Laurentia (French: Laurentie) is a Canadian drama film, directed by Mathieu Denis and Simon Lavoie and released in 2011.[1] A meditation on Québécois identity which draws its title from the philosophical concept of Laurentie that was an early precursor to the contemporary Quebec sovereignty movement,[2] the film stars Emmanuel Schwartz as Louis Desprès, an audiovisual technician in Montreal who sinks into a malaise of depression and identity crisis as he becomes increasingly distrustful and suspicious of his new anglophone immigrant neighbour Jay Kashyap (Jade Hassouné).[3]
The film's cast also includes Eugénie Beaudry, Guillaume Cyr, Martin Boily and Simon Gfeller.[4]
The film won the award for Best International Film at the 2012 Raindance Film Festival,[8] and Denis and Lavoie won the award for best director at the 2012 Polar Lights film festival in Saint Petersburg.[9]
^T'Cha Dunlevy, "Poetry in slow motion; A number of new Quebec films have drawn notice for their heart of darkness and understated aesthetics". Montreal Gazette, November 12, 2011.
^"Telefilm Canada set to launch Not Short on Talent, a new initiative, at Cannes Film Market". Canada NewsWire, May 3, 2011.
^"Le film quebecois «Laurentie» est selectionne au Festival de Karlovy Vary: Le film «Laurentie» au Festival de Karlovy Vary". Canadian Press, June 17, 2011.
