Labour Power Plant

Forum Expanded 2019

A new production center, maybe set in an undetermined future. What is being produced here? We shall find out by following the given traces. Two pairs of hands trying to untangle themselves. A human sheep virtually cut into pieces. A warm welcome to the authors and actors of their lives. Stories being told, their narrators dissected. When the gates open, those leaving Labour Power Plant have been made fit for the demands of the labour market. The next production cycle begins… People with their own wills, interests, and desires are being equipped with the different physiological, cognitive, psychological, and social core competencies to transform them into human resources. Meanwhile, the management is introducing new methods to enrich the products with the innovative features of ‘self-evaluation’, ‘self-optimisation’, and, most importantly, ‘self-fulfilment’. A series of interventions are performed, leading to an assembly that may appear strange at first sight.

by Robert Schlicht (Written and Directed by), Romana Schmalisch (Written and Directed by)
with Frédéric Schulz-Richard, Aude Ollier, Franc Bruneau, Émmanuelle Péron, Jacques Ledran, Robert Rizo, Xavier Brossard, Arnaud Bichon, Cécile Lancia, Jean-Marc Piquemal France / Germany 2019 French 85' Colour World premiere

With

Frédéric Schulz-Richard (Thomas)
Aude Ollier (Rose)
Franc Bruneau (Louis)
Émmanuelle Péron (Martine)
Jacques Ledran (Gilles)
Robert Rizo (Creative Trainer)
Xavier Brossard (Mr. Chevalier)
Arnaud Bichon (Mr. Legrand)
Cécile Lancia (Constance Condillac)
Jean-Marc Piquemal (Guide)

Crew

Written and Directed by	Robert Schlicht, Romana Schmalisch
Cinematography	Romain Le Bonniec
Editing	Eytan Ipeker
Sound Design	Gábor Ripli
Sound	Térence Meunier
Assistant Director	Friederike Bérat
Production Manager	Jeremy Rossi
Producers	Olivier Marboeuf, Kristina Konrad, Michel Balagué, Robert Schlicht, Romana Schmalisch

Produced by

Spectre Productions

Paris, France

weltfilm

Berlin, Germany

Volte Slagen

Berlin, Germany

Photos

Robert Schlicht

Robert Schlicht, born in Berlin in 1975, is an artist and filmmaker. He has been collaborating with Romana Schmalisch on numerous projects at the interface of film, theory, and art. Labour Power Plant is their first feature film.

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2019

Romana Schmalisch

Romana Schmalisch, born in Berlin in 1974, is an artist and filmmaker. She has been collaborating with Robert Schlicht on numerous projects at the interface of film, theory, and art. Labour Power Plant is their first feature film.

Filmography (Robert Schlicht, Romana Schmalisch)

2004 Dom Sovietov; 30 min. 2007 Radiation (An Alien Revue); 20 min. 2010 Recitando; 33 min. 2011 Preliminaries; 48 min. 2015 Catastrophes; 30 min. 2017 Top/Down; 17 min. 2019 Labour Power Plant