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Poster for Joutel

2021 | 15 min | Drama, Mystery

Sunday Safe Betearly rating

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

It was a box office smash, though it had almost no lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Great for fans of a good haunting and anyone who loves trying to stay one step ahead. The scares come from the creaks and shadows as much as the jumps.
The mood
Tense.
The pace
Quiet, then quietly devastating, at 15 min. Short enough for a weeknight.
What might put you off
  • It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Not the one if you want explosions or easy laughs.

When Gérard finds a dead raccoon in his front yard, the old man becomes strangely distressed, shaken by thoughts of his own demise. Jocelyne watches the despair of her husband grow along with his obsession with the animal’s body, and his anguish takes root in her own mind. After a night of torment, they decide to go and bury the raccoon on the land where their house once stood in Joutel, a former mining town deserted since 1998. When they get there, the boreal forest is creeping in on the ruins of her former house, plunging Jocelyne into a deep nostalgia. Here, after a morbid picnic marking the raccoon’s burial, the couple meets a mystical being who leads them to make peace with their inner demons.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsNot counted

    Not enough reviews on record yet

  • AudiencesNot counted

    Not measured yet: not enough ratings

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerVery strong

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 264 people sought it out in the past year

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Cast & crew

Directed by Alexa-Jeanne Dubé

  • Marie TifoJocelyne
  • Pierre CurziGérard
  • Peter JamesThe Stranger