Pascal Messaoudi

In one of the most polluted regions of France, a small industrial town by the Mediterranean Sea lives in striking contrast, where smokestacks loom and super tankers drift by, yet people swim, dance, and savour life. Amid the haze of factories and the hum of semi-trailers, a resilient community clings to joy and routine. At the edge of the freeway, Natalie’s food truck has stood for thirty years, serving as a symbol of perseverance and humanity. This visually rich, emotionally resonant film captures the paradox of living between industrial ruin and natural beauty, where survival means choosing not to look right at the smoke, but left, towards the sea.

Somewhere in the Ukrainian hills, near the Romanian border, Gigi celebrates Malanka, a pagan festival whose bears are heroes.