Black dust, shrill metallic noises, dark tunnels, working underground – all that is the past. In 2018, hard coal production in Germany came to an end after 500 years. That same year, the voices of the emerging climate protest movement Fridays for Future grew louder. Against the backdrop of these media and socio-political events, the film ONCE WE WERE PITMEN follows five miners on their tragic, humorous and heartwarming search for a new role in life.
DOP: Sebastian Klatt
Sound: Waldemar Bruch, Fabian Schneider, Johannes Doberenz
Music: Alexandre J. Maurer
Sounddesign: Daniel Hobi
Re-recording mix: Jacques Kiefer
Produced by: Elemag Pictures, Catpics AG
Funded by: ZDF Das Kleine Fernsehspiel, SRF/SRG, BKM, MDM, BAK, DFFF, Kanton Luzern, Suissimage, Volkart Stiftung, KDFS – Kulturstiftung des Freistaates Sachsen, Focal, Fondazione Suisa