Directed by : Fernand Melgar
Genre : documentary series
Duration : 10×9′
Year : 2002
Original version : French
Subtitles : German, English, Spanish
“First day” is a collection of ten short documentaries initiated and directed by Fernand Melgar. The idea is simple: in the course of our lives, we all have moments that count and that we remember fondly. A birth, a first day at school or an encounter: these moments reveal our feelings and set our lives on a new course. Each film accompanies, for the duration of a day, an individual who is about to experience a key moment in his or her life.
The arrival
Young Bruno and his parents Pascal and Fabienne go to Geneva airport to welcome little Naïka from Haiti with their friends and family.
The fight
Randy, an apprentice boxer in the “paperweight” category, takes on his first opponent in Yverdon under the expert guidance of his old coach.
The apprenticeship
Béatrice, 16, is anxious to start her vocational training.
The visit
Following an illness, Denis has recently become visually impaired. For his first outing with his new guide dog Graffiti, he decides to pay a surprise visit to his parents in Saxon.
The sale
Denise tragically lost her husband ten years ago and has never been able to grieve. To pay off her debts, the Debt Collection Office organizes a public viewing of her villa in Geneva, with a view to auctioning it off.
The internship
Gaël is looking for an apprenticeship for her future profession. She does an internship as an ambulance driver, a profession normally reserved for men.
The inalpe
Young cowherd Fabrice climbs the mountain pasture for the first time with a herd of Hérens cows for the traditional battle of the queens.
Back to school
It’s back-to-school day for teacher Lucienne. She teaches French and local customs to young foreigners who have just arrived in Switzerland.
Ordination
Jean, a former Boat People refugee and seminarian, is ordained a priest by the Bishop of Lausanne in the presence of his large Vietnamese community and a few old parishioners in Yverdon.
The wait
Pascal, a transvestite and father-to-be, urgently joins his wife Carole at the clinic in the imminent expectation of a happy event.
Directed and edited by : Fernand Melgar
Assistante : Karine Grasset
Images : Camille Cottagnoud
Sound : Blaise Gabioud, Gilles Abravanel, Julien Sulser, Fernand Melgar
Music : Julien Sulser
Animation : Claude Barras, Cédric Louis
Sound mix : Fred Kohler, Denis Séchaud, Luc Yersin
Color grading : Herbert Posch
Line producer : Florence Adam
Production : Climage, Fernand Melgar | Les Productions JHM, Jean-Marc Henchoz
Coproduction : RTS, Irène Challand, Tiziana Mona, Raymond Vouillamoz | ARTE G.E.I.E, Peter Gottschalk Jacques Laurent
Financial support : Fondation vaudoise pour le cinéma, Fonds REGIO Films
© 2002 CLIMAGE – Les Productions JMH
In Switzerland : PlaySuisse
International : YouTube
In Switzerland : fernandmelgar@bluewin.ch
World sales : fernandmelgar@bluewin.ch