Carcasses

“The most audacious Canadian feature in many a moon, Denis Côté’s fourth effort attains a rare state of Herzogian weirdness. Opening as a quasi-documentary portrait of Jean-Paul Colmor, the affable proprietor of an enormous junkyard in the backwoods of Quebec, Carcasses then shifts into a more flagrantly mythic mode as Colmor’s metal-strewn kingdom is invaded by teen marauders. That the latter group is played by actors with Down’s syndrome may cause some consternation but the proceedings’ air of quiet awe and spirit of playfulness make Carcasses something rare and wondrous” (Jason Anderson, Eye Weekly). “More a cinematic provocation than a traditional narrative, but it’s a distinctly original one, gorgeously shot . . . with an ear-grabbing mixtures of punk rock and Mahler on the soundtrack” (Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail). “A blend of fact and fiction, the provocative, hauntingly beautiful Carcasses evokes Quebec film’s Direct Cinema roots, while posing troubling questions about how a society assesses the value of things. . . . [It] may be the most daring film in Côté’s increasingly influential career” (Jesse Wente, Toronto I.F.F.). Selected for the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in 2009. Colour, 35mm, in French with English subtitles. 72 mins.