"The
Village, the Mayor
and the Artist" Documentary
52mn. 2004
Author : Christian PASSUELLO
Production : Arcanae
TV broadcasting : France 3
The village of Bonson, located approximately 35 kilometres from Nice,
in the south of France, is experiencing a metamorphosis. Several years
ago the local school came close to being shut down due to a lack of students.
Today, a quarter of the population is under 20 years of age. This community
has experienced an increase in population of people fleeing the urban
growth of the southern coast.
But these people work in the city and do most of their shopping in its
commercial centres. As a result, the economic and social growth of this
town has lost in the exchange. Bonson is heading towards the anonymity
of a bedroom city.
To help remedy this, the mayor put forth a proposition to the village
with the help of an artist which involved the creation of a festival of
contemporary art. Open to all the inhabitants, the event’s aim is
to reinforce social ties and stimulate local business growth.
Beyond the day-to-day challenges of urban growth, a crucial question remains
to be asked of these changing villages: How to live in and build a future
for their town together ?
