Chien de garde (Family First)
A poignant exploration of the dysfunctional family, Chien de Garde centres on JP (Jean-Simon Leduc), who lives with his brother Vincent (Theodore Pellerin), his mother Joe and his girlfriend Mel in a cramped apartment in the Verdun area of Montreal.
JP’s life is a constant balancing act, as he juggles being a dutiful son and a devoted boyfriend, along with his work at the collection job he does with his brother, and his involvement in the drug cartel that his uncle Dany (a father figure for JP) controls. But the heaviest weight on JP’s shoulders is the responsibility he feels for his impulsive and volatile brother. JP loves Vincent deeply, but is reaching the limit of what he can endure for his sake.
The film was nominated for four Canadian Screen Awards including Best Picture as well as eight Prix Iris, winning three.
Director
Sophie Dupuis
Dupuis is a filmmaker whose writing and directing credits include the shorts J'viendrai t'chercher, Si tu savais Rosalie, Félix et Malou, Faillir, and L’hiver et la violence. Her debut feature, Chien de garde (Family First), was selected as Canada's submission for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. She also wrote and directed the features Souterrain (Underground), and Solo, which won Best Canadian Feature Film at TIFF.
Writer
Sophie Dupuis
Cast
Paul Ahmarani, Claudel Laberge, Maude Guérin, Jean-Simon Leduc, Théodore Pellerin
Producer
Étienne Hansez
Genre
Drama
Interest
Female Filmmaker
Original Language
French
Language Versions
EN Subtitles, FR CC
Canadian Distributor
Axia Films
