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GREAT LAKES

GREAT LAKES is a short French socio-economic documentary.

Things are always falling around us, sometimes dragging us down in their wake. November 9, 1989 : the Berlin Wall falls, the Soviet Empire disintegrates. September 11, 2001 : the Twin Towers collapse, shaking America to the core as Europe seeks to emerge. GREAT LAKES, both document and staging : the destruction of the GREAT LAKES CHEMICAL factory in Persan, Val d'Oise, and the fall, the demolition of its last bastion, the 52 m high chimney, the culmination of a local socio-economic tragedy.

12th Zagora International Documentary Film Festival, Morocco : https://youtu.be/I9bLowAHF6o

"All audiences" CNC Operating Licence : 161397

  • Jordan Diow
    Director
  • Pascal Duthuin
    Writer
  • Jordan Diow
    Writer
  • Pascal Duthuin
    Producer
  • Jordan Diow
    Producer
  • Jacques Ruisseau
    Key Cast
    "Le patron"
    Le Temps des Copains
  • David Vandamme
    Key Cast
    "L'ouvrier"
  • Claude Debussy
    Musique
  • Jordan Diow
    Camera
  • Jordan Diow
    Postproduction
  • Pascal Duthuin
    Postproduction
  • Jordan Diow
    Sound
  • 16/9 PRODUCTIONS
    Production
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    GREAT LAKES
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Music Video, Short, Television, Web / New Media, Other
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 2 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 20, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    France
  • Country of Filming:
    France
  • Shooting Format:
    HDV
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐓-𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐓-𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐆𝐋𝐎𝐁𝐀𝐋 𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊
    London
    United Kingdom
    October 25, 2023
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • IFSAK SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
    Istanbul
    March 11, 2024
    Asian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • KALAKARI FILM FEST
    DEWAS
    India
    June 21, 2024
    INDIA PREMIERE
    Official Selection
  • FESTIVAL ARABO AFRICAIN DU FILM DOCUMENTAIRE DE ZAGORA
    Zagora
    Morocco
    November 20, 2024
    African Premiere
    Official Selection + Invitation to a visit & face-to-face stay
  • AHMEDABAD INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (AIFF)
    AHMEDABAD
    India
    April 25, 2025
    Official Selection
  • FESTIVAL ANGAELICA
    Pasadena
    United States
    October 21, 2025
    USA Premiere
    Official Selection
  • AUTHENTIC GLOBAL FILM AWARDS
    Edmonton
    Canada
    June 12, 2025
    Canadian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • JULOB INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
    OWERRI
    Nigeria
    March 5, 2026
    West-African Premiere
    Official Selection + Honorable Mention
  • ICJ INTERNATIONAL FILM AWARD
    Lviv
    Ukraine
    September 10, 2026
    Ukrainian Premiere
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • Jordan Diow
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Jordan Diow

Jordan Diow (Pascal Duthuin), high-tech entrepreneur (Lithium Espace Mobiles), president of the artistic association ◄۞♊Eden♩16/9 Productions♊۞â–ș, is an actor-director-producer, singer-songwriter, visual artist/photographer, performer and French poet/ novelist. Studied the technique of cinema at the CLCF (Conservatoire libre du cinĂ©ma français), as well as its more volatile data, history(s) and theory(s), at the University of Paris-VIII. Seasoned traveler he traces a very personal creative line through the enclaves of a video production nourished by multiple graphic, photographic, musical & literary experiences.

www.diow.fr
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Jordan Diow (Pascal Duthuin), ex-chef d'entreprise high-tech (Lithium Espace Mobiles), prĂ©sident de l'association artistique ◄۞♊Eden♩16/9 Productions♊۞â–ș, est un acteur-rĂ©alisateur-producteur, auteur-compositeur-interprĂšte, plasticien/photographe, performer et poĂšte/romancier français. A Ă©tudiĂ© la technique du cinĂ©ma au CLCF (Conservatoire libre du cinĂ©ma français), ainsi que ses donnĂ©es plus volatiles, histoire(s) et thĂ©orie(s), Ă  l'universitĂ© de Paris-VIII. Voyageur aguerri il trace une ligne crĂ©atrice trĂšs personnelle au travers des enclaves d'une vidĂ©o-production nourrie de multiples expĂ©riences graphiques, photographiques, musicales & littĂ©raires.

www.diow.fr
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Add Director Biography
Director Statement

When I learned that the Great Lakes Chemical plant in Beaumont-sur-Oise was to be dismantled, I assumed that this would result in a few spectacular scenes, including the removal of the large chimney. There was a palpable sadness about the site, like a 'low, heavy lid', or the spirit of a Slavic soul, which I sought to show through the eyes of my actors, stuntman David Vandamme and Jacques Ruisseau, starring in the first French daily TV soap opera, Le Temps des Copains, 1961-1963. The volatile nature of the location is conveyed by a sensitive, fragile, "skin-deep" camera.

Film selected and director invited to the Zagora International Film Festival, Morocco, in 2024.

Between recreation, entertainment, stupefaction, exploitation of man by man, of the planet by man, of man by war on the one hand, and on the other hand a medium of anticipation in the primary sense (to know is to act), a medium of divination, of spiritualism, a true act of faith, a solid proof of love, an instrument of philosophical reflection, an introspective arsenal, or a factor of real progress through the transmission of knowledge and the elevation of consciousness it enables, the possibilities of cinema are more than immense, in fact infinite as is the case for any art form, but from AndreĂŻ Tarkovski to Leni Riefenstahl via Cocteau, Besson and Dupontel, there comes a time when you (really) have to choose.

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Lorsque j'ai appris qu'allait ĂȘtre dĂ©montĂ©e l'usine Great Lakes Chemical de Beaumont-sur-Oise, j'ai supposĂ© qu'il s'en dĂ©duirait quelques scĂšnes Ă  caractĂšre spectaculaire dont la mise-Ă -bas de la grande cheminĂ©e. Il flottait sur ce site une tristesse palpable, comme un 'couvercle bas et lourd', ou l'esprit d'une Ăąme slave, que j'ai cherchĂ© Ă  montrer au travers du regard de mes acteurs, le cascadeur David Vandamme et Jacques Ruisseau, rĂŽle principal dans le premier feuilleton tĂ©lĂ©visĂ© quotidien français, Le Temps des Copains, 1961-1963. Le caractĂšre devenu volatile du lieu est traduit par une camĂ©ra portĂ©e sensible, fragile, 'Ă  fleur de peau'.

Film sélectionné et réalisateur invité au Festival International de Cinéma de Zagora, Maroc, en 2024.

Entre rĂ©crĂ©ation, divertissement, abrutissement, exploitation de l'homme par l'homme, de la planĂšte par l'homme, de l'homme par la guerre d'une part, et par ailleurs mĂ©dia d'anticipation au sens premier (savoir est agir), support de divination, de spiritisme, vĂ©ritable acte de foi, solide preuve d'amour, instrument de rĂ©flexion philosophique, arsenal introspectif ou encore facteur de rĂ©el progrĂšs par la transmission du savoir et l'Ă©lĂ©vation du niveau de conscience qu'il permet, les possibilitĂ©s du cinĂ©ma sont plus qu'immenses, en rĂ©alitĂ© infinies comme c'est d'ailleurs le cas pour toute forme d'art, mais d'AndreĂŻ Tarkovski Ă  Leni Riefenstahl en passant par Cocteau, Besson et Dupontel, vient un moment oĂč il faut (vraiment) choisir.

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