Aurore (film)

Infobox Film
name = Aurore


caption = Aurore movie poster
director = Luc Dionne
producer = Denise Robert
Daniel Louis
writer = Luc Dionne
starring = Marianne Fortier
Serge Postigo
Remy Girard
Stéphanie Lapointe
Yves Jacques
Helene Bourgeois-Leclerc
Michel Forget
Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse
cinematography = Louis de Ernsted
music = Michel Cusson
editing = Isabelle Dedieu
distributor = Alliance Atlantis Vivafilm
released = July 8, 2005 in Quebec
runtime = 115 minutes
language = French
budget = $7 million CDN [http://lcn.canoe.com/artsetspectacles/cinema/archives/2004/09/20040930-110747.html]
imdb_id = 0430895

"Aurore" is a 2005 Quebec biographical drama movie that was directed by Luc Dionne and produced by Denise Robert and Daniel Louis. The movie is a remake of Jean-Guy Bigras 1952 movie "La Petite Aurore : l'enfant martyre".

Main Cast

* "Aurore Gagnon" (10 years old) by Marianne Fortier
* "Télesphore Gagnon" by Serge Postigo
* "Marie-Anne Houde" by Hélène Bourgeois-Leclerc
* "Marie-Anne Caron" by Stéphanie Lapointe
* "Oreus Mailhot" by Rémy Girard
* "Bishop Leduc" by Yves Jacques
* "Marie-Jeanne Gagnon" by Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse

econdary Cast

* "Aurore Gagnon" (6 years old) by Alice Morel-Michaud
* "Arzélie Caron" by Monique Spazini
* "Nérée Caron" by Michel Forget
* "Exilda Lemay" by Francine Ruel
* "Adjutor Gagnon" by Michel Barrette
* "Alphonse Chandonnet" by Gaston Lepage
* "Arcadius Lemay" by Luc Senay

ynopsis

The movie itself is based on a true story and was filmed in the small community of Saint-Philemon de Fortierville south of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec. The main character, Aurore Gagnon was born in 1909 to Marie-Anne Caron and Telesphore Gagnon as the second child of the couple. During the first nine years of her life, Aurore enjoys a happy life.

However, during the fall of 1917, Aurore's mother develops tuberculosis. She is brought to hospital for several months and doctors conclude she will never recover. Plans are made to give custody of Aurore and her sister Marie-Jeanne to Telesphore and his late cousin's wife Marie-Anne (often simply referred to as Telesphore's cousin in the movie), with whom he fell in love. Prior to her departure to the hospital, however, Aurore's mother, during a visit to Marie-Anne, discovers that one of Marie-Anne's children is locked inside a wooded structure. She is convinced then that Telesphore's cousin will not treat her children properly. At the same time, Aurore finds her father and Marie-Anne kissing and criticizes her father for not caring enough about his wife.

Aurore's mother passes away in 1918, and Telesphore and Marie-Anne marry immediately after the funeral. This is the start of a more difficult and unhappier life for Aurore. After her mother's death, her stepmother and father immediately start to mistreat her. Shortly after the wedding, two of Marie Anne's children pass away and some villagers blame her for their deaths.

The situation soon becomes worse for Aurore. During a visit of Bishop Leduc to the school, he asks Aurore a question about religion, and she tells him to lower his voice. Immediately, Telesphore and Marie-Anne are notified and the mistreatment becomes more and more brutal. The parents slap Aurore, strike her feet with a 2X4 with nails, then hit her with an axe handle and a burning steel hook. She is also locked in an isolated room with little food. After the attack with the nails, Oreus, the peace judge of the town, forces her parents to send Aurore to hospital and suspects that she has been beaten. When Exilda Lemay (played by Francine Ruel), discovers Aurore with severe wounds all over her body, she immediately alerts Oreus about the situation. Oreus goes to Quebec to discuss the issue with a policeman.

When the peace judge and several others, including doctors, arrive at Aurore's home, it is too late: she collapsed in the stairs and was attacked again by Marie-Anne with a 2X4. Doctors are unable to save Aurore, who passes away from blood poisoning.

After Aurore's funeral, the couple is arrested for Aurore's death. Telesphore is sentenced to life in prison for manslaughter. His cousin and wife Marie-Anne is initially sentenced to death by hanging for second degree murder. She is then given a life sentence, but health issues force her to leave the jail, and she later dies from a bacterium disease. Bishop Leduc, whom Oreus blames for his lack of action on the case, kills himself with explosives.

Awards

The movie was nominated for 7 awards including 5 Genie Awards, and 2 Jutra Awards including best adapted screenplay and best actress. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430895/]

Trivia

* Numerous books have been written in Quebec about the story of Aurore.Fact|date=June 2007

ee also

* Aurore Gagnon

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430895/ Movie Review from imdb.com]