Belle River
Guillaume FOURNIER, Samuel MATTEAU, Yannick NOLIN
- Canada
- 2022
- 11min
- G
- DCP
- color
KP
Synopsis
2019. Spring flooding in Mississippi hits record highs. In Louisiana, the residents of Pierre-Part are preparing for the worst. Barring an unexpected turn of events, local authorities will soon be forced to open the floodgates of the Morganza Spillway, in order to save the cities of New-Orleans and Bâton-Rouge from further uncontrolled flooding. Faith and resilience are the two best weapons they still have in the face of uncertainty.
Review
The deluge made Pierre Patt, Louisiana, like a town built on a shallow river. Parts of houses are submerged in water and cars cut through the watery road. If the Mississippi River rises higher and puts the larger city in jeopardy, a nearby spillway sluice gate will open and the site will be completely submerged. But the government's help is not available. Residents, mostly poor and elderly, ingeniously respond to the climate crisis and the destruction that technology only for big cities will bring. They change along with the river, and they come to understand and accept it. Now we see a village where humans and new resident flora and fauna are in one landscape. Bell River may be the name of the river, or a term referring to the providence of a beautiful river. On the other hand, despite overcoming human disaster and ripening wisdom, the spillway stands still with a foolish and overbearing figure that as if it will sweep away the village.
Director
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Guillaume FOURNIER
Screenwriter and a documentary director based in Québec City. As a director, he notably co-signed the documentaries Acadiana(2019) and Belle River. In 2018, he wrote the screenplay for Ailleurs(2017).
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Samuel MATTEAU
Director based in Québec City. His feature documentary Le combat silencieux(2012) and Ailleurs(2017). He works in the field of video games and is also part of the board of directors of KINO.
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Yannick NOLIN
Yannick Nolin created KINOMADA in Québec City in 2009 and has organized intensive filmmaking labs in more than ten countries.