Crash Test Aglaé (Crash Test Aglaé)

The thing that's thrown in this dump on the Chinese border...

is me.

My name is Aglaé,

and it's not that surprising I ended up here.

That's me three months ago.

I had a quiet, simple, well-organized life.

It didn't look like it,

but I was as happy as a hamster in a wheel.

I caught a cold that weekend finishing a cricket game.

Yes, I played cricket,

a game with 88 pages

of rules and annexes, it was perfect for me.

Are we eating Thai?

- I'm going home. - Me, too.

But we always eat Thai after the game!

It's true, it was hard to change my mind.

But being alone wasn't a problem.

On the contrary...

How did the planets align that day to make everything go to hell?

Where were you?

I was sick all night long.

I couldn't sleep.

I took a pill that knocked me out.

My eyes were too blurry to read the notice.

How do you read tiny print if one of the symptoms

is blurred vision?

They make singing birthday cards,

why not talking pillboxes?

You don't know?

Know what?

"Dispossessed of her ovaries" in 9 letters.

Seems like you don't give a shit.

I'm doing what I can.

Some people cry, I do crosswords.

I'll stop if makes you happy.

What don't I know?

We were all called to the courtyard this morning.

Longchamp and all the department heads

explained the factory wasn't profitable and...

it was being moved abroad.

We've got a ton of work.

Test room's being painted, training's in a month.

They didn't say when it would close.

But we're all being fired.

They can't do that!

Castrated! Found it.

Castrated, but for a woman.

If it's written, then it must be possible.

These games are pretty sneaky.

Marcelle did crosswords,

I relaxed by checking.

And re-checking.

Two, three, four, five times...

I've hated the unexpected ever since I was a kid.

Mostly because of my mother.

Lola was the only fire-breathing stripper in Europe.

She was only mildly talented at both.

But was gifted at performing in dumps.

Mommy?

Last time, I promise!

That's about when

I stopped believing the crap she told me.

What's this?

It's for work.

I realized I had to do things myself.

I'd always wanted to escape that life.

I paid for the room, I decide what we do in it!

Never underestimate yourself.

As soon as I was old enough, I left and went to work.

And if I asked for 3 copies?

You entered 333 copies 3 times.

I eventually got a job adapted to my abilities.

The frontal lobe is down.

The crash lab was the only place where I felt that I fit in.

The frontal lobe is down, reactivate the verification protocol!

I need replacement cables and 3 trackers.

I loved my job.

I caused accidents, crash tests.

- She's totally insane. - Yes. She's the best tech we ever had.

Acceleration in 10,

9, 8,

7, 6, 5...

Procedure is stopped.

The management wants all activity stopped.

That's a bit rude.

I missed lunch.

I don't know how you can do this job all year long.

You get good at distancing yourself.

The labor agreement legally requires us to offer you

an equivalent job in the new factory.

We offer it knowing you'll refuse to be relocated to India.

- It's really in India? - Unfortunately.

- What city? - I don't know, it's unpronounceable.

The goal of this first meeting is to find

viable solutions for the future.

Let me reassure you,

we have an excellent retraining program

that will enable you to take on new challenges.

I don't want new challenges.

You read the work conditions?

You'd been turning pages 5 minutes...

So...

Here's your salary re-evaluated to the Indian market.

- That's not possible. - Yes.

Neither stocks nor health insurance and you work 48 hours per week.

Same position?

Yes, probably.

Yes or probably?

Its equivalent, in the new crash department.

We've many more meetings...

I'll keep my job.

You want to relocate to India?

Yes.

Don't you want to think about it?

No.

Is India nice?

Dunno, my grandparents are Sri Lankan.

I'm probably moving there.

- What'll you do there? - There are women's cricket leagues.

I'm making no progress here.

You're moving to India for cricket?

Among other things.

I was fed up, it wasn't like me

to stall when I made a decision.

Things were bad at the factory.

Aglaé!

Where are you going?

To sign my contract.

You can't do that!

I've made my decision.

This one?

No, that's the refusal.

I didn't sign, it annoyed them.

- I have a meeting. - Can I go with you?

Not you, too?

I won't suffocate here another 6 months.

OK, I'm going.

- What solidarity! - Does it look like I'm into solidarity?

That was Marcelle.

That stubborn old girl

had been awaiting retirement since age 24.

Her job let her buy quality cleaning products

and give herself all-inclusive group vacations in warm countries.

So, why not India?

Marcelle never would have gone alone, but with me,

it was practically a group trip.

How can you make an offer like this?

It was made to be refused.

- Is it negotiable? - We can offer less.

- You're a prick. - Why are you here anyway?

- It doesn't concern you. - Colleagues concern me.

Gentlemen...

Ladies...

Yes?

Why are you here?

They're signing their contracts.

She's going to work in our new Indian complex.

What's this bullshit?

What do you want? We're in a meeting.

You're being held in this room indefinitely.

You've got nothing better?

When you reconsider offshoring.

Can you play cowboys after we're done?

Why's she annoying me?

You represent them, you know.

I can't negotiate work conditions in India.

They're supporting offshoring by signing.

No, just keeping my job.

Entire families work here!

Can they move to India?

It may amuse you,

but people have obligations here.

Unbelievable.

You're talking about family obligations?

Everyone knew Liette dumped Clovis.

She'd wanted a baby forever,

but Clovis wanted a union agreement before starting a family.

An abusive clause!

Remember? I gave this to you on your 40th.

Liette was never interested in union matters

until she found a document

that came from HR.

That day,

Clovis found his things in the garden.

To help your colleagues, you should convince them to refuse.

Shut up.

Can't we be polite?

Did you know she slept with this champion?

I have the film at home.

Want to sabotage negotiations?

I want you to take care of Aglaé and Marcelle.

Anne-Sophie's right. Why don't they refuse?

I don't give a shit about Anne-Sophie.

I'm going to India, too.

You're not going just to piss me off?

It'll be good for me.

I'll print the contract.

Liette, don't do this...

Hi, Lola. It's your daughter.

I'm going to go work in India.