North American Premiere
Named after a medieval Islamic philosopher and an iconic civil rights activist, Averroès and Rosa Parks are psychiatric units of the Esquirol Hospital in Paris. Their therapeutic model focuses on supporting patients with mental illness as they re-enter society. Like the hospital’s namesakes, these patients often resist and thoughtfully critique the system, discussing Nietzsche and philosophy with the staff, self-advocating for human affection and connection rather than clinical conversations with caregivers. These frank discussions provide a window into the deep inner lives of people usually ignored and dismissed by society.
After his Golden Bear winner On the Adamant (2023), Nicolas Philibert continues to document the Paris Central Psychiatric Group with a gentle, humane emphasis, structuring this film around a series of candid counseling sessions between patients and caregivers so that it feels like a collaboration with its subjects. It’s a powerful, thought-provoking film emphasizing the humanity of people suffering from mental illness while subtly examining the systems that constrain them.
Supported by
Media Partner
Community Partner
France
2024
In French with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Director
Producer
Miléna Poylo, Gilles Sacuto, Céline Loiseau
Cinematography
Nicolas Philibert
Editor
Nicolas Philibert
Nicolas Philibert
Nicolas Philibert, born in 1951 in Nancy, France, is a renowned documentary filmmaker. After studying philosophy, he co-directed his first documentary His Master’s Voice (1978) with Gérard Mordillat. Philibert’s notable works include Louvre City (1990), In the Land of the Deaf (1992), and To Be and to Have (2001), which won the Prix Louis Delluc. Since 2002, more than a hundred tributes and retrospectives of his work have taken place around the world.
Filmography: Louvre City (1990); In the Land of the Deaf (1992); To Be and to Have (2002); La Maison de la radio (2013); On the Adamant (2023)
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
A Magnificent Life
Animator Sylvain Chomet (The Triplets of Belleville; The Illusionist) crafts a loving biopic of the revered French writer, playwright and filmmaker Marcel Pagnol (Jean de Florette; My Father's Glory)
Nika & Madison
Two young Indigenous women become fugitives following an act of self-defence and are forced to flee into the wilderness. Inspired by Thelma and Louise, this compelling story of unbreakable friendship sheds light on systemic injustices.
Gabriel Figueroa & Alex Phillips: Painting It Black
In this free talk, educator and filmmaker Devan Scott (himself a professional cinematographer) will introduce you to the artistry of two giants of Mexican cinematography, Gabriel Figueroa and Canadian Alex Phillips.
The Things You Kill
Thirty-something professor Ali leads an apparently stable life. But when his ailing mother dies under ambiguous circumstances, he starts to unravel, resulting in an act that shatters our understanding of his person.
