idea of freedom,
used for one's own ends.

Here, fighting between
a Central Committee and Commune.

Today, it's the same...

That's not important.
The thing is to fight to stay free.

Free to choose our future,
to do as we want, to act.

But it's not possible...

Why not?

Systems manipulate us - we just
carry out orders, become products.

Automated products,
never waking to revolt.

l don't know.
Today it's easy to say yes or no.

lt's a war of the poor
who have a luxury - utopia!

Utopia's a reality
no one wants to see.

History will tell!

Rebels have knowledge.

l can't hear!

We can die,
as long as we can express ideas.

Being here means we used our brains.
Even if we must die.

l might not have gone then,
but what counts is expressing ideas.

Today the revolution is economic.

We tried to revolt against God.
We failed.

lt's not economic,
the Versaillais are right here!

The only way is to die.

At least we struggled.

How can you fight
on an economic basis?

- Burn down supermarkets.
- You would do that?

Yes.

Same ideas, other methods.
To get out of this shit.

There's nothing to lose.

People are ready to die
when they have nothing.

lt's freedom or death.

'' ''''Only force will guarantee freedom'''',
Blanqui said that.''

What doyouthink? Not Blanqui!

l don't know.

l'm a literary person, a romantic.
l don't know what l'd do now.

Power has changed. lt's across
the Atlantic, it's economic now.

lt's a different fight.
A cultural and economic one.

Money is power now.

They judge people on what they earn,
not who they are.

lt's money, full stop.
lt wasn't like that before.

You're wrong,
forceneverguaranteed freedom.

lt never guaranteed freedom,
on the contrary.

Today...

lt's fight Versailles or die,
what's your choice?

Like the resistance
against the Germans.

Whose side are you on?

Everyone can resist
in their own way, every day.

Revolt is still possible.
ln spite of economy and all that.

lf we listen to each other.

lf we leave space for others.

That would change a lot.

History is violence,
all the time.

The last barricades were in 1 968.

Just over 30 years ago.

You're comparing
these 30,000 deaths and '68?

ln a way.
'68 should have gone farther.

lf people had died in '68,

there would have been
a stronger power shift,

more benefits
with an all-out struggle.

You talk about 30,000 dead in 1 871,

what about those who die today
despite all this wealth?

We've as much cause for revolt.

But we fell asleep at some point.

What's going on?

Over there? Seems some of them
are more than ready to fight.

They're singing!

- They're blind to death.
- Let's go!

What's happening here?

We're at the barricades,
to stomp on the Versaillais,

we're here and we're going to go
all the way, to death. There!

We're going to fight. Move your ass!

- We've got work!
- Join us, take a gun. Come fight!

For freedom.

Versailles is finished.
Thiers is dead!

Enough of this rotten life.
Enough!

We don't even earn enough to eat.

lt's crazy!

We must fight!

You'd do the same thing?

Yes. l prefer to fight.

l'd rather fight.

This is no way to live.

Let's fight!

Boot out the bums!

What do you think?

l don't know!
l'm afraid of the barricades.

We've got nothing to lose!

Given the latest tragic
developments, TVN's editorial board

has decided to devote
a special programme

on the events in Paris.

l've asked our political editor,
Mr Francois Foucart,

to speak
about the terrible massacres

in the Commune prisons.

lt seems, my dear Francois,

that the hostages rotting
in the Commune gaols

have all been executed.
The news came this morning.

Yes. A series of insane,

irreparable and awful crimes
have just been committed.

And the Commune will have
to bear witness to History.

lt has now been confirmed

that the Archbishop of Paris,
Mgr. Darboy, has been shot.

Executed,
assassinated in a cowardly way.

Abbot Deguerry from the Madeleine,

court magistrate President Bonjean,

and other priests.

All shot in the most cowardly way
at the Roquette Prison.

The rapid advance
of the Versaillais,

their bloodthirsty behaviour,

set the Communards
against the hostages.

May 26, Colonel Gois,

escorted by National Guard
and rebels,

executes 51 hostages in Haxo Street.

Eugene Varlin tries in vain
to stop them.

The 66th National Guard Battalion,

based in Popincourt,

defends the Madeleine barricade

next to Mme Talbot's flat.

lt is decimated
by the advancing army.

Survivors flee towards Popincourt...

where they meet Charles de Beaufort.

We're still in the 1 1 th District.

People have seized Beaufort.

l don't know what he's done.

The men now distrust their officers.

There's the coward!

You and your gold decorations!

Happy that the army got us
at the Madeleine?!

And you'll finish off the job,
you scum?!

Not enough medals?

He must be eliminated!

That's him, l recognize him!
He's a traitor!

Shoot him! Bloody murderer!

- You play Marguerite Lachaise.
- Yes.

You know what happened to him?

Well, yes...

That he was killed?

He was killed a bit later.

A court-martial
had acquitted him....

How do you feel about it?

You were inciting the crowd
just now.

Well, l think this character,
Marguerite Lachaise...

l meanyou!

Personally,
l'm against summary execution.

People should have the right

to defend and explain themselves.

He wasn't a traitor,
but unfortunately

he was still killed.

And Marguerite Lachaise said that

since he had been acquitted,
killing him would be murder.

Before that,
she thought he was a traitor,

because he had insulted
the National Guard,

was an aristocrat, etc.

lt was a terrible situation,

the community in danger...

Anger was building in her
and all around.

There had to be a scapegoat,
a release.

There were others
on the Commune side.

More or less 1 00 murdered.

But though the Commune
murdered 1 00,

the other side massacred
nearly 30,000.

Where does violence come from?

Where does it lead?

What to do when people are angry?

How can you stop
this anger and violence?

Today, violence is everywhere.

Economic violence.
Countries, or continents like Africa

going to the dogs, sacrificed
in the name of global economy.

All the impoverished
in our own country.

The unemployed,
some of whom are here.

The homeless.

And the illegal aliens

we want to send off.

lt's a catastrophe.

And increasingly more
socially destitute.

Those who live in
inhuman housing estates,

who can only respond
to this violence

by their own physical violence,

and theft.
And it keeps growing.

How will it end?
What can we do?

The Versailles troops are advancing!

They've already reached
the Bastille!

We were going to have biology,
but...

Come on!
We must protect ourselves!

We have to block the doors.

We must do something!

We can't go on with class.

Let's go to the barricades.

We can't allow that.

But remember what we said
2 days ago?

- We can block the doors.
- With tables!

We can do that.

Why not the barricades?

Stop praying, Frederique!

lf God exists, why a war like this?

Stop it, it won't help.

When my father died,
l inherited his faith. So l pray.

Faith...what for?

'' During the ''''Bloody Week'''',''

Mr and Mme Talbot flee
their 1 1 th District flat

to take refuge with their daughter,

not far from
the Luxembourg Gardens...

Before her departure,

Mme Talbot writes

describing the arrival
of the Government forces:

We cried, we applauded,
we assured them

that there were no traitors.

This great joy

was disturbed by gunshots

up the street, near the Boulevard.

But what despair

and horror,

when we saw regular army soldiers

bringing back a Battalion officer

who had spent two days among us,

to shoot him.

l'm recording. What's going on?

Strengthening the barricades.
lt's win or die.

What did you say?

Save the Commune,
shoot all draft evaders and cowards!

lt's our duty to save the Republic.

Stop asking questions!
We need help.

- Build the barricades!
- What's happening?

l'm showing them
how to use a rifle...

l'm...we're defending the barricade.

Would you do the same today?

Sure, with people like that

who've treated us
like dogs for centuries.

We must react.

There's no choice.
But we'll go all the way...

Today, what would you do?

To defend ourselves? The same!

ls there room for utopia today?

Not utopia, reality.

Here at the workshop,
we're still mending guns.

Many workers at the barricades?

All the working class
support the National Guard.

Their struggle is our struggle.

Citizen Verdure!
A Commune delegate fighting?

Defending the1 1 th. God!

We've had over 700 killed
at the Pantheon.

l don't see
the other elected members!

We need to fight ignorance,

...including orders like

slaughtering in the hospitals.

Where are the others?

We don't know!
There are about 1 0 of us here

trying to regroup, gather news.

Come on,
they could be here anytime.

Freedom or death!

What areyoudoing here?

- Anyone from the Town Hall?
- Us, why?

Some people say you...

Couldn't find a gun?

People say you're to blame
for this situation.

You'd rather a General
who'd bring back the Empire?

No, maybe l prefer...

We saved the Republic,
organized the people,

helped them speak up, and learn.

You withheld weapons?

We found weapons where we could.

We requisitioned weapons.
We tried,

but also had orders
and counter-orders.

Sure, we had our problems.

But we believe in our ideals.

Where were
the other cannon hidden?

Never in the 1 1 th.

On the Buttes Chaumont.
We weren't in charge.

The problem today is global.

lt's economic. We must strengthen
the rights of countries

that are oppressed
by capitalist ones.

Today the problem goes beyond
a simple barricade.

People are oppressed
in capitalist nations as well.

'' Oppression for poor nations;''

and for the poor in rich ones.

Shit, we're human beings!

lt's always the morals
of the bourgeoisie.

They destroyed
the workers' fighting spirit.

l hate war.
But l hate our enemy even more.

They despise us, have no mercy,
so neither do we.

lf there are any barricades
in Paris in the year 2000,

l'll be there fighting.

We're defending ourselves.
They're not far.

We must resist to the death.

What would you do
in such a situation?

The same thing.

l'd take up arms.

But today it's up to each person
to be his own barricade.

What about what's going on now?

Now when? Today?

lt's the same. Not the same form
but the same alienation.

l'm ready to defend
what l believe in, no matter what.

And it's not to set people
against each other,

or to enrich the industrialists
and the stock market.

The minorities aren't responsible
for today's war.

lt's the big capitalist industry.

What would you do today?

l don't know if this kind
of barricade would help to fight

economic globalization.
l'm not sure.

What then?

l'm scared now.

l don't know where my enemies are.

l can't see them.

We don't know

who they are, they're all over.

We can no longer build
barricades like this.

We have to fight the media.

We have to use the same weapons:
computers, lnternet, TV.

lt's about fucking time!

Not to fight means dying inside.

We bring the Commune with us
to the barricades.

lt's our choice and our freedom.

Thanks to the struggle.

That's all l wanted to say.

Think you'll survive this?

l don't know but...l have faith.

l couldn't fight if l didn't.

Heard about
what's happening in Paris?

What's happening
to the wounded Communards?

Yes, but l'm free to fight.

By doing that,

l can escape manipulation.
lt's the first time.

The biggest pain in the ass,

is that you're still here recording,

watching everything
but not giving a fuck.

Whether it's a film or reality,
you just stand there.

And l'd like to kill that!

You think l don't give a fuck?

Often you don't,
otherwise you'd be with us.

You hide behind your TV
and watch us die off.

TV is slavery.

ln our country,

the entire media...
is in the hands of 4 groups,

whether it's radio, press, or TV.

lsn't that censorship?

You have to join us!
Drop your microphone.

Fight with us for utopias.

There are still some left
to defend.

Give your microphone to everyone.

We're fed up with corruption
at the expense of the poor,

the nightly charity collections
on TV.

The Commune Council abandons

the central Town Hall
after setting fire to it,

and retreats
to the 1 1 th District Town Hall,

where the walls
are covered in blood.

Use those in front there!

We should stack them up like this...

We can get out through the window.

Don't waste ammunition!

l wrote my mother 8 days ago.

l said Paris was heroic,
never saw such devotion.

History will tell

that Paris was fundamental
in the struggle for freedom.

We'll be skinned alive. They'll drag
our corpses through the mud.

They'll kill prisoners, wounded.

Survivors will die
in penal colonies.

History will see the truth,
and say:

they saved the Republic!

The Commune holds
its last session on May 25.

At 7 p.m.,
on the Boulevard Voltaire,

Delescluze,
wearing hat and frock coat,

red sash around his waist,

climbs a barricade -
and is shot down.

The Versailles army advance

towards the remaining bastions
of resistance.

All the children of Paris are here.

lt's monstrous!

Stinking reds!

You lot, with me!

Come out of your holes!

Long live the Commune!

Shut your mouths!

We'll never be quiet! Never!

Gentlemen!

Until now,

each time l came to you with news,

l could only say
we were nearing our goal.

And l was speaking the truth.

Today,

l can tell you much more:

we have reached our goal!

Come on you bitch!

Whore!

Eyes down!

- Name?
- Clementine.

Name?

Boidard.

- What did you do?
- Public school, and l'm proud!

Long live the Commune, you sod!

Gentlemen, we'll have order here.

Name?

l can't hear what she's saying.

The Commune!

l'm the Commune you want to kill.

Estelle Thaler.

There!

- What did you do for the Commune?
- Everything!

- l'll die for the Commune.
- Vermin!

Vermin yourself!

Ah, here's a likely lad!

Your role in the Commune?
Your name?

The cause of justice,

order,

humanity

and civilization has triumphed,

thanks to our dutiful
and brave army!

Thanks to you, too!

General-in-Chief,

corps and
divisional commanders,

officers of all ranks,

and above all soldiers -

each one has done his duty, fully.

You must be informed...

that this victory was difficult,

very difficult.

'' ''''Nigger'''', the Algerian Spahi''

fighting alongside General Eudes,

joins the National Guard Battalions

defending
the Palais de la Legion d'Honneur.

On May 24,

he is arrested by a Versailles
patrol, and immediately shot.

100,000 men have been working

with France's highest ranking
generals.

Our brave soldiers have earned
the highest esteem,

and the strongest admiration
from abroad.

You won't win!

You won't win...

But after victory,

we must punish!

We must punish legally,

but unrelentingly.

All week long, we've had
extremely confused rumours

concerning the repression

of the insurrection by our troops.

Our control room has just received

some spectacular
and ghastly footage.

l feel it is my duty
to show it to the viewers.

Scenes showing certain streets
in Belleville littered with corpses

and flowing with blood.

l suggest we see this together.

l'd rather not!

l think it preferable
not to show pictures

pandering to
the basest instincts of the viewer.

lt's a disgusting form of voyeurism.

Here's one!

l did nothing!

Come on, get out!

Kill them! Kill them!

Down with the Commune!

Crush them!

Shoot them! Kill them!

Throughout Europe,

the spectre of the Commune
justifies a repressive policy

towards social movements,

not only by Bismarck
and the monarchies

but also by conservative republics,

existing and to come.

Terrible things

are happening in Paris.
And we don't have

the moral right
to flatter our lowest instincts.

l'm afraid that in the future,

things will go from bad to worse,

and that whatever form it will take,
the media

will be a spineless affair,

seeking to sell its merchandise

by appealing
to the lowest instincts.

Mirroring the anti-Commune
sentiment in the USA,

the New York Times writes:

'' ''''Let Versailles turn Paris
into a mass of ruins,''

'' ''''let the streets become
rivers of blood,''

'' ''''let all the population perish,''

'' ''''so long as the Government
maintains control''

'' ''''and demonstrates its power...''

'' ''''May they crush
all signs of resistance,''

'' ''''whatever the cost,''

'' ''''so as to give Paris and France''

'' ''''a lesson they will remember
and enjoy''

'' ''''for centuries to come.''''''

l only show these scenes
to underline

that this blood bath

might seriously compromise
the new regime's future.

What do you think?

Will Mr Thiers be strengthened
by this ordeal?

l'm convinced of it.

You know my feelings.
l've always been a Bonapartist

and supported the Empire.

But as things are today,

despite the royalist majority
at the Assembly,

l'm convinced that Thiers

will play his game well.

He'll propose a Republic
of law and order.

l would like this to be

a serene Republic,
firm but generous.

l want to forget all this.

lt's absolutely awful...

l will never forget this day.

l'm completely...

lost.

We're living in...

a truly horrible world.

l didn't think Thiers
was behind this massacre,

and l still don't.

ln the film, l played

an upper middle class bourgeois,

a Versailles supporter by ideology.

Who of course thought

that all those responsible
for a civil war are criminals.

And that contempt for institutions,

in the way the Communards,
for example,

rejected elections in the end, etc.,

is something very serious.

Therefore,

l had to adopt an extremely
radical position in the film.

l think that what happened in 1 871,

and what's happening now

is rather the same thing

in that there is an urgency
for a new social contract.

And that today, as in 1 871,

we think that the role of economy,

the dominance of the market,
has a price, a cost.

And that it's even normal
that there be people

who pay for this cost.

Whereas l think that,
as at the time of the Commune,

what people want and wanted,

isdignityandequity.

That's what l had to say.

'' ''''Bloody Week'''' lasted 5 days.''

During 5 days
we witnessed human butchery.

ln the film
l was asked to give substance,

to give flesh to a character
who'd be hostile to the Commune.

So, l did that, l cried out

that they must all be killed.

But it's thanks to the Commune

that we moved forward
on all ideas of democracy,

on the refinement of democracy
in a practical sense,

of struggle against social
inequalities, against exclusion.

Today we still have outcasts,
and many social inequalities.

But at least we know what it is,

what the words mean.

And l'm convinced that
this is thanks to the Communards.

What the army did is scandalous,

the graves at Saint-Jacques
where they buried people alive.

l find Vavre's atrocities

at the court-martial
in Chatelet unacceptable.

General Gallifet's cruelty
towards the prisoners,

and Lacretelle's massacre
of the wounded

at the Saint-Sulpice Hospital.

l'm ashamed of the army,
l'm ashamed for my brothers.

We killed Communards.

lt's quite natural. They're shit!

They think they're French.
But they're nothing really.

They want anarchy. Dough.
They want it all.

l killed...without remorse.

France needs to become strong again.

To regain its army,

its officers, its values.

This was the beginning,
l hope it will continue.

l regret nothing.

lt had to be done.

We killed women and children.

l didn't think we French

'' could fall so low
in order to build a ''''mighty'''' France.''

As a soldier,
l don't regret what we did.

But l couldn't do it again.

lt really wasn't
a nice thing to see.

No, never again.

l have something to say.

Once more,
the army has gone overboard.

lt went too far.

l'm very disappointed because

even if the army is a tool
for repression and conquest,

l always thought
that it should also...

serve as an example.

We should all behave as righteous,
honest people,

here to do a job,
and to do it as well as possible.

That's not what happened.

We witnessed scenes
of very personal sadism.

lt's very worrying.

ln the end,

those who were the most brutal
in these past days,

were those hoping
for the marshal's baton.

l feel strong compassion
for people from both sides

and for man in general.
This recent example proves again

that man is capable
of the worst extremes,

of tearing another to pieces,
at the same time,

he can drink
a glass of wine with his enemy,

and be best friends -

just give him a friendly tavern
and a nice sunny day.

That hurts me a lot.

Fire!

Reload!

Take aim!

Murderers!

They can't always hide
what they did.

They can't always lie.

The Algerian rebels will be interned
with the Communards,

and accompany them
from one prison to another:

Oleron lsland
and Re lsland citadels,

castle-prison at Thouars,

prisons in Belle-lle, Avignon,
Saint-Brieuc and Calvi.

Those sentenced to hard labour

end their journey
with the Communards,

in New Caledonia.

Unlike the Communards
who are liberated by 1 880,

amnesty for the Algerians
will only be passed in 1 895

24 years after the uprising.

Very few of them will ever see
their native land again.

Let us love each other

To share a drink

Whether the cannon
is silent or roaring

Let us drink! Let us drink!

To universal independence!

'' ''''Bloody Week'''' was enforced by
France's highest ranking generals.''

The worst atrocities
were carried out at the order

of General Courtot de Cissey,
Second Army Corps Commander

and General Felix Vinoy,
Reserve Army Commander.

4th Army Corps General Felix Douay

'' let a colonel of the ''''loyal'''' Guard,''

run the Chatelet Theatre
Court-Martial.

The latter alone will be responsible

for the death
of thousands of people,

who will be shot
in the Luxembourg Gardens.

Courts-martial were established

at the Gare du Nord,
the Luxembourg Palace,

the Military Academy,

and the Roquette Prison.

Executions took place in
the chic Parc Monceau,

the Tuileries terrace,

in the Lobau barracks,
and other killing fields in Paris.

Using a brand new machine gun,

the French army will execute

20,000 to 30,000 men,
women, and children,

many of whom had no connection
with the Commune, in record time.

Varlin is dragged through Paris.

'' ''''Under a hail of blows,''

'' ''''his young face,
full of fraternal thoughts,''

'' ''''became minced flesh,
the eye hanging out of its socket...''

'' ''''He was sat down to be shot.''

'' ''''Soldiers defiled his corpse
with the butts of their rifles...''''''

Summary executions
were followed

by a huge roundup
in the proletarian areas.

The official registers
note 43,522 arrests.

The military tribunals
pass 5,000 deportation sentences

and 95 death penalties.

6,000 Communards choose exile.

This film was made
with the participation

of more than 200 citizens

from Paris and its suburbs,

from Picardy, Nord-Pas-de-Calais,

Limousin, Burgundy,

'' and a group of ''''illegal aliens''''
from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.''

The working process of this film
included

group discussions
and personal research,

with the cast able
to develop their characters

according to their own experience
and motivations.

What they say is largely based on

their personal beliefs and feelings.

Subtitles by Patrick Watkins

Processed by C.M.C. - Paris