RIDM 2024: Simon & Marianne (dirs. Pier-Luc Latulippe, Martin Fournier) | Review
The final work involving writer and professor Simon Roy, Simon & Marianne delicately and compassionately explores our relationship with illness and end-of-life through the story of the eponymous couple.
Simon & Marianne gracefully and modestly captures the final weeks in the life of Simon, who is battling terminal cancer, and his partner Marianne, who accompanies and supports him during this end-of-life journey. The feature-length documentary, directed by Pier-Luc Latulippe and Martin Fournier, premiered at the 2024 Sheffield DocFest and had its North American debut at the 27th Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM).
With tenderness and respect, evident in their framing choices and the sensitive distance of the camera, the filmmakers document and stage the intimate life of this Quebecois couple, both writers and professors. While Simon’s last weeks are marked by profound conversations in which he and Marianne share their fears about the unknown nature of death and the void it will leave for those who remain, their home also becomes a haven for moments of immense gentleness. In these quiet exchanges, the couple gaze at each other, touch, and kiss. One particularly moving scene shows Marianne delicately trimming Simon’s hair. As she carefully works around a scar from a previous surgery, her fingers move gracefully through his hair, her eyes lingering on his face to admire the result. These simple gestures ground them in the present moment. Filmed within their home in Sainte-Thérèse and its immediate surroundings, these scenes paint a portrait of two sensitive and dignified individuals, challenging preconceived notions of illness and those who endure it.
Visually, the filmmakers opted for a grayscale palette, evoking the way life’s vibrancy faded for Simon and Marianne after the diagnosis and Simon’s decline. This stylistic choice starkly contrasts with what the film conveys otherwise: the radiance and beauty of a love so deep that it endures even into death. Perhaps because these fleeting moments, lived by Simon and Marianne in their present, are already slipping into memory—their final memories.
Simon & Marianne prompts reflection on end-of-life issues and medical assistance in dying, a choice Simon embraces. Surrounded by Marianne and his doctor, he determines and organizes his passing when his suffering becomes too great. He chooses to spend his final hours in the company of his children and partner, sharing one last meal together. The film’s themes resonate deeply in the context of ongoing debates in Western societies about the decriminalization of assisted suicide, with Canada being one of the few countries where it is legal.
On a related note, we invite you to read our review of Annie St-Pierre’s Your Higher Self, which offers a mirror to modern societies through its exploration of mental health.
The 27th RIDM is taking over Montreal, Canada, from November 20th to December 1st.
