Anais Goes to War

Directed by Marion Gervais

46 minutes / Color
French / English subtitles
Release: 2017
Copyright: 2014

Anais is a determined and energetic 24-year-old with a dream: to have her own farm and make herbal teas from her plants in Brittany. But getting there won't be easy.

While Anais clearly loves spending her days among aromatic plants—pruning, transplanting, weeding, and blending teas—she also has to deal with financial hardship, poor-quality soil, and the challenges of marketing her products. After paying rent on her farm fields, she has just over 100 Euros a month to live on. When we first meet her, she is living in a tiny trailer with no power or running water.

Still, she persists. On a trip to Paris (in high heels and a stylishly retro jacket, but with her legs covered in scratches), Anais meets potential clients who tell her to launch a website, play herself up as edgy and punk, and target uber-chic groceries with her products. Back in Brittany, one of her mentors says to remain genuine, and not get burned by trying to be trendy. Meanwhile, her mother laments that she's chosen a life with no security and few prospects for advancement.

ANAIS GOES TO WAR is a closely observed portrait of a young woman who is trying to forge her own path, and who values freedom and doing the hard work she loves over the security of a mundane job.

Other Ways to Watch

Colleges, Universities, Government Agencies, Hospitals, and Corporations
This title is available for streaming only.

Available for educational streaming from:

Select Accolades

  • Best Documentary, Le Reel en Vue Film Festival
  • Paris International Environmental Film Festival
  • Star of the SCAM Film Festival

RELATED TITLES

An in-depth portrait of a Cuban agricultural collective that has drawn international acclaim for its sustainable practices.

Alejandro Ramirez Anderson | 2014 | 49 minutes | Color | Spanish | English subtitles

Yu Guangyi's stunning debut explores a grueling winter amongst loggers in Northeast China, as they work with traditional methods through one last, fateful expedition.

YU Guangyi | 2012 | 90 minutes | Color | English | English subtitles

Modern-day shepards Pascal and Carole bring 800 sheep on a snow-covered odyssey.

Manuel von Sturler | 2014 | 85 minutes | Color | French | English subtitles