A Portrait of Teenage Multicultural Montreal w/ Henry Bernardet

Listen to our podcast conversation with Henry Bernardet, director of The Gamma Rays from the 2023 San Sebastián International Film Festival.

Our Showcast coverage of the 2023 San Sebastián International Film Festival continues by highlighting a remarkable work from its New Directors section, The Gamma Rays. TFV‘s Matt Micucci is joined by its director Henry Bernardet, whose social realist drama delves into the lives of a group of young Canadians from immigrant communities, navigating through their everyday existence and experiencing a wide range of formative events.

In our discussion, the director talks with us about being inspired by Montreal’s multicultural landscape and his fascination with crafting a coming-of-age drama of young individuals and their contemporary experiences. He also shares insights into collaborating with a youthful ensemble of non-professional actors, highlighting their instrumental role in moulding the storyline of The Gamma Rays through their imaginative contributions to their fictional counterparts’ daily trials and tribulations.