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Benoît Pilon

Benoît Pilon

Directing

Known For

The Necessities of Life
7.5

In 1952, an Inuit hunter named Tivii with tuberculosis leaves his northern home and family to go recuperate at a sanatorium in Quebec City. Uprooted, far from his loved ones, unable to speak French and faced with a completely alien world, he becomes despondent. When he refuses to eat and expresses a wish to die, his nurse, Carole, comes to the realization that Tivii's illness is not the most serious threat to his well-being. She arranges to have a young orphan, Kaki, transferred to the institution. The boy is also sick, but has experience with both worlds and speaks both languages. By sharing his culture with Kaki and opening it up to others, Tivii rediscovers his pride and energy. Ultimately he also rediscovers hope through a plan to adopt Kaki, bring him home and make him part of his family

The Necessities of Life

2008Movie
Des nouvelles du Nord

Benoit Pilon introduces us to those who live in the vast region more than a thousand kilometers northwest of Montreal, where, in the early 1970s, the massive James Bay project forever changed the landscape and people's lives. To carry out this mega-project, one village was created (Radisson) and another moved (Fort George, now known as Chisasibi). Though most of the workers have since gone home, some chose to stay. Radisson's inhabitants are still often tempted to move back down South, but many have developed imaginative ways of putting down roots. And while the Crees of Chisasibi look to the future, they also want to maintain their traditions, especially for the younger generation who are so attracted to the ease of modern life. But what with the hunting trips, going-away parties and still-vibrant customs, the residents of these two communities simply enjoy the Northern way of life.

Des nouvelles du Nord

2007Movie