La Boîte à tartines

In Belgium, they have this thing called a boîte à tartines (a lunchbox). It is ordinary, functional and usual. It is not found in any French-language dictionary, but everyday, numerous people use it to transport their lunch, usually sandwiches. They say that opening the box is always taking a risk... Stranger to this usage (me), surprised by this regular and organised eating of sandwiches, she decides to investigate this box. She tries to understand how the country in which she lives, works. To do so, she meets very different people, the box being a link in this colourful community. All along, situations going from industrial production to its use, the portrait of a society can be outlined. The banal and ordinary "boîte à tartines" becomes the amusing analyser of a Christian and industrial society of Northern Europe which is not satisfied with just putting out food in a box, but also our time and thoughts.