Madrid, New Mexico, population 276. Here, in this deserted mining town, 29-year-old Caiti Lord works at a bar to make ends meet, hosts a radio show on the side, and faces the existential ennui of a struggling singer-songwriter. An engaging, tender documentary of a talented artist whose childhood aspirations seem to have led nowhere, Caiti Blues is an intimate portrait of a woman at a crossroads in her life. An insightful examination of small town America, where there is little economic viability and the future is uncertain, this is a poignant piece, punctuated by moments of incandescent joy, and filled with incredible songs. Director Justine Harbonnier creates a beautifully observed film, and through impressive cinematography and camera work captures the quiet rhythms of the eccentric mining town. Winner of the DCG Special Jury Prize at Hot Docs.
Series Media Partner
Canada/France
2023
Portraits
English
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits
Executive Producer
Riita Djime
Producer
Nellie Carrier, Julie Paratian
Screenwriter
Justine Harbonnier
Cinematography
Lena Mill-Reuillard, Justine Harbonnier
Editor
Xi Feng, Maxime Faure
Director
Justine Harbonnier
Justine Harbonnier was born in France and grew up in Nantes. After completing a master’s in comparative literature at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), she began making short independent films. Her most recent short, Andrew Keegan is Moving, won the GREC/France TV “Une Minute” award. Harbonnier’s first feature-length film, Caiti Blues, co-produced by Sister Productions (France) and Cinquième Maison (Québec), was selected for Visions du Réel, Hot Docs and ACID Cannes. A documentary feature, LA Simulation, is currently in development with French co-producers Les 48e Rugissants and Special Touch Studios.
Missing VIFF? Check Out What's Playing at the VIFF Centre
Possible Love
Lee Chang-dong’s first film since Burning (2018) is a sardonic, slow-burning satire about two couples: a documentary filmmaker married to a wealthy businessman, and a working-class family struggling to make ends meet after the husband has been laid off.
The Exorcist
Thirteen-year-old Linda Blair is Regan, the movie star daughter who is possessed by a demon, and whose body becomes a spiritual battleground. It builds slowly, carefully, into a maelstrom of sheer unadulterated horror.
La Bola Negra
A big, old-school historical melodrama gets a thrillingly modern, queer makeover from Spanish duo Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, who artfully juggle three gay protagonists across stories set in 1932, 1937, and 2017. Winner: Best Director, Cannes. Screening on 35mm.
The History of Concrete
After attending a workshop on pitching saccharine Hallmark movies, John Wilson tries to apply all the same best practices to his documentary about concrete. Frequently absurd and endlessly entertaining detours, asides, and digressions ensue.
Once Upon a Time in Harlem
Once Upon a Time in Harlem splices together footage shot by William Greaves in 1972 of a group of Harlem Renaissance luminaries in conversation at Duke Ellington’s townhouse. The film is a living archive of memory, disagreement, style, and Black genius.
An American Werewolf in London
Two American students get into a spot of bother with the wildlife in rural England. Then they introduce the virus to the big city... John Landis's goofy horror comedy is a very good night out. So long as it's not a full moon...