Living on the breadline | M6 | Zone Interdite

Like 1,260,000 other French people, Nathalie, France-Lise, Naoufel and Jeanine receive the RMI (the minimum unemployment benefit). Neither lazy, nor exploiters, these “Rmists” are unemployed people whose entitlements have run out, who have toppled into insecurity. In 10 years their numbers have doubled. How did they get into this position?We spent six months with them. Their determination and courage impressed us. Every day, they fight to feed their families, pay the bills and the rent… when they’re lucky enough to have a roof over their heads. How do they manage to live on so little money? What would have become of them without this State aid?The RMI is 433.06 euros per month for a single person and 649.59 for a couple. A sum on which Nathalie, France-Lise, Naoufel and Jeanine have to manage every month: “You don’t live on the RMI, you survive”. It’s hard for them to tell their story: they’re ashamed to show their poverty. Far from the cliché of the Social problem unemployed, this film tells the story of men and women who are like us.They all want to get out. Because being on RMI is also to experience anxiety and humiliation: daring to step into a charitable organization to ask for free food and clothing, dreading Christmas and birthdays when you have nothing to give your children, facing up to the stares of other people. And to feel excluded.More disturbing is the fact that the number of “Rmists” continues to rise: up 2.4% between June 2005 and June 2006.