Working as a French-to-Spanish interpreter at a corn plant in the Richelieu Valley Quebec, Ariane (Ariane Castellanos) befriends Manuel (Marc-Andre Grondin), a migrant worker who’s left a family behind in Guatemala in search of better pay. Ariane begins to witness the abuse felt by the Spanish-speaking labourers. She’s forced to choose between turning a blind eye to protect her own job and standing up for the humanity of her fellow workers. Drawing from neo-realist traditions, beautifully photographed and elegantly constructed, Richelieu paints an undeniable portrait of a crisis unfolding across North America. Director Pier-Philippe Chevigny avoids didacticism and delivers an assured, emotionally resonant first feature which announces the arrival of a new Canadian talent.
September 29 & 30: Q&A with director Pier-Philippe Chevigny
Presented by
Media Partner
Ariane Castellanos, Marc-André Grondin, Nelson Coronado, Eve Duranceau, Luis Oliva
Canada/France/Guatemala
2023
In French and Spanish with English subtitles
Depictions of Racism, Coarse Language, Violence, Crude Content
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Credits
Producer
Geneviève Gosselin-G. Milena Poylo, Gilles Sacuto, Alice Bloch, Jean-Francois Bigot, Camille Raulo
Screenwriter
Pier-Philippe Chevigny
Cinematography
Gabriel Brault Tardif
Editor
Amelie Labreche
Production Design
Yola Van Leeuwenkamp
Director
Pier-Philippe Chevigny
Pier-Philippe Chevigny is a filmmaker from Montreal, Quebec. His films combine contemporary sociopolitical subject-matter with a distinct visual style. In 2019, his short film Rebel received worldwide attention: after premiering at TIFF, it went on to screen at over 140 festivals. Pier-Philippe is currently working on a second feature co-written with Chloe Robichaud.
Northern Lights
See more films in this series:
Wild Goat Surf
Scrounging and scheming her way through the summer, 12-year-old Goat talks a big game about becoming a world-class surfer... Despite having never actually surfed or even seen the ocean. A charming tale about trying to slip the shackles of circumstance.
Float
The summer before college, a city girl finds herself in Tofino, alienated by the local beach culture—that is, until she falls for the charming local lifeguard, which throws her carefully planned future into question.
I Don't Know Who You Are
A gay Toronto musician is sexually assaulted one night and is in a panicked race against time to pay for HIV-preventive PrEP treatment, all the while trying to navigate the legal system and deal with the emotional aftermath of the trauma.
Fitting In
16 and ready to lose her virginity, Lindy is distressed to learn she has a rare condition which means she will never conceive and penetrative sex will require intervention. McGlynn's raw, funny film resonates with debates around sex and gender conformity.
Union Street
Interspersing interviews with archival footage, Union Street documents the history of Vancouver’s Hogan’s Alley, the formerly Black neighbourhood which was destroyed by the construction of the Georgia viaduct in the 1970s.
I Used to Be Funny
Sam Cowell (Rachel Sennott) used to spend her nights working the comedy clubs of Toronto and her days as an au pair for Brooke (Olga Petsa). Now Sam hides from the world, tormented by PTSD and grappling with the news of Brooke’s disappearance.
Hey Viktor!
25 years after the success of the iconic film Smoke Signals, a disheveled former child actor decides to create a sequel to relive his fame. This mockumentary follows him on the chaotic uphill journey to do whatever it takes to make it big again.
Aitamaako'tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun
A thrilling portrait of a young Siksika woman as she trains for one of the most dangerous horse races in the world: on bareback. Logan Red Crow is an Indian Relay rider who vaults from horse to horse in exhilarating races. She is a champion in the making.
When Adam Changes
Most teenagers are impressionable, but Adam's body literally morphs in response to mockery. Called fat, his waist grows. But in some ways this is the least of his problems, in this delightfully absurd reflection on teen life in the 1990s.
Someone Lives Here
In the summer of 2021, Khaleel Seivwright, a carpenter, decided to build tiny homes for Toronto’s homeless population. Soon afterwards, the city closed him down. An important story for our times of housing insecurity.