Polytechnique
From the Oscar-nominated director of Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 comes this searing drama based on true events. In December 1989, a disturbed killer stalked the campus of Montreal Polytechnique with one goal in mind - to target as many young women as possible. This gut-wrenching film mirrors the gun violence and misogyny that haunt contemporary Western culture, and does so with nuance and delicacy.
Nominated for the C.I.C.A.E. Award at the Cannes Film Festival. Winner of 9 Genie Awards including Best Achievement in Direction, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, and Best Screenplay, Original.
"The tragic art of Polytechnique isn't what it shows or reveals but rather the contemplation it inspires. There are moments in life when nothing makes sense and sadness descends; this is one of them." - Peter Howell, Toronto Star
Running Time
78 mins
Year
2009
Kanopy ID
4681163
Filmmakers
Features
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Comments (4)
I never had heard of this shooting. Film is confusing. Hard to figure out what is current timeline versus past.
A beautiful film about an almost forgotten tragedy, the Montreal Polytechnique shootings of December 1989 before we'd become accustomed to mass shootings in schools and incorporated them into the curriculum. The killer's hatred of himself and of women is palpable. And there is something so ...Read more
A beautiful film about an almost forgotten tragedy, the Montreal Polytechnique shootings of December 1989 before we'd become accustomed to mass shootings in schools and incorporated them into the curriculum. The killer's hatred of himself and of women is palpable. And there is something so elegant about shooting this horror in B&W that somehow intensifies its monstrosity. Edward (see below) says it all much more eloquently than I can at the moment. I'm still trying to absorb it. There is a kind of rebirth at the end but I find myself wondering if there still isn't a small part of us that dies when these atrocities become normalized and just another part of the 24/7 news cycle.
Read lessScene sequences are confusing.
This powerful film is about hatred, rage, courage, fear, despair and finally rebirth. The black and white imagery and somber tones together with brilliant acting and cinematography make this picture a must see.