The film has just come out and is creating a buzz

The film “Merci Patron!”, (Thank you Boss) is about David fighting Goliath or the editor of Fakir, a small magazine from Amiens, in the North of France, trying to unveil in a hilarious documentary, the strange methods used by members of the LVMH group. In order to quiet the discontent of many fired workers from Kenzo, in Poix-du-Nord, a member of LVMH security team substantially helps one of the families. When journalist François Ruffin meets Serge and Jocelyne Klur, a couple of irresistible, though soon-to-be-on-the-street former employees of Bernard Arnault, he invents a stratagem to get them some money. And uses childish but efficient means of trapping executives from the LVMH group. All of this happens four years ago, when Arnault, the richest man in France, tries and fails,  to get Belgian citizenship.

Serge and Jocelyne Klur with François Ruffin in Poix-du-Nord

When I was queuing to see the film, on opening day, on place Saint Michel, a group of people who had just seen it, came up to us and congratulated us for queuing… And at the end of the screening, everyone clapped. The film obviously gives a popular answer to a « ras le bol » of LVMH’s overwhelming presence in magazines (with advertising as well as editorial); in museums (the Louis Vuitton exhibition at grand Palais was free but full of brand new bags mixed with antique trunks); in social events (the Polytechnique ball in Versailles last year was partly sponsored by alumni Bernard Arnault, whose son is at Ecole Polytechnique, and therefore became Arnault’s party). With the ownership of a few radios and dailies, including les Echos, his group controls many information tools in France.

François Ruffin, a journalist and a warrior

This inexpensive film, which received no help from Centre National du Cinéma, escaped the CEO’s nets. It is a small miracle that 47 theaters in France accepted to show it, thanks to the courage of Jour2Fête distribution and Mille et une nuits production.

Politicians from the right and the left honored Bernard Arnault with multiple decorations. His secretary general,  Marc Antoine Jamet, is the son of Dominique Jamet a famous journalist, one of Laurent Fabius’ closest political friend and an MP. His chief of security is a former Police officer. So it felt almost impossible to publicly criticize his management methods. Yet a 41 year old impertinent journalist managed to trap these executives through a three year long inquiry.

At the end of the film, the Klurs celebrate their victory wearing their “We love Bernard” T-shirts

Do go and see the film, it will help the production and make you laugh a lot!