| Gamma Rays | |
| Native Name: | |
| Director: | Henry Bernadet |
| Producer: | Vuk Stojanovic Henry Bernadet Jean-Martin Gagnon |
| Starring: | Yassine Jabrane Chaïmaa Zineddine Elidrissi Océane Garçon-Gravel Chris Kanyembuga Hani Laroum |
| Music: | Maxime Veilleux Mathieu Charbonneau Simon Trottier |
| Cinematography: | Philémon Crête Natan B. Foisy Philippe St-Gelais |
| Editing: | Jules Saulnier |
| Studio: | Coop Vidéo de Montréal |
| Distributor: | Les Films Opale |
| Runtime: | 101 minutes |
| Country: | Canada |
| Language: | French |
Gamma Rays (fr|Les rayons gamma) is a Canadian comedy-drama film, written and directed by Henry Bernadet and released in 2023.[1] Made with a cast of non-professional actors, the film centres on three interconnected stories about young immigrants in the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension district of Montreal, Quebec.[2]
The stories centre on Abdel (Yassine Jabrane), whose cousin Omar (Hani Laroum) comes to visit but sparks a crisis when he gets lost after Abdel sends him out on his own without accompaniment despite Omar's lack of familiarity with the city; Fatima (Chaïmaa Zineddine Elidrissi), who is working as a supermarket cashier and trying to deal with an unpaid debt to a drug dealer; and Toussaint (Chris Kanyembuga), an intelligent but introverted young man who is drawn out of his shell when he finds a message in a bottle while fishing.[3]
The film was Bernadet's solo directorial debut, following television credits and the 2008 film West of Pluto (À l'ouest de Pluton) which he codirected with Myriam Verreault.[4] To cast the film's leading roles, he sought out amateur actors at Georges-Vanier secondary school in Villeray.[5]
It premiered at the 71st San Sebastián International Film Festival in September 2023,[6] before going into limited commercial release in Quebec in November.
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prix collégial du cinéma québécois | 2024 | Best Film | Henry Bernadet | [7] | |
| Prix Iris | December 8, 2024 | Revelation of the Year | Chaïmaa Zineddine Elidrissi | [8] | |
| Best Casting | Henry Bernadet, Marie-Anne Sergerie, Victor Tremblay-Blouin |