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
The Golden Spurtle
Each year the sleepy highland village of Carrbridge awakens with excitement as locals and competitors from around the globe vie for the honour of winning The Golden Spurtle in the World Porridge Making Championships.
Two Pianos
Once promising concert pianist Mathias (François Civil) returns to his native Lyon after a long absence. He's here to pay homage to his mentor, Elena (Charlotte Rampling). But a chance encounter with an old flame sends him spiraling.
The Kidannes Ethio-Jazz Ensemble + Broken Flowers Film Screening
The Kidannes Ethio-Jazz Ensemble will be performing a unique blend of traditional Ethiopian & Eritrean music, combined with a healthy dollop of Western Jazz, in advance of the Jim Jarmusch movie which popularized Ethiopian Jazz in the West.
Holy Days
After his mom passes, Brian (Elijah Tamati) is comforted by Sisters Agnes, Luke and Mary Clare (Judy Davis, Miriam Margolyes and Jacki Weaver, respectively). The quirky quartet hit the road to save their convent from being sold to a property developer.