Kuessipan
Film poster
Directed byMyriam Verreault
Written byMyriam Verreault
Naomi Fontaine
Based onKuessipan by Naomi Fontaine
Produced byFélize Frappier
StarringSharon Fontaine-Ishpatao
Yamie Grégoire
Étienne Galloy
CinematographyNicolas Canniccioni
Edited byAmélie Labrèche
Sophie Leblond
Myriam Verreault
Music byLouis-Jean Cormier
Production
company
Max Films Media
Distributed byFilmoption
Release date
  • September 8, 2019 (2019-09-08) (TIFF)[1]
Running time
117 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguagesFrench
Innu-aimun

Kuessipan is a Canadian drama film, directed by Myriam Verreault and released in 2019.[2] An adaptation of Naomi Fontaine's eponymous novel, the script was co-written by Fontaine and Verreault.[3] Its plot centres on Mikuan (Sharon Fontaine-Ishpatao) and Shaniss (Yamie Grégoire), two young Innu women in Uashat-Maliotenam, whose friendship is strained when Mikuan falls in love with a white man (Étienne Galloy) and plans to move away.[4]

The film premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival and was a critical success, garnering praise for its cast and portrayal of Indigenous lives. Its theatrical release on October 4, 2019.

Plot

The film centers on Mikuan and Shaniss, two childhood friends who grow up together in Uashat. Their lives diverge during high school, when Shaniss drops out and has a baby with her abusive boyfriend Greg while Mikuan plans to move away from the reservation and attend university in Quebec City so that she can follow her dream of becoming a writer.

When Mikuan begins dating Francis, a white boy from her writing workshop, her friendship with Shaniss becomes strained. Mikuan helps Shaniss move out from Greg, but they argue after Shaniss accuses Mikuan of rejecting her culture by entering a relationship with Francis and planning to move away.

Mikuan's life is disrupted by the sudden death of her brother, a promising hockey player, and her break up with Francis. She and Shaniss eventually revive their friendship but their lives diverge, as Mikuan becomes a successful author and writes a book about Shaniss.

Cast

Production

Development

The title of the film and eponymous novel is an Innu-aimun word meaning "it's your turn", which Fontaine meant to mean "it’s my turn to talk, my turn for my people and I to talk about our community."[5] Verreault approached Fontaine after reading her novel Kuessipan in 2012 and being "deeply affected" by it.[6] Verreault had previously lived and worked with the Innu community and produced short films about the Innu communities on the North Shore.[7] The two agreed to make a film adaptation together,[6] and co-wrote the film's script together.[8]

The original novel is a collection of stories based on Fontaine's experiences growing up in Uashat.[9] Verreault described the book as "not at all adaptable" to film, so she and Fontaine went through a process of creating a singular narrative that captured the themes of the book.[10] Several changes were made from the original novel to adapt it for the screen, including the creation of Mikuan and Shaniss, who are not present in the novel.[11] Production and development of the film took seven years.[9]

Casting

The cast mostly included non-professional actors,[6] from the Uashat community.[12] Over 400 Innu actors took part in the casting process, with Verreault personally meeting with 200 of them. Twenty actors auditioned for the role of Mikuan, with fifteen actors auditioning for the role of Shaniss. Verreault invited three potential candidates for the role of Shaniss and two for the role of Mikuan to take part in a two-week workshop, after which Fontaine-Ishpatao and Grégoire were cast.[11] The film was Fontaine-Ishpatao's debut role.[12]

Filming

Cinematographer Nicolas Canniccioni and Verreault shot the film in Innu Takuaikan Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam and Sept-Îles, Quebec.[13] It was shot in the French and Innu-aimun languages.[14]

Release

The film premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival.[2] Its theatrical release in Quebec was held on October 4, 2019.[6]

Reception

The film has a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating universal critical acclaim.[15] Sara Clements of Exclaim! gave the film an 8 out of 10, writing that the film focused on an Indigenous perspective to portray the culture and experiences of the Innu people.[16]

Anne T. Donahue of The Globe and Mail gave the film 4 out of 4 stars, describing the performances of Fontaine-Ishpatao and Grégoire as "raw and unflinching".[17] Erica Commanda of Muskrat Magazine also praised their performances, which she wrote were "down-to-earth and realistic".[18]

Awards and nominations

At the 2019 Vancouver International Film Festival, Myriam Verreault received a special mention for Kuessipan in the Emerging Canadian Director category.[19]

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result Ref(s)
Canadian Cinema Editors 2 October 2020 Best Editing in a Feature Film Amélie Labrèche, Myriam Verreault and Sophie Leblond Won [20]
Canadian Screen Awards 28 May 2020 Best Supporting Actor Douglas Grégoire Nominated [21]
Best Supporting Actress Yamie Grégoire Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Myriam Verreault, Naomi Fontaine Nominated
Prix collégial du cinéma québécois 2020 Best Film Kuessipan Nominated [22]
Prix Iris 10 June 2020 Best Film Félize Frappier Nominated [23]
Best Director Myriam Verreault Nominated
Best Screenplay Myriam Verreault, Naomi Fontaine Nominated
Best Cinematography Nicolas Canniccioni Nominated
Revelation of the Year Sharon Fontaine-Ishpatao Nominated
Best Casting Jacinthe Beaudet, Tobie Fraser, Geneviève Hébert, Myriam Verreault Nominated
Most Successful Film Outside Quebec Nominated
Québec City Film Festival 12–21 September 2019 Grand Prix de la Compétition – Long métrage Won [24]
Windsor International Film Festival 1–10 November 2019 Prize in Canadian Film Won [25]

References

  1. ↑ Rhiannon Johnson, "Tender coming of age story in Innu community premieres at TIFF". CBC News, September 9, 2019.
  2. 1 2 Peter Howell (July 31, 2019). "Indigenous films highlight Canadian slate at TIFF 2019". Toronto Star.
  3. ↑ "Tournage du film Kuessipan : montrer la force des jeunes Innus". Ici Radio-Canada. December 9, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Le roman Kuessipan adapté au cinéma". Le Soleil. June 18, 2017.
  5. ↑ "TIFF interview: Kuessipan filmmakers on their Innu coming-of-age story". www.seventh-row.com.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Dunlevy, T'cha. "'Why don't we know them?' Coming-of-age tale is a window into Innu life". Montreal Gazette.
  7. ↑ Coman, Sherry (2019). "Kuessipan". Journal of Religion and Film. 23 (2).
  8. ↑ "Film version of Naomi Fontaine's Kuessipan debuts at TIFF".
  9. 1 2 McIntosh, Julie. "Myriam Verreault discusses the making of Kuessipan, an Innu coming-of-age film". www.nationnews.ca.
  10. ↑ Rose, Alex (2019-10-04). "Kuessipan deals with the universal". Cult MTL. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  11. 1 2 Hua, Vee (2021-04-15). "Myriam Verrault Interview: Kuessipan Reveals Teen Life in an Innu Community". REDEFINE. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  12. 1 2 "Tender coming of age story in Innu community premieres at TIFF". www.CBC.com.
  13. ↑ Marc-André Lussier [in French] (10 September 2019). "TIFF: percussive Antigone". La Presse. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  14. ↑ "MEET INNU ACTORS SHARON FONTAINE-ISHPATAO AND YAMI GREGOIRE STARRING IN KUESSIPAN". whatshesaidtalk.com.
  15. ↑ "Kuessipan - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. 2021-03-26. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  16. ↑ Clements, Sara (February 18, 2020). "TIFF Next Wave Review: 'Kuessipan' Is a Love Letter to Quebec's Innu". Exclaim!.
  17. ↑ "TIFF 2019: Updated – The Globe's latest ratings and reviews of movies screening at the festival". The Globe and Mail. 2019-08-29. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  18. ↑ Commanda, Erica (2019-09-12). "KUESSIPAN IS STUNNINGLY POETIC & STILL ROOTED IN REALISM". MUSKRAT Magazine. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  19. ↑ "VIFF 2019 BC Spotlight Gala Award Winners" (Press release). Vancouver International Film Festival. 2019-10-05. Archived from the original on 2019-10-07. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  20. ↑ @CCE_editors (October 3, 2020). "WINNER Best Editing in Feature Film/Meilleur montage d'un long métrage Amélie Labrèche, Myriam Verreault & Sophie Leblond for Kuessipan" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  21. ↑ "Écrans canadiens : Song of Names, The Twentieth Century et Antigone en tête des nominations". Ici Radio-Canada. February 18, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Antigone remporte le Prix collégial du cinéma québécois". Ici Radio-Canada, April 15, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Le film Antigone, grand gagnant du Gala Québec Cinéma avec six prix" (in French). Radio-Canada. June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  24. ↑ "2019 Winners" (Press release). Québec City Film Festival. 2019-09-21. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  25. ↑ "WIFF Announces Kuessipan as the Winner of the inaugural Prize in Canadian Film". Windsor International Film Festival. 10 November 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
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