Bouches du Rhône

On the Frioul Islands, two wandering friends confront the landscape. Among the gulls and agaves, on the burning limestone, they explore their desires.

In August 2022, a group of squatters entered an abandoned building in Marseille. Inside, they uncovered the forgotten remnants of Jean-Pierre’s life – hidden among decaying papers and neglected VHS tapes – a treasure trove of the Mineshaft founder’s archives. Piece by piece, they began to uncover a history of pleasure, transgression, and community. Guided by a voice-over, they navigated Jean-Pierre’s intimate space, uncovering a story of defiance and desire, preserved in the materials he left behind.

The crazy story of Mineshaft, a hardcore gay club that has been open in Marseille since 1967, with the presentation of a montage based on old BDSM porn VHS tapes. In the presence of the bar's managers, Marc and Angelo, and a number of regulars, this film recounts a genealogy of S&M images, opening up an exchange on the history of the place, and of hard sexuality through the generations in Marseille.