This film is composed of rare footage captured aboard the train travelling on the Yunnan railway, connecting Lao Cai (Vietnam) and Yunnan Province (Kunming, China). The imagery offers a glimpse into the daily life of inhabitants around the stations in 1926 and also reveals breathtaking landscapes. Through the mountains and waterfalls, spectacular edifices such as bridges, tunnels, or viaducts appear, resembling works of art. The French colonial impulse oversaw construction of the line, 465 kilometres long. Initiated in 1903, the colossal construction site resulted in the death of 12,000 of the 60,000 people who worked to build it. The working conditions were exceedingly arduous; materials for the site had to be transported on the backs of men across mountainous paths. Georges- Auguste Marbotte and Auguste François photographed and documented a part of the construction process. The railway line was inaugurated on 31 March 1910. The broader historical context helps explain the harsh nature of certain images.

Noémie Jean