WEST OF PLUTO [À L’OUEST DE PLUTON]
by Henry Bernadet und Myriam Verreault Canada 2009 Digital Betacam 95 min. French OV engl. ST
Pluto lost its status as a planet in 2006. It is no longer the solar system’s ninth and last planet, a fact that Pierre-Olivier finds deeply upsetting. Jérôme wants to declare his feelings to the girl he loves, Nicolas and Steve are trying to come up with the perfect name for their punk band, Émilie throws a successful party in spite of herself...
It’s a more or less normal day in this little corner of the planet. With a cast of 15- and 16-year-olds, WEST OF PLUTOfollows the lives of ten suburban teens over a 24-hour period. This ensemble film, combining humour and drama, reveals their concerns and their ways of seeing the world. With gripping realism, the film cuts to the heart of adolescence – the intense, fascinating time of life when people struggle to relate with others and try to make sense of the absurdity of daily life.