| Laurentia | |
| Native Name: | |
| Director: | Mathieu Denis Simon Lavoie |
| Producer: | Nancy Grant Sylvain Corbeil Pascal Bascaron |
| Starring: | Emmanuel Schwartz Jade Hassouné |
| Cinematography: | Nicolas Canniccioni |
| Editing: | Mathieu Denis |
| Studio: | Metafilms |
| Distributor: | Funfilm Distribution |
| Runtime: | 118 minutes |
| Country: | Canada |
| Language: | French |
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 was screened at the 2011 Cannes Film Market as part of Telefilm Canada's annual Perspectives Canada program,[5] and had its public premiere at the 46th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.[6] It had its Canadian premiere at the 2011 Festival du nouveau cinéma.[7]
The film faced some controversy for a scene which featured the lead character masturbating.[1]
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]