Where the Land Ends

October, 1995. The most important political event in recent Canadian history, the Quebec vote on sovereignty, is about to unfold. During the tense days leading up to the referendum for independence, 23 filmmakers from the NFB's English and French documentary studios take their cameras into the streets and homes of Quebeckers. Culled from 250 hours of footage, Referendum is an emotional portrait of a profoundly divided society. In a collage of powerful moments, the video recaptures the emotions of that time and measures them against today's political agenda. Implicit is the question: What next? With English and French subtitles.

Quebec license plates don't sport cutesy tourist slogans like "Canada's Ocean Playground" or "Land of Living Skies." Instead, they draw attention to the past with "Je me souviens" ("I remember")--a motto that cuts to the heart of Quebec history and society. To find out just what "Je me souviens" means to Quebecers, director Thierry Le Brun sets off across the province, license plate in hand. He rides a dog sled, goes ice fishing, visits an emu farm, joins the Carifiesta celebrations and even gets pulled over by the cops. In the process, he meets a cast of characters--both famous and unknown--with wildly differing views on the provincial motto. Over the course of this illuminating, entertaining and funny documentary, "Je me souviens" becomes a Rorschach ink blot into which Quebecers peer, each bringing their own interpretation. In the process, they can also see each other in a new way, and come to understand the concerns of the many communities that make up their land.

English sub-titled version of a film showing facts and opinions that lead to the Québec referendum on independence in 1980, with the participation of a historical character: Machiavelli.