Québexit Explained

Québexit
Director:Joshua Demers
Producer:Joshua Demers
Shannon Fewster
Starring:Gail Maurice
Alison Louder
Xavier Yuvens
Nicole Joy-Fraser
Cinematography:Elisa Iannacone
Editing:Joshua Demers
Studio:Coconut Effect Productions
Runtime:80 minutes
Country:Canada
Language:English
French
Cree

Québexit is a 2020 Canadian political comedy film, directed by Joshua Demers.[1] The film's plot centres on the aftermath of a successful Quebec sovereignty referendum, focusing on conflicts at the new international Quebec-New Brunswick border between the Canadian Armed Forces, the new army of Quebec, and a pair of indigenous women whose ancestral land rights mean that they cannot be stopped from crossing the border at will.[2]

The film's cast includes Gail Maurice, Xavier Yuvens, Alison Louder, Nicole Joy-Fraser, Daniel Gravelle, Alexandre Côté, Mélanie Bray, Voytek Skrzeta, Inderpal Saluja, Valérie Descheneaux, Andrew White-Martin, Emmanuel Kabongo, Nathalie Nadon, Florian François, Pierre Simpson, Kyle McDonald, Keenan Grom, Samantha Brown and Jennifer Vallance.[2] It features dialogue in English, French and Cree;[3] despite being set on the Quebec-New Brunswick border, the film was shot principally in Pickering, Ontario.[4]

The film premiered at the 2020 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival in September 2020.[2] In December it was screened at the Whistler Film Festival,[5] where Maurice, Yuvens, and Demers won the Borsos Competition award for Best Screenplay in a Canadian Film.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Joanne Belluco, "Québexit, un film ontarien trilingue mettant en vedette des comédiens de la scène franco-torontoise". ONFR+, November 24, 2020.
  2. Ben Leeson, "Québexit, an ensemble comedy at intersection of language and culture, to premiere at Cinefest". Sudbury Star, September 21, 2020.
  3. https://ici.radio-canada.ca/premiere/emissions/y-a-pas-deux-matins-pareils/segments/entrevue/210983/joshua-demers-quebexit "Québexit, une comédie noire à Cinéfranco"
  4. Volkmar Richter, "Movie reviews: Canada’s Oscar bid, a Catholic guilt comedy and Whistler film fest now online". National Observer, December 4, 2020.
  5. Craig Takeuchi, "From B.C. to Newfoundland: The 2020 Whistler Film Festival offers a cinematic cross-Canada trek". The Georgia Straight, December 6, 2020.
  6. Lauren Malyk, "Little Orphans wins Best Canadian Feature at WFF". Playback, December 21, 2020.