Nuit #1

Anne Émond’s provocative drama of a sexual encounter and its aftermath won the Claude Jutra Award (best first feature) at this year’s Genies and was named best Canadian feature at VIFF. “Émond’s dazzling debut is a bold and intimate study of a one-night stand. Clara and Nikolai meet at a sweat-soaked rave and end their night at his apartment. The first part of the film is an erotic and candid portrait of their lovemaking. When Nikolai catches Clara trying to sneak out without saying goodbye, this typical hookup takes an unexpected turn. The two strangers, now sober and clothed, begin to talk ... The power struggles of a couple play out, almost dance-like, in this one night. Most remarkable are the astonishing insights they make about their lives as they both venture willingly into the darkest parts of themselves. Set almost entirely in Nikolai’s unadorned apartment, Nuit #1 focuses closely on the two captivating lead actors. Émond has deftly combined spare but elegant form with maximum impact. In a world of technology-mediated contact and fleeting encounters, Nuit #1 is a cathartic chamber piece about two modern young people who dare to go much further” (Agata Smoluch Del Sorbo, Toronto I.F.F.). Colour, 35mm, in French with English subtitles. 91 mins.