Sydney Premiere

FAMILIAR GROUNDS (EN TERRAINS CONNUS)

Tue 9th August | 6:30pm | Dendy Opera Quays 

Dir: Stéphane Lafleur, Canada, 2010, 89 min, French (English subs) | Cast: Francis La Haye, Fanny Mallette

An original drama about reconciliation with metaphysical overtones and a hint of black comedy.

A strange workplace accident haunts Maryse, who seems trapped in a loveless suburban marriage. Her thirtysomething brother Benoit, meanwhile, appears frozen in delayed adolescence, frustrated in his relationship with his invalid father and the single mom he’s started seeing. The recent death of the siblings’ mother looms large. A strange series of events, and the arrival of a man claiming to come from the future, slowly bring the siblings together, forcing them to break free of inertia.

Familiar Grounds chronicles a thaw of sorts, a gradual emergence from paralysis and depression. Using generously drawn characters, deadpan comedy and a keen eye for the absurd, acclaimed auteur Stéphane Lafleur crafts a surprisingly hopeful film about how decisions and accidents shape our lives.

“Familiar Grounds is innovative in drawing warm and human comic moments out of an alienated world where relationships are fragile.” – Berlin Film Festival jury