Jean De Florette & Manon of the Spring

Several years ago, Ismail Serageldin, vice-president of the World Bank, said the wars of the 21st century would be about water. He was referring to the fact that the world is running out of fresh water sources at an alarming rate and that conflict over what remains will be inevitable.

Water has always been a source of conflict. Without food the average human can survive up to 40 days; without water you cannot survive for more than 3 days.

Rarely has the conflict about water been expressed at its core as well as in the two French Films Jean De Florette (1986) and Manon of the Spring (1987) from director Claude Berri based on the book by Marcel Pagnol (Jean De Florette , Manon Des Sources).

These two movies will steal your heart.

Jean De Florette (1986)

Starring: Yves Montand, Gérard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil
Director: Claude Berri

A truly impressive French film destined to become a modern masterpiece, Jean de Florette is an evocative adaptation of the highly regarded French novel. Two 1920s farmers engage in a bitter rivalry as one tries to tend to a plot of land and the other deviously undermines his efforts in order to conceal a valuable spring. The peasant farmer (Gérard Depardieu) who comes to the countryside to tend the land he has inherited is a naive and trusting soul seeking only to provide for his wife and daughter, while his neighbor (Yves Montand) is intent on doing whatever he can to discourage and demoralize the farmer so that he can take the land for himself. This simple tale unfolds in a wrenching fashion to a tragic conclusion, bringing forth questions about human nature and the prevalence and price of greed. Along with its follow-up, Manon of the Spring, this film will leave an indelible impression on anyone who sees it.

Manon of the Spring (1987)

Starring: Yves Montand, Daniel Auteuil, Emmanuelle Béart
Director: Claude Berri

Less a sequel than a seamless continuation of its predecessor, Jean de Florette, Manon of the Spring brings with it a more epic scope as it depicts the growth to womanhood of the daughter (Emmanuelle Béart) of the doomed farmer of the first film. As she discovers the truth of what happened to her father as a result of the scheming of their neighbor (Yves Montand), who took the land for himself, she vows revenge, realizing that the neighbor's deeds have irrevocably shaped the course of her life. Her moves toward avenging her father's demise provide an ironic twist to this harsh and thought-provoking saga, and French director Claude Berri perfectly illustrates the lasting consequences of deceit, greed, and revenge. Manon of the Spring is a very special foreign film choice, destined to be revered for years to come