Its the debut film from Rene-Lortie, a graduate of Montreals Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema at Concordia University.
Why did you decide on this story to be the first showcase of your work?
Before deciding to make a film about him, I reached out to his family.
‘Invincible’Courtesy of Alexandre Nour
At the time, I believed that the death of my childhood friend was the result of an accident.
One winter evening, I went for coffee with his father, and I vividly recall that conversation.
I was completely taken aback by this information.
Director Vincent René-LortieCourtesy of Fred Gervais
I realized that I probably knew very little about my friend.
Eventually, the desire to make a film became clear to me.
There was something in this story that I was burning to tell.
VRL: Firstly, thank you for saying that; it truly means a lot to me.
I wanted to see the world through his eyes.
Thats why a significant portion of the film is shot with stability and close-ups.
It created a profoundly claustrophobic prison-like effect.
All the colors in the film were also chosen to align with his emotions.
The film remains predominantly dark throughout, except when Marc is outdoors.
This is precisely why we concluded the film with warm colors.
For me, it was crucial to understand that even in this tragic ending, something was comforting.
Marc was finally free, and that, ultimately, was all he ever wanted.
VRL: I believe that mental health is something that is often downplayed in young children and teenagers.
The conversation around mental health has evolved significantly in the adult world in recent years.
Another discovery I made through this research is that delinquency among adolescents is often a sign of depression.
This depression may manifest in ways that society perceives as being a bad child.
DEADLINE:What were the challenges that you faced during the different stages of making the film?
VRL: There were numerous challenges.
To give you an idea, I began the research over five years ago.
It was a long, at times difficult, but above all, a beautiful journey.
I aimed to stay true to the story in as many ways as possible.
For instance, I wanted to shoot in a real juvenile center, with mostly non-professional young actors.
However, this is no easy feat in a film, especially a short one.
I continuously revised the script in the three years leading up to the shoot and during editing.
What does this recognition mean to you?
VRL: Its completely surreal.
We made this film alongside friends, with little experience but a lot of love.
I was so far from even dreaming that this film would one day be considered for an Oscar.
I am honored and deeply touched by the love the film has received before and since this announcement.
We grow up watching the great artists of cinema climb onto that stage and receive that iconic award.
The Oscars mark the history of cinema every year, and they have done so for so long.
Its a bit of a childhood dream that Im living right now.
And whether there will be a nomination or not, I feel so fortunate to have come this far.
It ensures that a broader audience watches the film.
