Votez Joséphine !

In 1924, the women sardine workers of the Douarnenez cannery in Brittany went on strike, demanding higher wages. This event remains a landmark in history as the first women’s strike of the industrial era in France.

A movement that stands at the intersection of workers’ rights and women’s rights, it inspired Alain Péron’s play “Votez Joséphine !”, directed here by Valérie Delva.

To celebrate Brittany’s national day, BZH New York, in collaboration with the Cultural Center of the Lycée Français and with the support of Région Bretagne, is honoring these workers. The evening will begin with a buffet, along with a screening of Alain Pichon’s documentary “Conserveries de Poissons. De l’atelier à l’usine”, which features archival footage illustrating the work of these women in Brittany’s canneries in the last century.

The play will be performed in French with English supertitles.

Evening Program:

• 6:00 PM – 7:15 PM: Introductory buffet with Breton specialties & screening of “Conserveries de Poissons. De l’atelier à l’usine”
• 7:30 PM – 8:50 PM: Performance of “Votez Joséphine” in French with English supertitles
• 8:50 PM – 9:15 PM: Q&A with director Valérie Delva and the cast