Wikipedia article
'The Negro' is a 2002 Canadian drama film, directed by Robert Morin.["Le Neg' shows up bigots: Morin's work is tough, personal". 'Montreal Gazette', October 21, 2002.] An examination of racism, the film centres on a police officer in a small Quebec town who is trying to reconstruct, through the conflicting testimony of witnesses and participants, the events of the night before, when the petty vandalism of a woman's lawn jockey escalated within a few hours to the woman being found dead and the young Black Canadian suspected of committing the vandalism having been viciously beaten in a field.["Le Neg' beautiful mess of a movie". 'Edmonton Journal', March 10, 2003.]
The film's original title, equivalent in Quebec French to "the nigger", was controversial, with a Black youth group in Montreal demanding that the film's title and promotional poster be changed.["Montreal film, Le Neg, stirs up controversy about racism, bigots". Canadian Press, October 21, 2002.] Morin, however, defended his choice to use a controversial title, stating that "If it stirs up some controversy, then at least people will be talking about racism."[
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The film's cast includes Iannicko N'Doua-Lgar, Batrice Picard, Robin Aubert, Vincent Bilodeau, Emmanuel Bilodeau, Sandrine Bisson, Ren-Daniel Dubois, Jean-Guy Bouchard and Dorothe Berryman.
Awards
The film was named to the Toronto International Film Festival's year-end Canada's Top Ten list for 2002.["Lots to love in Canada's films: Judges select country's top 10". 'Vancouver Sun', January 22, 2003.]
The film received four Genie Award nominations at the 23rd Genie Awards in 2003: Best Original Screenplay (Morin), Best Costume Design (Sophie Lefebvre), Best Editing (George Browne and Lorraine Dufour) and Best Art Direction or Production Design (Andr-Line Beauparlant).["Ararat leads but Egoyan left out". 'The Globe and Mail', December 11, 2002.]
The film received three Prix Jutra nominations, for Best Direction (Morin), Best Screenplay (Morin) and Best Editing (Dufour).["Seraphin leads with 9 Jutra nominations". 'Montreal Gazette', January 29, 2003.] Dufour won the award for Best Editing.
References
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