Antigone

Sophie Deraspe is one of the leading directors from Quebec at the moment. Her latest film is inspired by the Greek tragedy, “Antigone”, and tells a story about migration and family bonds in today’s Montreal. The play’s theme is as relevant today as it was 2500 years ago.

The main character Antigone (brilliant played by the newcomer Nahéma Ricci) has immigrated to Canada along with her sister Ismène, her brothers Ètèocle and Polynice, and their grandmother Mènècèe after their parents were killed back in their home country. Everyday life in the working-class district gets turned upside down when, although he is innocent, Ètèocle is shot and killed by the police during the arrest of Polynice. Antigone faces a dilemma: should she stay loyal to her family or put her own future first?

Deraspe’s story is also influenced by real events: Ètèocles shares a destiny with 18-year-old Fredy Alberto Villanueva, who was killed by the police in Montreal in 2008, an event that triggered massive demonstrations. Antigone is an intense film, refreshing in its depiction of how young people can stand up against injustice and how communities tend to become more close-knit when the system fails.

Sophie Deraspe (b. 1973) is an Canadian filmmaker, director of photography, and producer. She is one of the leading figures in new Canadian film and is known for her fiction films Missing Victor Pellerin (2006), Vital Signs (2009), and the documentary The Amina Profile (2015). Antigone premiered at Toronto International Film Festival where it received the award for Best Canadian film. It was also Canadas candidate for the Oscars in 2019.