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Continuing to prove one of Canada’s most intriguing auteurs, MIFF regular Denis Côté examines the pervasive influence of grief on a tiny Québécois town.
When beloved 21-year-old Simon Dubé dies suddenly and violently, the 215-strong population of Irénée-les-Neiges is consumed by the unexpected tragedy. His mourning family struggles with the pain and their fellow townsfolk can’t move on from the shock. Still, the no-nonsense mayor is certain that the community will weather the storm – until the remote, snow-swept village becomes literally haunted by generations of the dead.
As textured as the speckled 16mm film Côté (A Skin So Soft, MIFF 2017) uses to evocative effect, and featuring an ethereal soundscape to match, Ghost Town Anthology is a measured, moving and purposefully ambiguous musing on living with the spectre of loss – and one that lingers, fittingly.
“A fresh and thought-provoking exploration of how people cope – or don’t cope – with the various unavoidable consequences of human mortality.” – Sight and Sound
