TIFF 2024: Living Together (by Halima Elkhatabi) | Review

In Living Together (Cohabiter), which celebrated its world premiere at TIFF 2024, director Halima Elkhatabi presents a series of static shots featuring Montreal students, young professionals, and retirees, who, in their search for roommates—either for economic reasons or a desire for social interaction—meet with potential candidates.

Elkhatabi’s direction alternates between “recruitment” interviews for future roommates and static shots of the interiors of the apartments. Yet, the minimalism of the setup never becomes tedious, as the conversations are utterly compelling. Before the camera, a diverse range of profiles and personalities are united by common concerns and questions—such as the compatibility of schedules tied to the profession and hobbies of the prospective roommate, or their understanding of sexual orientation and mental health conditions.

What starts as a “simple” interview for a roommate often transforms into a confession about the difficulties of living in society. Halima Elkhatabi gives a voice to a segment of Montreal’s population that suffers from the worsening living conditions in the region. Rising rents, limited access to healthcare, and discrimination based on ethnicity or sexual orientation are just a few of the issues that significantly impact citizens’ lives and are not adequately addressed by public policies.

Drawing on scenes that may seem mundane, Living Together reveals itself as a locally engaged film, documenting the contemporary concerns of multiple generations, much like Montreal-set Eviction by mathilde capone, which won the RIDM Audience Award in 2023. While its themes are local, they resonate with urban societies across the modern world.

Produced by the National Film Board of Canada, Living Together is featured in the TIFF Docs section, alongside Tata by Lina Vdovîi and Radu Ciorniciuc.