Winner of the Best Canadian Feature prize at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival, Sébastien Pilote’s third feature continues his cinematic exploration into small-town culture and characters in search of direction. The story centers on 17-year-old Léo (perfectly played by Karelle Tremblay, who resembles a young Natalie Portman and displays remarkable onscreen charisma). Léo is often brittle and explosively argumentative with her mother and stepfather, the reasons for which rise to the surface later in the film. In an uncharacteristically social moment, Léo pursues a friendship with Steve, an older, introverted guitar teacher living in his mother’s basement, instinctively understanding that they may be able to help each other move forward. While not driven by plot, The Fireflies Are Gone is a deftly made jewel box of a film: nuanced, sweet, and powerful in its portrayal of one pivotal summer for its characters.

Director Sébastien Pilote