Le règne du jour

After Pour la suite du monde, Pierre Perrault once again impresses with his modernity, orchestrating a cathartic human experience in the second film of the Île-aux-Coudres Trilogy. Here, he confronts his islander characters with the unknown in an almost supernatural adventure: taking the Tremblay couple out of the country for the first time to cross the Atlantic and meet their origins and ancestors from the Old World. In this genealogical quest, rooted in the tradition of cinéma vérité, Perrault transforms Alexis into an investigative character—a role he assumes with a bold passion for questioning, listening, and observing. This exploration of the differences between the two worlds ultimately enriches his own. Through a chaptered and interwoven montage, alternating with moments of life on the island, the film—elevated by the haunting voice of Monique Miville-Deschênes singing the theme song—strikes at the heart of poetry and the intangible heritage of the land. The boundaries of time blur: weathered faces and snow-covered landscapes brim with life, words savor human truths, and fleeting encounters give way to the promise of tomorrow. The return home reveals a place not so different, even if the journey has left an indelible mark on the tender Marie. "I didn't concern myself with life; I lived simply to live."

Bruno Boëz
Producer, critic and programmer