Goliath

  27th May 19:00 - Live at Cheltenham Playhouse

In 2017 President Macron announced that the use of glyphosate, an identified carcinogenic, in agricultural weed killers would be phased out by 2021. Little more than a year later he reneged, stating that such a move would damage the French farming industry – a u-turn that enraged many. This is the background to Goliath, in which the stories of lawyer Patrick, victim France and lobbyist Mathias intertwine when the wife of a farmer dead from cancer commits a terrible act of protest. It’s a dense and constantly evolving environmental thriller which manages to present the different perspectives in a clear and balanced manner. Perhaps the most engaging voice is that of Mathias, expertly portrayed by Pierre Niney (originally engaged to play one of the activists), whose way with words and winning demeanour almost convince us of the case he presents for the industry. But ultimately Goliath, as implied by the title, is an outcry on behalf of ordinary people powerless against the machinations of gigantic industries bent on preserving their profits despite the evidence of the great harm their practices bring. “...a pivotal film” - Guillaume Creis, culturellementvotre.fr