Quebec director Félix Dufour-Laperrière openly describes his latest animated feature, Death Does Not Exist, as a political film addressing urgent issues like wealth redistribution and collective responsibility. Speaking to Variety, he emphasized his personal stake as a father hoping for a livable world for his children amid global turmoil.
The film, which premiered at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, follows Hélène, an idealistic young woman who escapes to the forest after a failed armed attack on a wealthy family. Haunted by visions of her lost comrade Manon, Hélène grapples with the consequences of violence and her conflicting loyalties to her beliefs, friendships, and love.
Dufour-Laperrière describes the film as a “tragic tale about violence, but also about commitment, convictions, loyalty and connections.” He draws inspiration from Tarkovsky’s Stalker, likening Hélène’s journey into the wild to a Faustian pact, blending dreamlike and reflective moments to explore political and social upheaval alongside the desire for renewal.
He stresses that in animation, “form IS political,” highlighting how moving images can embody evolving concepts and emotions. The protagonist confronts those she once opposed, revealing shared truths despite their differences. Dufour-Laperrière does not condone violence but acknowledges its existence and the frustration of those whose voices are marginalized.
Originally darker and more fatalistic, the film evolved to include more life and connection, reflecting the director’s own pessimism tempered by love for life. Funded largely through Quebec and Canadian public support, Dufour-Laperrière produced the film with his brother to maintain creative control and ensure the budget fully served the screen.
While acknowledging the film won’t be a commercial blockbuster, he embraces the challenge. “In adult animation, we’re all adults — we should be able to talk about the world and the things that move us,” he says. For him, making films is “a beautiful way to live my life,” and “art is a serious matter.”
Death Does Not Exist stands as a bold, politically charged work that uses animation to explore complex social realities and personal convictions in a rapidly changing world.
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