A Colony


A Colony is a Canadian drama film from Quebec, directed by Geneviève Dulude-De Celles and released in 2018. The film centres on Mylia, a young girl starting high school who is torn between her new friendships with Jacinthe, a bad influence who encourages her to experiment with sex and alcohol, and Jimmy, an artistic First Nations student. The film's cast also includes Irlande Côté as Mylia's younger sister Camille, and Noémie Godin-Vigneau and Robin Aubert as their parents.

Plot

In rural Quebec, Mylia begins high school while living with her younger sister Camille and her parents, Nathalie and Henri. They live on the border of an Abenaki First Nation reserve and Camille struggles with being bullied by her peers, with Mylia being her only friend. When Mylia gets to high school, she finds her locker is next to her cousin Gab, but Gab is cold to her. Mylia is placed in a history and citizenship class. There, she meets Jacinthe. Jacinthe notices that Mylia takes notes in history class and asks for Mylia's help with the course, to avoid a failing grade. The two girls meet and collaborate on their homework; afterwards, Jacinthe invites Mylia to a party. Mylia goes, and begins drinking alcohol. Intoxicated, she leaves and vomits. She wakes up in a home on a reserve, where a local boy Jimmy lives, and Jimmy's grandmother lets her recover on her couch. When Mylia returns home, she finds her father Henri on the couch for the night, and denies she was drinking.
Mylia becomes increasingly acquainted with Jimmy as he allows Camille to use his trampoline. In history class, the students discuss their readings on the Europeans' early contact with indigenous peoples in Quebec. When students begin asking about passages about the indigenous people's depravity, Jimmy becomes angered and has a physical altercation with the boys in the halls. He is afterwards suspended. Jacinthe invites Mylia to a Halloween party, where she and her friends plan to dress as the Fifth Harmony. Although the party falls on Camille's birthday, Mylia agrees to join. Later, Mylia meets with Jimmy. Jimmy, who says Halloween costumes reveal one's true self, discloses he will be dressing as an "Indian". Mylia says she will be dressing with her friends as the Fifth Harmony, and is offended when Jimmy criticizes her for dressing as a "slut".
Camille is upset when she learns Mylia will not be at her birthday party and only her parents will be there. At the party, Mylia is peer-pressured by her friends to make out with a boy, Vincent, but becomes uncomfortable with the sexual nature of his advances and puts a stop to them. She leaves and meets Jimmy. At home, Nathalie and Henri sit Mylia and Camille down for a talk, where they reveal they are undergoing a separation. Mylia and Camille are upset to learn their mother is moving them out of a house. Camille leaves the home and sees Jimmy, and tells him she loves him. After time passes, Mylia is attending a new school. She writes to Jimmy about learning about the Scramble for Africa, and about none of her classmates believed her when she said she was from a forest and her friend is an "Abenaki warrior". Mylia writes her peers find her unusual, but concludes by saying she does not want to be like everyone else.

Cast

Release

The film premiered at the 2018 Quebec City Film Festival. It went into general theatrical release in early 2019, and was screened at the 2019 Berlin Film Festival in the Generation Kplus program.

Accolades

The film received seven nominations at the 7th Canadian Screen Awards in 2019, for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Costume Design and the John Dunning Best First Feature Award.
AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipientResult
Berlin International Film Festival7–17 February 2019Crystal Bear
Canadian Screen Awards31 March 2019Best Motion PictureFanny Drew, Sarah Mannering
Canadian Screen Awards31 March 2019Best DirectorGeneviève Dulude-De Celles
Canadian Screen Awards31 March 2019Best ActressÉmilie Bierre
Canadian Screen Awards31 March 2019Best Supporting ActorJacob Whiteduck-Lavoie
Canadian Screen Awards31 March 2019Best Supporting ActressIrlande Côté
Canadian Screen Awards31 March 2019Best Costume DesignEugénie Clermont
Canadian Screen Awards31 March 2019Best First FeatureGeneviève Dulude-De Celles
Prix Iris2 June 2019Best FilmFanny Drew, Sarah Mannering
Prix Iris2 June 2019Best DirectorGeneviève Dulude-DeCelles
Prix Iris2 June 2019Best ScreenplayGeneviève Dulude-DeCelles
Prix Iris2 June 2019Best Supporting ActorRobin Aubert
Prix Iris2 June 2019Revelation of the YearÉmilie Bierre
Prix Iris2 June 2019Revelation of the YearIrlande Côté
Prix Iris2 June 2019Revelation of the YearJacob Whiteduck-Lavoie
Prix Iris2 June 2019Best CastingAriane Castellanos
Quebec City Film FestivalSeptember 2018Grand Prix
Whistler Film FestivalDecember 2018Best Canadian Feature
Whistler Film FestivalDecember 2018Best DirectorGeneviève Dulude-De Celles
Whistler Film FestivalDecember 2018Best PerformanceÉmilie Bierre