Synopsis
The arrival of the mining company Osisko creates a lot of agitation in Malartic, a small community of 3600 in Quebec, Canada. Many families and seniors need to write off certain elements of their heritage and way of life. Others see their lifestyle threatened to disappear in order to make room for the previously unthinkable: the largest open-pit gold mine in Canada. The project is endorsed by the implacable Mining Act, which prioritizes the right to exploit subsoil resources rather than the right to protect the properties and lands of the citizens.
A word from Tënk
With his first feature film, Rouyn-Noranda-born filmmaker Simon Plouffe reveals the damage and scars that have been inflicted on the municipality of Malartic by the mining industry, both to the landscape and its residents’ morale. While the camera explores the natural beauty of the area, documenting the disappearance of built heritage that, while modest, is of immeasurable historic and emotional value for the many who have been forced to relocate, the thoughtful sound work allows us to experience the unyielding presence of the mine in the lives of this divided community. While it takes care to include arguments in favour of the open-pit mine, this documentary confirms that such an economic exploit is simply incompatible with both human solidarity and environmental protection, exposing once more the shortcomings of the well-trodden concept of sustainable development.
Hubert Sabino-Brunette
Teacher and programmer
