L’eau qui fait tourner la roue

The Water that Turns the Wheel
by Jean-François Amiguet

France, 2008
Digital Betacam
Colour
Length: 19’
Language: French

At the foot of the Jura Vaudois, for more than three generations the Crisnel family has lived according to the rhythm of the water that flows near their farm. It is the water of the little torrent Morvaz that supplies the hydraulic energy that makes the mill and sawmill function. The Morvaz is filled with water in both winter and summer. The water power that moves the wheel in turn activates the machines within the sawmill. This workshop has functioned in this way since the nineteenth century and offers notable advantages from an ecological point of view. Although the sawmill is secondary to the family’s farming activity, it permits the Crisnel family to earn money to improve their farm. “It’s relaxing to saw with the water,” says Martial Crisnel, age 86. It is he who keeps the sawmill going. But in the final sequence, the machines stop, one by one. This seems to say that Martial may be the last person to carry on this work.

Jean-François Amiguet
Born in Vevey in 1950, and with a degree in political science from the University of Lausanne, Amiguet worked as technician for important cinematic productions before moving on to direct in 1971. In 1988 his film, La Meridienne, was selected for screening at the Cannes Film Festival. A mountainnn enthusiast, he has conducted numerous reports for the Télévisione Suisse Romande, in particular for the program, Passe-moi les jumelles.

Director:Jean-François Amiguet
Screenplay: Jean-François Amiguet
Photography: Camille Cottagnoud
Editing: Emmanuelle De Riedmatten
Production Company: Zagora Films SA

Zagora Films SA
Rue de l’Ancien-Port, 5-7
1201 Geneva
Switzerland
T. + 41 76 582 11 94
karami@bluewin.ch