“Richelieu” is director Pier-Philippe Chevigny’s debut feature film that explores the brutal treatment of temporary foreign workers at a food processing plant in Richelieu, Quebec. The fictional plot derives inspiration from the real stories of numerous Guatemalan farm workers who participated in Canada’s Temporary Worker Visa programme.
Plot Summary: Ariane (Ariane Castellanos) joins a food processing plant as a Spanish to English translator to ease communication between the Spanish speaking farm huskers and their Quebecois managers. Her compassionate nature makes her go beyond the impersonal job description and she shows a keen sense of outrage against the plant manager Stéphane (Marc-André Grondin) for his ruthless tactics against the workers. One of the Guatemalan workers, Manual (Nelson Coronado) develops a charming friendship with Ariana. However, this comes in the way of her ability to perform her impartial role as an interpreter. Caught in the crosshairs between the heartless management and her sense of conscience, Ariana is forced to make choices that threaten to sabotage her career and financial prospects. The escalating human rights violations lead to a dark turn of events, leaving everyone with a sense of unhinged pathos and longing for justice.
The screenplay is realistic and effectively showcases the inhuman nature of managerial curtness contrasted against the essential camaraderie of the Latinos. Coronado’s portrayal of an injured farm worker is sensitive yet heartbreaking. Grondin’s embodiment of toxic masculinity is exceptionally convincing. Castellanos’ convincing switch from Spanish to French dialogues is outstanding, to say the least. Gabriel Brault-Tardif’s camerawork persuasively immerses the audience in the intense plot.
For this movie, director Pier Phillipe interviewed laborers from Guatemala about their experiences in Richelieu. What has emerged is a harrowing portrait of rampant abuse and violation of international labor rights. The movie is not an easy watch, but it forces us to confront the misguided notions of free market capitalism. It makes us sit through the uncomfortable tragedies of human greed without letting us off the hook for our own complicity in the system. Recently, a human rights expert representing the UN slammed Canada’s temporary foreign workers programme as a breeding ground for modern day slavery. “Richelieu” is a timely story that serves as a rude awakening to everyone that considers Canada as a safe haven for economic migrants. Here are some organizations that educate and advocate for the rights of migrant workers in Canada.
– Annapoorna Shruthi