Synopsis
The ambition of the ‘‘Sons’’ (Les Fils),a new kind of religious outfit, was to get out of the presbyteries to meet the “small people”, and even to work in factories alongside a poor and neglected population. In opposition to the clerical power, they took over an underprivileged neighborhood with a remarkable proximity and gave a voice to its inhabitants. They also found themselves at the heart of the political struggles of the time when, paradoxically, religion was losing ground. Through multiple testimonies, photographs and fascinating images of a Montreal that has long since disappeared, Les Fils paints a positive picture of a humanist commitment, far from any kind of embrigade.
A word from Tënk
Liberation theology is an international movement rooted in the revolutionary struggles in Latin America. It is an astonishing movement of protest, humility, indignation and solidarity… A rereading of the Bible for the benefit of the poorest.
Here, the labor and political struggles arise where one does not expect them, in the furrow of the church. Not without irony, these worker-priests, the "Sons", come closer to a Marxist framework of analysis - historical materialism and class struggles - whereas Marx himself had decreed religion as the opium of the people, its alienation…
In the prevailing gloom and depoliticization, this movement has something to annoy our collective complacency about our position and our commitment to the world we live in. Portrait of an atypical religious community, left field within an institution soiled by power. A complete commitment, without compromise, without complacency, close to the struggle: these priests impress. Labour, union and community movements: the inspiring story of a popular Montreal neighbourhood - "La Pointe" - that is discovering itself and the resilience of its inhabitants who understand that their dignity and strength lie in collective action.
A film that reminds us that solidarity, being part of and for a community, is a winning formula.
Florence Lamothe
Co-director of Tënk
