Original subtitles

Province of Québec. 1966.

80% of inhabitants are Francophone,

but the economy is controlled by the English minority.

English is the language of the workplace and finance.

Management jobs in the private and federal sectors are restricted to Anglophones.

Labor laws heavily favor business.

Labor conflicts multiply, but working conditions don't change.

Quebec workers are excluded from the prosperity sweeping North America.

Wait here.

Some Quebecers believe political reform cannot change the rules of a game

in which they are the eternal losers.

They are increasingly convinced

that more radical measures are in order.

Be seated.

MARCH 1966

This is your new classmate.

His name is Jean Corbo.

I'll leave him in your hands.

Welcome, Mr Corbo.

Mr Gagnon!

Stop your antics. Make room for him.

Yes, sir.

Sit down.

What kind of name is Corbo?

Is it spelled like the word for crow?

No, it ends in O. It's Italian.

Hey guys! The new kid's a wop.

Quiet.

Sorry, I didn't see you.

Did you see two kids?

Two kids prowling around here.

Where's the nearest exit?

Wait here.

Quick.

Mr Corbo, there are two young intruders.

Did you see them?

They wen! Down there.

Ruffians!

The nearest exit? Down the hall and turn right.

The door's at the end, can't miss it.

Thanks.

THE AX: OFFICIAL BULLETIN OF THE FLQ / QUEBEC LIBERATION FRONT.

To all patriots and political prisoners.

Be brave in your solitude.

Be patient as you wait.

Tomorrow the enemy will pay for our blood and tears.

Your judges will be judged, your accusers singled out.

Your jailers will hand us their keys.

We cry your names.

If you don't answer, we will carry them forth.

Monuments aren't built to the living.

We'll show no mercy.

It's the enemy or us.

Rise and crush the traitors who block progress.

Guys, look what I found!

- Where were they'? - In a locker near the dynamite.

Can't leave them here!

Quit playing. Give us a hand.

Chénier said,

"“When our brothers are killed, you will take up their guns."

We follow the path laid by the Patriotes.

That was over a century ago.

It's time to finish!

It's a battle of egos.

It's more serious than that, Nicola.

Lesage attacked Lévesque to protect himself.

That's what I said. It's all about ego.

Not quite the same.

Your party is out of touch.

My party? It's not my party!

It's for anyone concerned

about putting bread and butter on their table.

Oh yeah?

While you worry about profits,

the RIN works for social progress,

to defend French and liberate Quebecers!

- Is that what really matters? - Come on, Dad!

Downtown they tell Mom, "Speak white!"

- You call that normal? - So what?

- I can speak Italian too. - Italian's better.

And we'll speak French when need be.

Until then, let's focus on good government.

There are strikes across Québec. The economy is paralyzed.

You can thank your party, Dad.

Anyway...

To me that matters more than blaming poor Eaton's salesladies

who can't speak French.

Not can't speak French. Don't want to.

Don't you see? The world's changing, Dad.

It'll take new ideas to avert civil war.

Your party hates new ideas.

In that case, go on, vote for the RIN, son.

The Right will benefit, and it doesn't share your ideas.

Then it's goodbye to change.

Because if the UN takes power,

it'll be a step back of at least 15 years!

Good!

You'd throw away 15 years?

- If that's what it takes! - Basra!

You're always going on about goddamn politics!

- Sorry. - Jeez.

You're right. That's enough.

At the table you don't talk politics or religion.

You end up fighting and then you choke on your food and die.

- As your mom always said. - Leave Mom out of it.

What are you thinking exactly?

That you're part of the discussion, maybe?

You go on about it. You're so concerned about it.

We don't count for shit! You hear?

We don't count? What do you mean? Of course we do!

We're not trapped in the past like you.

Come on already!

You always thought,

and you still think you're different from me.

And in a way we are.

You have a nice house in TMR, a big American car in your garage...

- Nobody gave 'em to me. - I know.

You worked hard to earn all that.

You even married a Canuck.

- Don't start. - No, because I'm happy for you.

But let me tell you one thing.

Behind it all, despite all your dollars

and your cars and your clothes and all the rest, etc.

Do you know how people here see you?

How they'll always see you?

They'll see you like me.

Exactly like me. Always.

An Italian. A wop.

Enough, it's always the same crap.

The war ended 20 years ago. Yes or no?

Yes or no?

War never ends. You were born a wop, you'll die a wop.

Stop. I won't have that word spoken in my house.

You're absolutely right.

I'm getting old, my son, and probably soft in the head.

Sorry. Never again.

Just tell me to go to hell.

I should.

But I won't. I'll go smoke a cigarette, it's better.

Y'know what? I'll tell you anyway. Go to hell!

Go smoke a cigarette.

WORLD WAR ll.

My talk is on Canadian hypocrisy during WWII.

May I remind you, this is a history assignment, not a comedy routine.

Yes, sir.

Fine, I'm listening.

But I advise you to tread carefully.

On Sept. 10, 1939,

Canada declared war on Germany and its allies, Japan and Italy.

So you were our enemy?

Mr Gagnon!

Another outburst and you'll go see the principal. Do you read me?

Continue, Mr Corbo.

Canada claims it's fighting for freedom and democracy.

But two years later it arbitrarily begins jailing Canadians

of German, Japanese and Italian origin

as so-called enemy aliens.

On June 10, 1941,

my father Nicola Corbo and his father Achille,

like hundreds of other Italians,

were arrested and sent to a concentration camp.

Mr Corbo!

I don't think this subject is suitable.

Do you have another topic?

Why isn't it suitable?

Certain subjects shouldn't be discussed in public.

I won't let you humiliate your family here.

These are facts as documented by my father and grandfather.

Facts not yet pan of official history.

The defeated never write their own history.

Even I know that.

You've 15 seconds to start a new topic

or we move on and you get an F.

They spent two years in the camps.

- Out! - They lost everything.

Out! Leave my class immediately!

What happened this time?

You know what happened.

Did you ever consider

that Grandpa and I don't want people to know?

That we're not proud we went to jail?

No, but why pretend it didn't happen?

I don't pretend it didn't happen, Jean.

I've turned the page.

If you had, you wouldn't react like this.

But I say it in school...

Exactly, you're in school.

One that was generous enough to take you mid-year

because you got thrown out of the last one.

When your teacher tells you to do something, you do as he says!

Why go to school if it's to learn to be a slave?

Stay in your room. I don't want to see your face.

And don't let me hear your jungle music!

APRIL 1966

Good luck.

Farewell.

- That could never happen here. - Why not?

I don't know. I'm not sure we'd go that far.

Who's that?

See you at home, OK?

Introduce me, next time.

Can I help you?

I saw you at the cinema.

I wanted to talk to you.

I read your newsletter, The Ax.

It's really interesting.

I don't have time to talk now.

OK.

There's an MLP workshop tomorrow.

- Come, it's not far from here. - OK.

By the way, my name's Jean.

I'm Julie.

- Someone has to go check. - You crazy?

It can blow any minute.

Exactly.

Shit.

Gimme that!

Shit!

Have you heard of the MLP?

- The People's Liberation Movement? - I think so.

Yeah.

They're ML-ers.

ML-ers?

Marxist-Leninists.

The gang from Parti Pris magazine.

They target scabs,

march on picket lines, stuff like that.

Why'?

Someone at school mentioned them.

You're making friends there?

Yeah.

That's great!

BOMB EXPLODES IN LAFONTAINE PARK

Fanon says that the colonized

remain marked by their ties to the colonizer.

Psychologically, they'll always feel inferior,

even if the colonizer passes laws

to free or liberate them.

To take a concrete example, think of American Negro slaves.

Legally, they were objects belonging to their white owners.

They had no rights, no last name.

- Did I miss much? - Just started.

When they were freed, they had to choose a name.

- Ready? - Yeah.

Believe it or not, most slaves chose their former owner's name

and to remain in his service.

Legally, they were free,

but psychologically they felt inferior.

Let's go.

598...

This is where Fanon gets really interesting.

He concludes there's one way, just one,

for the colonized to stop feeling inferior

and regain their real identity.

And that way is violence.

Hello, Mr Johnson?

I'm calling to talk to you about the RIN.

Yes, the Rally for National Independence.

Mr Johnson?

He hung I-IP-

Great start.

Write it down.

By an act of violence toward the colonizer,

the colonized must regain their own freedom and identity.

That's the only way

for the colonized to fully liberate themselves.

Yes, sir, I understand.

I understand perfectly.

That's right. OK.

Have a good night.

Next.

522...

0079.

- What's the name? - Kate Ford.

Yes, hello. Mme Ford, please.

Good evening. I'm calling to talk to you about the RIN, the...

No, madame. I'll speak to you in French or not at all.

- You hung up? - There are limits, dammit!

- So, it's a no? - What do you think?

Jean!

- What'? - You ready?

Smile, Jean. This isn't a funeral.

You wanted me to come. I came. That's as much as I can do.

Nic!

- Grateful you came! - Congratulations!

Thanks!

Giovanni! How are you?

Good, and you?

Great. Look, Marco must be somewhere with the other kids.

Go find them. They'll be glad to see you.

Jean!

I'll pick you up at 11:30.

OK'?

We fight with the FLQ

to establish a revolutionary government.

We have taken up arms to attain our political objectives:

Decolonization and national independence.

We are fighting for our liberation.

One thing is certain:

We are preparing for war.

Those who believe Quebec will achieve independence

without firing a shot

are deluding themselves.

Those who fear the enemy's attacks

and think they can avoid legal reprisals and police repression...

They should put on their slippers and doze in front of the TV

or go for a beer a! The tavern.

Let them not think they have a place in the revolutionary struggle.

Our political beliefs derive from a basic principle:

We are preparing for war. Every one of us.

We will fight to the end.

Working hard?

Yeah.

Not my choice, I have to help my dad.

Your dad owns the restaurant?

What does he do?

He hasn't worked in three years.

How come?

He tried to unionize his old factory.

When the foremen found out, they fired everyone involved.

Now no one'll hire him.

Scared he'll start a union.

So Mom cleans houses, and I work here.

Don't you work?

Lucky.

Why are you dressed like that?

I was at a birthday party for the son of a friend of my dad.

A party for the son of a friend of your dad?

My dad wanted me there.

Not my choice either.

Why's that?

For appearances.

So the family's seen as pan of the community.

- What does your dad do? - He's a lawyer.

He's also involved in politics. He campaigns for the Liberals.

Yeah, I know.

Hi.

Can I speak to you?

Why's he here?

He was passing by. He just wanted to talk.

What do we do with this?

We bring him along.

Aren't they on strike?

Yeah, a year now.

The owner hired scabs and stopped negotiating.

- Julie'? - Yes.

Stand over there, make sure nobody comes.

You stay here. Watch the other way.

You see anybody, whistle.

Francois!

Down there!

- What'? - The cops drove by.

- What are you doing? - Helping you finish.

They're coming!

You've got balls.

So, how was it?

Fa mastic.

Hi.

Hi.

Just a sec.

- You have to choose a pseudonym. - Why'?

You can't use your real name.

OK, but what are your pseudonyms?

Julie and Francois aren't our real names.

They're not?

Come in.

Have a seat.

Now what?

Nothing.

We just have to wait.

I'm Mathieu.

I'm Dannick.

You're at a private school?

Yeah, my parents are adamant I go there.

Where do you live, Dannick?

Town of Mount Royal.

Your family must be loaded.

What's a kid from TMR doing here?

I live in the same world as you.

I don't think so.

You obviously didn't grow up in a slum like me.

I'm not blind.

The rich live off the poor, exploited and humiliated.

And the poor and exploited and humiliated...

What are you willing to do for them?

I don't know what I can do.

But I know I can stand alongside them

when they decide to stand up for themselves.

If you say I don't belong here, I'll try somewhere else.

But since I met these two,

I know it's guys like you who'll bring real change to Québec.

It's rare that people from TMR come see us.

A nice change.

Welcome, Dannick.

Come in.

Alain, this is Dannick.

He'll hand out The Ax with us.

- Hey, Dannick. - Hi.

I'm almost done printing. Have a seat.

- What's up? - I have to speak to Jacques.

I'll get you at lunchtime.

Jean?

What?

Want to help me distribute these?

It's the RIN's platform.

100 YEARS OF INJUSTICE

Sorry, I can't. I have homework.

That's alright.

- Another time? - Sure!

MAY 1966

He's here.

Where are we going?

If you need to know, they'll say.

- Where's Alain? - Watching the truck.

Grab a shovel and help.

Don't dig too hard.

If it blows, there'll be body pans two miles around.

Why's it always so complicated with you?

What if your mom hadn't noticed?

You'd have gone to school like that? To get expelled?

- It's not that. - Oh no?

Then explain, 'cause I don't understand.

You haven't understood me for ages. It's nothing new.

What don't I understand?

What are you lacking?

You have a roof over your head, you eat three times a day,

attend the best schools in Québec.

You don't realize, but you have it all!

Your life on a silver platter. What's missing?

I don't want your life or your silver platter. Keep 'em.

Go on, spit on me. Do it to my face.

You've contempt for all I give you.

Any contempt comes from you.

Contempt? What do you mean?

Sweating to ensure my sons' future? If so, yes, I have contempt.

No, it's refusing to see your sons aren't you.

What do you know about us? Nothing!

You're too busy making us lead a life we don't want.

We're not like you. Put that in your head!

You should be ashamed!

It's not Verdi or Donizetti, but...

The music you listen to is beautiful.

I like it.

Lovely.

You know, Giova...

Music...

everyone listens with their ears.

But you have to feel it with your heart.

With your soul.

You're so passionate.

You invest yourself body and soul.

Good for you.

Bravo.

When she was alive,

your nonna Amalia...

at times I would get so upset.

I wanted to give my opinions about certain things.

But she'd shut me up and say,

"Stop making a scene for nothing."

For a yes, for a no.

"You're just a grumpy old fart."

And me, what did I do? I calmed down.

I loved her. I didn't want to upset her.

And I bit my tongue.

I bit my tongue.

If she were still alive, if she were here...

know what I'd tell her, Giova?

That a man

has to fight for his opinions.

A man should get angry.

He should open his mind

and let out everything that's in there, everything he thinks.

Otherwise you're fighting against yourself.

That's what I'd tell her

if she were still alive.

But it's too late now, Giova...

Too late.

Ready?

Yeah.

You've 20 minutes.

Make it quick.

Got it.

It's a return.

- Who from? - My boss will call you.

He'll explain.

Go, go.

Mme Morin, the parcel.

Come on!

- Lagrenade? - There's a bomb in the factory.

You've 3 minutes to evacuate before it blows!

This isn't our first bomb threat.

No way I'm falling for it.

No, listen!

There really is...

What?

He won't evacuate.

Christ!

What do we do?

Madame Morin, take over. I can't spend all day on the phone.

I'm here m The Ax.

Wait a sec.

Here.

Everything OK?

Could be better.

BOMB m LAGRENADE SHOE FACTORY THERESE MORIN, 64, DIES.

You're sure it was him?

Those crates we dug up...

What else was it for?

Why didn't he tell me?

The peasant, the underprivileged, the starving

are the exploited who soon discover that violence alone pays.

For them there is no compromise, no possibility of concession.

Colonization or decolonization: It is simply a power struggle.

Non-violence is an attempt to settle the colonial problem

before any bloodshed or regrettable act is committed.

The exploited realize that liberation requires every means -

and force first.

Colonialism is not a machine capable of thinking,

a body endowed with reason.

I! Is naked violence

and gives in only when faced with greater violence.

Look, we should take a break.

- See what... - Come on!

We have to act, and fast! We can't back down now.

We're militants, not murderers dammit!

Sorry, activism won't cut it.

Protests are fine,

but we need concrete action to decolonize Quebec.

The shoe factory - that was concrete action.

I'm all for concrete.

- Not for killing innocent people. - Cut the offended virgin crap!

We have to accept that this happens.

Or we go home and forget the whole thing.

Violence isn't a choice.

It's our only option.

For 200 years we've been trampled upon.

Either we let them, like we've always done, and disappear,

or stand up and show the world we exist.

- We're talking, Mathieu. - We've talked enough!

It's time for action.

We fight this war to the end, or we don't fight it at all, Alain.

Choose your side.

OK.

If everyone agrees,

we keep going.

DOMINION TEXTILE ON STRIKE FOR 6 MONTHS - EXCEPT IN MONTREAL

If I! Wins those three ridings,

the Union Nationale will form the government.

- Like that? - Perfect.

Don't touch it or we'll lose it.

“From Union Nationale HQ.

- Hello, Mr Johnson. - Hello.

Your party is not expected to obtain a majority of votes in Quebec.

Do you see this victory as incomplete?

Of course this is nothing new.

Obviously with all the votes...

the Anglophone vote in Montréal,

the Jewish vote in Montréal,

all that is no! French Canadian...

They voted against the Union Nationals

and for the Liberals.

If you're not French Canadian, you don't count.

- We've gone backwards. - 30 years.

And with those words we end our election night coverage.

51 Liberals were elected,

54 Union Nationale MLAs...

None from the Ralliement National, none for the RIN.

Not surprising.

Why is that?

People realize that politics gets you nowhere.

Pardon?

People who want real change don't waste their time voting.

Sorry, but if Bourgault had been elected,

he'd have brought change to Québec.

Not one RIN candidate was elected.

Bourgault didn't even win his own riding.

What did voting RIN accomplish?

The results of this election

will make lots of people think twice.

Progressives who'd hoped to change things politically

will be disillusioned.

They'll realize the sterility of their actions.

Politics never got Québec anywhere. That's not about to change.

There's one thing that can achieve

national liberation and decolonization for Québec

and that's a revolutionary avant-garde

refusing to act within established structures.

When the minute hand

touches the nail,

it closes the circuit and sends power to the detonator,

causing it to explode.

Usually I'd put the nail at 11.

So when the minute hands on 12,

you've 55 minutes till it blows, plenty of time to get away.

That revolutionary avant-garde

is you.

You're the spark plug.

Your role is to help Quebecers put into words

and one day act on the gut anger

that they're not yet able to intellectualize.

Don't believe those who say this battle can be won by elections.

Lee-Enfields, Canadian Army assault rifles.

Nice of them to lend us these for our demonstration.

The rest of you, come here.

Each day Québec workers awaken a bit more to reality:

We're colonized politically, socially, economically.

303s. Not very common, but you'll get the idea.

Knowing we're colonized isn't enough anymore.

We have to make people see that.

The real question is:

How far are we willing to go to make things change?

The masses must realize it's up to them.

If we stagnate, it's their fault.

And if we advance, it's still their fault.

Those who think Quebecers aren't radical enough...

Come on.

That the masses won't follow revolutionaries

intent on crushing the oppressor...

They don't understand today's Québec.

Shit.

By channeling the violence deep inside every Quebecer,

we can confront and destroy for good the colonial system

that's smothered us for centuries.

Jacques wants us.

Scout the area first, look for the best spot.

It has to be near the factory, but not too far.

We don't want anyone there.

What do we look for when we get there?

What's a good spot?

You'll look after Jean while we're away'?

- I'm talking to you. - Yeah.

- For sure'? - Yes!

He can look after himself.

Hi.

- Bon appétit. - Thanks.

So, did you have a nice weekend?

Yeah, it was fun.

Did you thank Pierre's parents?

Don't worry, Mom.

Next time invite him here.

You always visit him.

Fine, I will.

I'll go unpack.

There are two guards.

Wait.

We're good.

What are you doing?

Francois!

Why's that here?

I dunno.

What do you think?

Why not?

Francois?

Do what you want.

But count me out.

Why'?

I can't.

Not after Lagrenade.

It's different here.

That was inside the factory in daytime.

We're outside, at night, to be safe.

We thought Lagrenade was safe too.

Francois!

Take care of yourselves.

Why aren't you asleep?

No special reason.

Is summer vacation making you nervous?

When I was your age, summers weren't like they are today.

We had to work.

It wasn't easy. Grandpa didn't have much money.

He paid so I could go to school.

He worked himself to the bone.

But my summers belonged to him.

I helped at his store.

It can't have been easy.

No, but...

that's how it was.

We accepted it.

Grandpa must be proud.

To see what you've become.

I guess so.

Though he'll never say it.

But I think he is. I think he's proud of his kids.

Like I'll be proud of mine.

Yeah.

Jean?

- No wild stuff while we're away. - Don't worry, Mom.

You grow up so fast.

- Have a good trip. - Thanks.

- OK, ciao. See you soon? - Yeah.

Listen to your brother while we're away.

OK, Dad.

You were talking about the ministers...

the ministers of Finance and Commerce.

JULY 1966

Historically, French Canadians have never held either position.

No, we didn't get our share,

but from what I've heard, we were partly to blame.

People were offered those ministries,

but were afraid of the heavy responsibility.

One weakness we had

is we suffered from a bad inferiority complex.

I think that's over.

We mustn't develop a superiority complex,

that would be no better.

But do you have the impression that those major, key ministries...

Hello?

No, it's fine.

Tonight?

Yeah, we'll be there.

Yeah.

That's fine.

TOMORROW WILL BE TOO LATE

Why not hide it too?

You have a stack of them under your bed.

I want to read it first.

Where'd you get that?

I found it at school.

Jean?

You can talk to me.

We'll talk later.

I have things to do.

- Where are you going? - Don't boss me!

- I just want to know. - Butt out!

When will you be done?

I'm not sure.

I have to work tonight.

We're meeting with Jacques. He's expecting us.

I can't leave now.

You can come later.

I'm not coming.

If there's a problem...

If there's a problem we can at least say that we fought,

we didn't bow down.

I can't.

I can't do it.

Louise!

We need you in here!

Two minutes!

Louise?

Strange to hear that.

I better go back.

Jacques can find someone else.

You don't have to do it.

I dunno.

If I don't show I'm serious

to Jacques and Mathieu,

they'll think I'm a spoiled TMR brat.

I don't mind the spoiled TMR brat.

I'll drop by tomorrow

to tell you how it went.

Dammit.

There.

You remember how it works?

Yeah.

When I attach them,

you have 55 minutes till it blows.

Understand?

Yeah.

That's it.

I'll wait here.

O cool night.

Transparent night

Mystery.

Without darkness.

Life is black.

And all-devouring.

O cool night.

Transparent night

Give me.

Your serenity.

O lovely night

Starlit night.

You gaze down.

Upon me.

Shine your light.

On my troubled soul.

O lovely night

Starlit night.

Light up my thoughts.

With your smile.

O holy night.

Night without words.

Full of peace and gentleness.

My heart is seething.

Like a cauldron.

O holy night.

Night without words.

Bring silence.

To my heart.

O vast night.

Solemn night

Where all things.

Give delight.

Take my whole being.

Under your wing.

O vast night.

Solemn night

Pour sleep.

Into my eyes.

Lieutenant.

FLQ RISES FROM ITS ASHES

VICTIM IDENTIFIED

I can't go on.

I can't live with this.

We have to stop.

We have to stop. Now!

We don't have the right to.

Bullshit, Mathieu!

It's wrong. We can't keep on!

Not after what happened, Jacques.

Not now.

Come on, it's clear we have to stop!

We're sending kids to their death, dammit.

How much lower can we go?

The war we're waging

is more important than us individually.

He won't be the last to die.

If you can't live with that,

you've no place here.

Message to the Corbo family.

Now that the papers, TV and radio

have stopped gorging themselves on the death of your son,

now that minds are calmer,

we dare ask your forgiveness in his name

for believing too strongly in freedom and decency.

For it was not the pontiffs of separatism who killed him,

but the parasites of the working class

and those responsible for our decline.

We are the unwanted tenants of a country

that does no! Belong to us,

where the demand to live in our language is a crime,

where each mus! Exploit the weaker to succeed,

where we are condemned to wither, to give up,

and to prostitute our will.

For these reasons, no doubt, Jean grew angry,

with the passion and generosity that only youth is capable of.

And he acted.

Your son died in battle, if you will, at age 16,

when others dream of adventure and an all-embracing life.

But we had nothing to do with it. We didn't even know him.

It is not our way to involve teenagers,

at least not at the stage we are at in this country which is now yours.

What explanation can we give you?

Strange, bu! We have very few.

We fear suggesting any.

We exist, we write, we talk.

We work in silence and then act.

I! Is easy to join the FLQ.

To believe and claim you're part of it.

A few pals, a cell of political friends, and then?

Yes. How you mus! Regret it,

as we regret all the Jeans of this world,

especially yours, who is no longer with us,

and for whom we offer you

our humblest and sincerest sympathies.

You were going Jean Corbo to meet your fate

while a subterranean wind

raged and pounded for years to come

in the funnels of hope.

Who will ever untangle death and the future?

For Roman.

Subtitles: Robert Gray, Kinograph