Groenten uit Balen (film)

Groenten uit Balen (lit. 'Vegetables from Balen') is a 2011 Belgian drama film adaption of the book eponymous play by Walter van den Broeck. The overall story is based upon real events.

Synopsis
Family Debruyker lives in Balen in a rather poor neighborhood with outdated houses. Father Jan works at Vieille Montagne. When the workmen find out their colleagues at the sites in Hoboken and Liège earns 10 Belgian franc per hour more for similar work, they start a strike which takes 9 weeks. Due to the strike they have no income at all. Jef Sleeckx, at that time only a local politician and member of the town council of Mol, convinces banks and landlords to temporary suspend loans and rents. Local groceries give the strikers food for free, charity is set up... Meanwhile daughter Germaine is sure the local environment is poisoned with zinc and lead and is the cause of health issues by nearby living persons. She becomes pregnant of Luc but he ends the relationship. Germaine looses her job at the GB in Mol after she is found guilty of thievery of a box of chewing gum. Mother Clara visits the rich parents of Luc with the intention Luc must give financial support for the raise of the child, but she is bribed with expensive chocolates and other things. Grandfather is against the strike as the workmen must be happy to have a job and must undergo all decisions made by the board. At the end the board of directors bows and give better conditions than demanded.

Cast

 * Stany Crets as Jan Debruycker
 * Evelien Bosmans as Germaine Debruycker
 * as Clara Debruycker
 * as Opa Debruycker
 * Clara Cleymans as Alice
 * as Rik
 * as Luc Verheyen
 * as Mevrouw Verheyen
 * Koen De Bouw as Mijnheer Verheyen
 * Lucas Van den Eynde as Piet Populiers
 * Axel Daeseleire as Marcel