Des lumières dans la grande noirceur

A modernist vision of the history of the first half of the 20th century in Quebec, through the perspective of a committed 86-year-old woman. Feminist, trade unionist, pacifist, communist and proud of her Jewish heritage, Léa Roback was on all the front lines that marked these turbulent years. Abundantly illustrated with archival material, some of which has never been seen before, the film reveals women's contributions Quebec's history. Thanks to Léa Roback's irrepressible verve and humor, the whole of the 20th century unfolds. The film covers the experience of a rural Jewish family at the turn of the century; the liberalization of morals during the swinging 20s; the rise of fascism and anti-Semitism against a backdrop of economic crisis in the 1930s, in Montreal and Berlin; women's and children's work in factories and the first union struggles in the garment industry and munitions factories; and the Duplessis regime's repression during the Cold War years. (our translation)