Coteau Rouge

The Blanchard family, scattered along the south shore of the St-Lawrence River across from the island of Montréal is not so much a family as a clan. Led now by the white haired patriarch Honoré (Paolo Noel) a respected fisherman who once ran a little side business of disposing of dead bodies in the river. He attributes the success of this dark enterprise to his totemic “mother,” a mythical sturgeon that presumably ate the dumped bodies. Fernand (Gaston Lepage), his son, divides his time between his gas-bar and playing pétanque (a form of boules or bocce ball); Helene, Fernand`s daughter, is married to a shady promoter, Éric Miljours (Roy Dupuis) who spends his time trying to buy up the small properties in the working-class neighbourhood so that sleek, new condos can rise in their place despite what that means for the neighbourhood. Helene and Éric are unable to have children so, naturally, Helene`s mother Micheline (Louise Laparé) offers to produce a child for them. As Micheline`s belly grows, Helene imagines herself to be with child complete with all the fake effects of pregnancy like morning sickness and an always full bladder. Meanwhile, Fernand`s son, Henri (Mario Saint-Amand), a former boxer who gave up the ring following an injury has essentially withdrawn from life to spend whatever time is left with his dying wife Estelle (Helen Reeves) and their 15-year-old son, Alexis (Aphorism Desjardins-Tremblay). As things begin to reach toward their ultimate climax, the Blanchard family is blessed with the addition of a newborn baby while his father comes face-to-face with the consequences for going against the wishes of the clan. And so, not quite magically, the law of the clan is thus preserved.

Coteau Rouge was selected to open the 2011 Montréal World Film Festival and was given the audience choice award for best Canadian film.

Trailer and poster courtesy of Atopia Distribution