Maelstrom (2000)

After plunging her car into a river, a woman encounters a man who helps her come to terms with her life.

Director:

Denis Villeneuve

Writer:

Denis Villeneuve

Stars:

Marie-Josée Croze, Jean-Nicolas Verreault, Stephanie Morgenstern

23 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marie-Josée Croze	...	Bibiane Champagne
Jean-Nicolas Verreault	...	Evian
Stephanie Morgenstern	...	Claire Gunderson
Pierre Lebeau	...	The Fish (voice)
Kliment Denchev	...	Head-Annstein Karlsen (as Klimbo)
John Dunn-Hill	...	Fishmonger
Marc Gélinas	...	Stranger in Subway
Bobby Beshro	...	Philippe Champagne
Marie-France Lambert	...	Marie-Jeanne Sirois
Virginie Dubois	...	Sara
Daniel Turcot	...	Infernal fishmonger
Luis Oliva	...	Fishmonger's employee
Darrell Lloyd Tucler	...	Fishmonger's employee
Léo Arguello	...	Fishmonger's employee
Martin Boucher	...	Driver

Storyline

On the surface, twenty-five year old Bibiane Champagne has the perfect life. She is the daughter of the famed Flo Fabert. She co-owns a chain of boutiques in Quebec with her brother, Philippe. But Bibi's life is in shambles. She has just had an abortion. And the boutiques are failing because of her incompetence, which is the result of or has led to her substance abuse. It is also the result of the high expectations on her. Bibi's story is told by a fish awaiting decapitation on a butcher's block, the fish as narrator largely because of the singular and accidental encounter she has with fifty-three year old Norwegian fishmonger, Annstein Karlsen. That encounter leads to a further failed decision by Bibi and a meeting with Annstein's son, Evian Karlsen, who does not know the full extent of Bibi and his father's relationship. Bibi's time with Evian may provide some salvation to her crumbling life.

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Plot Keywords:

fish | abortion | fishmonger | norwegian flag | ashes | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality/nudity, language and an abortion scene

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

French English Norwegian

Release Date:

15 September 2000 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Maelstrom

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$25,250, 15 September 2000

Gross USA:

$33,410, 5 May 2002

Company Credits

Production Co:

Max Films Productions,Société de Développement des Entreprises Culturelles (SODEC),Téléfilm Canada

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min 85 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Denis Villeneuve was disappointed with his first two movies, Un 32 août sur terre (1998) and Maelstrom (2000), so he took a nine-year sabbatical as a stay-at-home dad. He vowed to return "when I was ready to make a film I could be proud of", which was Polytechnique (2009).

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Connections

Featured in Weird Sex and Snowshoes: A Trek Through the Canadian Cinematic Psyche (2004)

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Soundtracks

Good Morning Starshine
Performed by Cast of "Hair"

User Reviews

A fishy tale

There are opening scenes to movies, and then there's Maelstrom! Easily one of the most memorable and daring intro's I've seen in recent memory. I was humming that tune for days! The tale is simple, easy to follow, but I won't give it away - the unusual coincidences and twists in this film should be experienced fresh. However, the course of the story brings the viewer various emotions; frustration and disdain at a young woman engaging in questionable activities (not to mention the crime that she goes relatively unpunished for), humour in foreign situations (a heavy car, fisherman versions of justice), and finally happiness (but I won't say how). Oh, yeah, and it's narrated by a fish! Several fishes, I should say. Which gives the film a quirkiness that's refreshing, given the sometimes dark and depressing subject matter. <you twinkle above us, we twinkle below.......>