Halifax, September 18, 2023 – On Tuesday, September 19 at 8:15pm, the film “Richelieu” will debut in Halifax as part of the Atlantic International Film Festival (AIFF). The film, directed by Pier-Philippe Chevigny, sheds light on the conditions faced by migrant workers in Canada.
“In this arresting and powerful drama, Ariane (a stellar Ariane Castellanos) attempts to distance herself from a checkered past with her ex-boyfriend by taking a job as a linguistic interpreter in a Québec factory. When management begins to bend ethical boundaries and labour laws, Ariane is caught between the demands of her employer and the rights of the Spanish-speaking migrant workers under her supervision,” reads a description of the film on the AIFF website.
“As a migrant worker support organization, we regularly receive reports of abuse from migrant workers throughout Nova Scotia. We see that due to lax labour protections, closed work permits and temporary residence status, migrant workers in Nova Scotia, and throughout Canada, are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. I hope the film raises awareness and encourages Nova Scotians to act in solidarity with migrant workers,” says Stacey Gomez, Manager of the Migrant Workers Program of No one is illegal – Nova Scotia.
The film’s Halifax premiere comes on the heels of cross-county coordinated actions calling for permanent residence status for all migrants, which kicked off with an event in Halifax on September 15th.
