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Hygiène sociale

Social Hygiene | Sozialhygiene
Encounters 2021
© Lou Scamble
Antonin is a bit of a dandy. He has a way with words that could have made him a famous writer, but instead mostly serves to get him out of trouble. Torn between twin urges to be part of society and also to escape it, his charm and wit are put to the test by five women who are about to lose their patience with his live and let live attitude: his sister, his wife, the woman he desires, a tax collector and a victim of his mischief.
All of Berlinale regular Denis Côté’s films are unique, but Hygiène Sociale feels defiantly free, and bears testimony to the way in which the constraints of a pandemic can be the mother of invention when it comes to cinematic forms and storytelling. Côté’s use of language is playful, unchained. And as he gradually homes in on his verbally jousting protagonists, one ponders the sheer joy of being given such an opportunity to explore the penetrating impact of diction and tonal shifts. In fact, the charismatic actors are also clearly relishing this socially hygienic reaffirming of a performing troupe’s creative energy.
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by Denis Côté (Written and Directed by)
with Maxim Gaudette, Larissa Corriveau, Eleonore Loiselle, Eve Duranceau, Kathleen Fortin, Evelyne Rompré Canada 2021 French 75' Colour

Part of the Berlinale Summer Special

With

  • Maxim Gaudette (Antonin)
  • Larissa Corriveau (Solveig)
  • Eleonore Loiselle (Aurore)
  • Eve Duranceau (Cassiopée)
  • Kathleen Fortin (Rose)
  • Evelyne Rompré (Eglantine)

Crew

Written and Directed by Denis Côté
Cinematography François Messier-Rheault
Editing Nicolas Roy
Sound Design Frederic Cloutier
Sound Jean-François Caissy
Assistant Director Catherine Kirouac
Producer Denis Côté
Co-Producers Annie St-Pierre, Aonan Yang, Andreas Mendritzki
Co-Production Greenground Montréal

Produced by

Inspiratrice & Commandant

Photos

Galas & Awards

Galas & Awards

Denis Côté

Born in New Brunswick, Canada in 1973. After studying film, he made shorts and worked for several years as a film critic. In 2005, his debut feature Les états nordiques (Drifting States) won the Golden Leopard in the video competition at Locarno. After the Forum screened his internationally acclaimed Bestiaire in 2012, Vic + Flo Saw a Bear was selected for the Berlinale Competition. There followed May We Sleep Soundly in the Forum, Boris Without Béatrice and Ghost Town Anthology in the Competition, Social Hygiene in Encounters and That Kind of Summer in the Competition. He was a member of the Encounters jury in 2024.

Filmography

2005 Les états nordiques (Drifting States) 2007 Nos vies privées (Our Private Lives) · Maïté; short film 2008 Elle veut le chaos (All That She Wants) 2009 Carcasses 2010 Les lignes ennemies (The Enemy Lines) · Curling 2012 Bestiaire 2013 Vic + Flo ont vu un ours (Vic + Flo Saw a Bear) 2014 Que ta joie demeure (Joy of Man’s Desiring) 2015 Excursões (Excursions); short film · Que nous nous assoupissions (May We Sleep Soundly); short film 2016 Boris sans Béatrice (Boris Without Béatrice) 2017 Ta peau si lisse (A Skin So Soft); documentary 2019 Répertoire des villes disparues (Ghost Town Anthology) · Wilcox 2021 Hygiène sociale (Social Hygiene) 2022 Un été comme ça (That Kind of Summer) 2023 Mademoiselle Kenopsia 2024 Jours avant la mort de Nicky (Days Before the Death of Nicky) 2025 Paul; documentary

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2025