Antigone

Sophie Deraspe : 2019

Following the murder of their parents, Antigone, her sister Ismène, her brothers Étéocle and Polynice, and their grandmother Ménécée find refuge in Montréal. They live a quiet modest life in a tiny apartment in a working-class neighbourhood. A straight-A student seemingly destined for greatness, Antigone is the glue that holds the family together. Tragedy strikes when Étéocle is wrongfully gunned down by police during the arrest of Polynice, a small-time drug dealer. Motivated by her sense of duty towards her family and fuelled by the memory she cherishes of her dead parents, Antigone decides to jeopardise her own future to preserve that of her family. Feeling the grip of power tightening around her, the teenage girl rejects the law of man and follows her own sense of justice, dictated by love and loyalty. Acutely exploring familial sacrifice, the burden of responsibility, and the nature of justice, this provocative and timely adaptation of the classic Greek tragedy by Sophocles reimagines the story of a woman's quest for justice as a commentary on the immigrant experience in ostensibly welcoming contemporary Canada. Sophie Deraspe's film was winner of the award for Best Canadian Feature Film when it premiered at Toronto International Film Festival 2019.