Germinal

Germinal is the story of a miners’ strike during the Second Empire, recounting their passion, suffering, rebellion and comradeship.

At barely 20 years of age, Etienne Lantier, flees Lille after assaulting a superior. He finds refuge in the coal mining town of Montsou, where he befriends a veteran miner Maheu who secures him a job pushing the carts down the pit and offers him a place to stay.

He discovers with dread the harsh working conditions of miners and the daily humiliations endured by the workers. However, he decides to stay, partly for the beautiful Catherine, Maheu’s daughter.

As the weeks go by, Etienne becomes a good miner and is adopted by the whole community. But one day, he and his comrades are fined for deficient woodwork.

Tempers flare and Etienne plans a revolt. Etienne begins to dream of a social revolution. Trained by Souvarine, an anarchist mechanic, and Rasseneur, the owner of a local bistro, Etienne does not realise what enthusiasm and chaos his ideas will raise.