Post Mortem

Drama, Super-16, 35mm print, colour, 92 mins., 1999, Québec, Canada, OFV with English subtitles

Linda: Her goal is to amass as much money as possible quickly, so she can move to the country with her 5-year-old daughter, Charlotte. In a corrupt system, Linda proves that the end justifies the means. She acts boldly and without remorse, cashing welfare checks, seducing men and stealing their money and credit cards, which she then resells to a petty criminal who falls under her charms. Good mother by day, bad girl at night, she basks in her good luck until she meets an American tourist. This choice victim turns out to be an aggressor who savagely attacks her.

Ghislain : This marginal recluse has established a routine life, where listening to his blues albums is his only fantasy. In pursuit of a suspect, the polic brutally arrest the shy, isolated man. Accused of rape, Ghislain is interrogated all night by a relay of detectives. He refuses to collaborate, but ends up saying, via flashbacks, that he lives alone, staid in his habits, loves music and works nights at the morgue.

Odious felicity: Linda and Ghislain met under disturbing circumstances. He develops a gentle fascination for her which suddenly turns into desire. Ghislain the introvert volubly declares his nascent love, powerless to repress the new feeling that has come over him.

Featuring : Gabriel Arcand, Sylvie Moreau, Hélène Loiselle, Sarah Lecompte-Bergeron, Pierre Collin, Roger Léger, Vittorio Rossi, Ghislain Tachereau
François Papineau

Director of Photography : Jean-Pierre St-Louis
Production designer : Colombe Raby
Costume designer : Sophie Lefebvre
Editor : Lorraine Dufour
Music : Guy Bélanger, Steve Hill
Sound : Marcel Chouinard, Louis Collin

Written and directed by : Louis Bélanger

Producer : Lorraine Dufour
Production : Coop Vidéo de Montréal
Distributor : Alliance Atlantis Vivafilm, Film Tonic

2000

Best Feature Film
Association québécoise des critiques de cinéma (Canada)

Best Film
Best Direction
Best Screenplay
(Louis Bélanger)

Best Actor
(Gabriel Arcand)

Best Editing
(Lorraine Dufour)
Prix Jutra (Montréal, Canada)

Best Original Screenplay
(Louis Bélanger)

Prix Claude Jutra (best Canadian first feature)

Best Actress
(Sylvie Moreau)
Prix Génie (Toronto, Canada)

Artistic Merit Award
New Independent Voices Award for Best North American Feature
Santa Barbara International Film Festival (USA)

1999

Best Direction
Mention spéciale du jury de la FIPRESCI (Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique) pour un premier long métrage innovateur et prometteur
Festival des films du Monde (Montréal, Canada)

Festivals and Events

2007 - Exposition Aventure cinéma, Musée de la civilisation de Québec (Canada)
2000 - Festival international du film de Rotterdam (Pays-Bas)
2000 - Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie (Canada)
2000 - Festival du film de Sept-Îles (Canada)
2000 - Cinoche - Festival du film international de Baie-Comeau (Canada)
1999 - Chicago International Film Festival (USA)
1999 - Festival international des jeunes réalisateurs (Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France)
1999 - Hof International Film Festival (Munich, Allemagne)
1999 - Santa Barbara International Film Festival (USA)
1999 - Festival des films du monde (Montréal, Canada)