J'ai tué ma mère
Encyclopedia
J'ai tué ma mère is a French Canadian
film, released in 2009. Written and directed by Xavier Dolan
, it is an exposé on the complexity of the mother and son bond. The film attracted international press' attention when it won three awards from the Director's Fortnight program at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
. After being shown, the movie received an eight-minute standing ovation.
The story was written and directed by Xavier Dolan
. He also acted in the movie.
It was shown in 12 theatres in Quebec
and 60 in France
.
Hubert is a 16-year-old Québécois
living in suburban Montreal
with his single mother, Chantale, who divorced Hubert's father, Richard, when he was younger. Hubert barely sees his father and this adds to the animosity between mother and son. Driving him to school one morning an argument starts about Chantale applying make up whilst driving, the argument ends when Chantale drops Hubert off and tells him to walk to school. At school Hubert claims to his teacher, Ms Cloutier that his mother has died, after the teacher finds out that it is a lie, she expresses this lie as "you killed your mother". This inspires Hubert to write an essay for school titled "I killed my mother".
Later in the film Hubert's friend Antonin is revealed to be his boyfriend, but Hubert has not told his mother and she finds out from Antonin's mother, who thought she knew. Chantale, to some extent, accepts his homosexuality; however she appears hurt that her son didn't tell her. Hubert wants to live in his own apartment, and is happy that his mother says it is a good idea, but the next day she has changed her mind and does not allow it, she thinks he is too young. Their relationship continues to deteriorate and Hubert goes to live with his boyfriend. His father Richard invites him over however once there Richard and Chantale tell Hubert they've decided to send him to a boarding school in Coaticook. Hubert is deeply angered that his father makes the decision being as Hubert only see his father at Christmas and Easter.
At the Catholic boarding school Hubert meets Eric, with whom he has an affair. Eric invites Hubert to go to a nightclub with the other students, where they kiss and Hubert takes speed
. He takes the Metro home, wakes his mother, and has an emotional conversion with her. The next morning, she sends Hubert back to the boarding school.
Back at the school Hubert is mugged and beaten by two fellow students. Hubert runs away with the help of Antonin who has borrowed his mother's car, on the journey Antonin tells Hubert that he is selfish and only cares about himself. The school's principal calls Chantale to inform her of the developments as well revealing the note Hubert left; saying he will be "In his Kingdom". The principal also begins to lecture Chantale which causes her to have an angry outburst at him, saying how he thinks he's better than her and who he has no right to judge a single mother. Chantale knows exactly where Hubert's "Kingdom" is; the house he lived as a child with both his parents and indeed Hubert and Antonin are there. Chantale sits next Hubert overlooking the beach. The film ends with a home movie clip of Hubert as a child playing with his mother.
.
that the movie was in part an autobiography
.
The movie was at first financed by Xavier Dolan
, but when need for more money arose, he asked both Téléfilm
and the SODEC for subsidies. Both turned him down for different reasons. The SODEC, who had loved the project but refused to finance it because it was submitted to a too commercial department, encouraged Dolan to submit it again in more appropriate « indie » department, which he did. In December 2008, SODEC gave him a $400,000 subsidy. In all, the movie cost around 800,000 dollars. Dolan said that the system to acquire funding is "[...] an obsolete financing mechanism that holds the creative assets of Quebec hostage."
:
And other awards from different festival on the international circuit:
On September 22, 2009, Telefilm announced the film had been selected as Canada's submission for Best Foreign Language film at the 82nd Academy Awards
. The film also won the Claude Jutra Award
for best feature film by a first-time director at the 30th Genie Awards
.
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
film, released in 2009. Written and directed by Xavier Dolan
Xavier Dolan
Xavier Dolan , sometimes credited as Xavier Dolan-Tadros, is a Québécois actor and filmmaker, the son of Geneviève Dolan, a teacher, and Manuel Tadros, a Quebecois actor and singer of Egyptian descent...
, it is an exposé on the complexity of the mother and son bond. The film attracted international press' attention when it won three awards from the Director's Fortnight program at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
2009 Cannes Film Festival
The 62nd annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 13 to May 24, 2009. French actress Isabelle Huppert was the President of the Jury. It was announced on March 19, 2009, that Pixar's film Up would open the festival...
. After being shown, the movie received an eight-minute standing ovation.
The story was written and directed by Xavier Dolan
Xavier Dolan
Xavier Dolan , sometimes credited as Xavier Dolan-Tadros, is a Québécois actor and filmmaker, the son of Geneviève Dolan, a teacher, and Manuel Tadros, a Quebecois actor and singer of Egyptian descent...
. He also acted in the movie.
It was shown in 12 theatres in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and 60 in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Plot summary
The film begins with Hubert Minel giving a black and white monologue explaining how he loves his mother but can’t stand being her son; he also reveals that when he was younger things were better between them.Hubert is a 16-year-old Québécois
Québécois
The French word Québécois and anglicised as ' , is used in both French and English to refer to different persons or concepts, depending on the language and/or the context in which the word is being used...
living in suburban Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
with his single mother, Chantale, who divorced Hubert's father, Richard, when he was younger. Hubert barely sees his father and this adds to the animosity between mother and son. Driving him to school one morning an argument starts about Chantale applying make up whilst driving, the argument ends when Chantale drops Hubert off and tells him to walk to school. At school Hubert claims to his teacher, Ms Cloutier that his mother has died, after the teacher finds out that it is a lie, she expresses this lie as "you killed your mother". This inspires Hubert to write an essay for school titled "I killed my mother".
Later in the film Hubert's friend Antonin is revealed to be his boyfriend, but Hubert has not told his mother and she finds out from Antonin's mother, who thought she knew. Chantale, to some extent, accepts his homosexuality; however she appears hurt that her son didn't tell her. Hubert wants to live in his own apartment, and is happy that his mother says it is a good idea, but the next day she has changed her mind and does not allow it, she thinks he is too young. Their relationship continues to deteriorate and Hubert goes to live with his boyfriend. His father Richard invites him over however once there Richard and Chantale tell Hubert they've decided to send him to a boarding school in Coaticook. Hubert is deeply angered that his father makes the decision being as Hubert only see his father at Christmas and Easter.
At the Catholic boarding school Hubert meets Eric, with whom he has an affair. Eric invites Hubert to go to a nightclub with the other students, where they kiss and Hubert takes speed
Amphetamine
Amphetamine or amfetamine is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class which produces increased wakefulness and focus in association with decreased fatigue and appetite.Brand names of medications that contain, or metabolize into, amphetamine include Adderall, Dexedrine, Dextrostat,...
. He takes the Metro home, wakes his mother, and has an emotional conversion with her. The next morning, she sends Hubert back to the boarding school.
Back at the school Hubert is mugged and beaten by two fellow students. Hubert runs away with the help of Antonin who has borrowed his mother's car, on the journey Antonin tells Hubert that he is selfish and only cares about himself. The school's principal calls Chantale to inform her of the developments as well revealing the note Hubert left; saying he will be "In his Kingdom". The principal also begins to lecture Chantale which causes her to have an angry outburst at him, saying how he thinks he's better than her and who he has no right to judge a single mother. Chantale knows exactly where Hubert's "Kingdom" is; the house he lived as a child with both his parents and indeed Hubert and Antonin are there. Chantale sits next Hubert overlooking the beach. The film ends with a home movie clip of Hubert as a child playing with his mother.
Cast
The director, Xavier Dolan played the main character, Hubert Minel, and his mother is played by Anne DorvalAnne Dorval
Anne Dorval is a Canadian actress.-Career:Dorval may be best known for her appearance in the Quebec television series Le Coeur a ses raisons. She has also appeared in other Quebec series, such as Chambres en ville, Virginie, Paparazzi and Rumeurs, and in the film I killed my mother...
.
Production
Dolan wrote the script when he was 16 years old. He said in an interview with French-Canadian newspaper Le SoleilLe Soleil
Le Soleil is a French-language daily newspaper in Quebec City, Quebec. It was founded on December 28, 1896 and is published in compact format since April 2006...
that the movie was in part an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
.
The movie was at first financed by Xavier Dolan
Xavier Dolan
Xavier Dolan , sometimes credited as Xavier Dolan-Tadros, is a Québécois actor and filmmaker, the son of Geneviève Dolan, a teacher, and Manuel Tadros, a Quebecois actor and singer of Egyptian descent...
, but when need for more money arose, he asked both Téléfilm
Telefilm Canada
Telefilm Canada or Téléfilm Canada is a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Canada.It is the primary federal cultural agency dedicated to the development and promotion of the Canadian audiovisual industry....
and the SODEC for subsidies. Both turned him down for different reasons. The SODEC, who had loved the project but refused to finance it because it was submitted to a too commercial department, encouraged Dolan to submit it again in more appropriate « indie » department, which he did. In December 2008, SODEC gave him a $400,000 subsidy. In all, the movie cost around 800,000 dollars. Dolan said that the system to acquire funding is "[...] an obsolete financing mechanism that holds the creative assets of Quebec hostage."
Awards and honors
Xavier Dolan won three awards at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival2009 Cannes Film Festival
The 62nd annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 13 to May 24, 2009. French actress Isabelle Huppert was the President of the Jury. It was announced on March 19, 2009, that Pixar's film Up would open the festival...
:
- C.I.C.A.E. Award
- Prix Regards Jeune
- SACD Prize (Directors' Fortnight)
And other awards from different festival on the international circuit:
- Zagreb Film Festival Award (2009)
- International Film Festival Rotterdam Moviesquad Award (2009)
- Golden Puffin, Reykjavik International Film Festival (RIFF)
- Grand Prix, 2MORROW (Moscow)
- Jury Prize for Best Canadian Film, Vancouver International Film Festival
- Best Canadian Actor (Xavier Dolan), Best Canadian Supporting Actor (François Arnaud), Best Canadian Director (Xavier Dolan), Best Canadian Film, Vancouver Film Critics Circle
On September 22, 2009, Telefilm announced the film had been selected as Canada's submission for Best Foreign Language film at the 82nd Academy Awards
82nd Academy Awards
The 82nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2009 and took place March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. The ceremony was scheduled well after...
. The film also won the Claude Jutra Award
Claude Jutra Award
The Claude Jutra Award is a special Canadian film award, presented at the annual Genie Award ceremony to the year's best feature film by a first-time film director...
for best feature film by a first-time director at the 30th Genie Awards
30th Genie Awards
The 30th Genie Awards were on April 12, 2010 to honour films released in 2009. Nominations were announced on March 1, 2010.-Controversy:Despite having won three awards at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and having been selected as Canada's submission for Best Foreign Language film at the 82nd Academy...
.