LES ETATS NORDIQUES

Les États nordiques is the hypnotizing, often cryptic and elliptical debut feature of Denis Côté, set in the Québec north. Devised in collaboration with actor Christian LeBlanc, Les États nordiques follows a Montréal man who, in the film’s virtually dialogue-free opening half hour, mercifully ends the life of his terminally ill mother. He then takes a car far north to Radisson (a title tells us this is the only non-native settlement north of the 53rd parallel), home largely to Hydro-Québec workers maintaining James Bay. There, he quietly assumes a new life. But that’s really the tip of the iceberg of this sometimes-frosty film, a movie that mixes documentary and fiction in a pleasing way and possesses a terrific visual beauty. Côté has proved himself to be a confident and talented director and a challenging new voice in Québec film. (Mark Slutsky)