Laurentie by Mathieu Denis, Simon Lavoie (2011)

Louis is an unassuming 20-something single man intensly going through a thick volume of Quebecois Poetry.

The opening scene gives a hint on what follows – it is a closeup on a lapdance photographed at the hip height – so that we never see the face of the dancer but perceive her body as if the audience was the receiver. Behind her is sitting the man in question – Louis whose face could not be more bored.

We slowly enter his world intermixed between masturbation acts, poetry reading and random aggressive attacks at English speaking community in the heart of French speaking Montreal. He has an on and off girlfriend Rosalie, but no dialogue between them is ever substantial. At one point I was led to believe that Louis might be gay.

Long slow takes on grainy film bring a peaceful and deceitful POV allowing to draw conclusions which get their throats cut off brutally at the very end of the story.

It is a very powerful poem on a quite peculiar social inadequacy and lack of political correctness on our contemporary streets despite the official image imposed from the above.

Watch it if you can.