Shepherds (French: Bergers) is a 2024 Canadian-French drama film directed by Sophie Deraspe.[1] An adaptation of Mathyas Lefebure's semi-autobiographical novel D'où viens tu, berger?, the film stars Félix-Antoine Duval as Mathyas, a burned-out advertising executive from Montreal who moves to Provence to become a shepherd.[2]

Shepherds
Film poster
FrenchBerger
Directed bySophie Deraspe
Screenplay bySophie Deraspe
Mathyas Lefebure
Based onD'où viens tu, berger?
by Mathyas Lefebure
Produced byLuc Déry
Kim McCraw
Élaine Hébert
Caroline Bonmarchand
Xenia Sulyma
Sébastien Perret
StarringFélix-Antoine Duval
Solène Rigot
CinematographyVincent Gonneville
Edited byStéphane Lafleur
Music byPhilippe Brault
Production
companies
Avenue B Productions
micro_scope
Distributed byMaison 4:3
Release date
  • September 7, 2024 (2024-09-07) (TIFF)
Running time
113 minutes
CountriesCanada
France
LanguageFrench

The cast also includes Solène Rigot, Younes Boucif, Bruno Raffaelli, Véronique Ruggia, Michel Benizri, Guilaine Londez and David Ayala.[1]

The film was screened for distributors at the 2024 Cannes Film Market,[3] and premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.[4] It was commercially released in November 2024.[5]

Cast

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Reception

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Pat Mullen of That Shelf wrote: "This sumptuous drama by Sophie Deraspe (Antigone) follows [the] pursuit of being a farmhand. Shepherds adapts Lefebure’s memoir D-où viens-tu, berger? and might thrill audiences with its notion of connecting with a traditional way of life while leaving them equally daunted by the realities of it. This is a touching, soul-stirring film that rejuvenates a viewer like a crisp flick of fresh air."[6]

The film was named to TIFF's annual Canada's Top Ten list for 2024.[7]

Awards

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Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
Toronto International Film Festival 2024 Best Canadian Film Sophie Deraspe Won [8]
Toronto Film Critics Association 2024 Rogers Best Canadian Film Award Nominated [9]
Canadian Screen Awards 2025 Best Adapted Screenplay Sophie Deraspe, Mathyas Lefebure Nominated [10]
Best Cinematography Vincent Gonneville Nominated
Quebec Cinema Awards 2025 Best Film Luc Déry, Kim McCraw, Élaine Hébert, Caroline Bonmarchand, Xenia Sulyma Nominated [11]
Best Director Sophie Deraspe Nominated
Best Actor Félix-Antoine Duval Nominated
Best Screenplay Sophie Deraspe, Mathyas Lefebure Nominated
Best Art Direction André-Line Beauparlant Nominated
Best Cinematography Vincent Gonneville Won
Best Editing Stéphane Lafleur Won
Best Original Music Philippe Brault Won
Best Sound Olivier Calvert, Stephen De Oliveira, Hans Laitres Won
Best Visual Effects Jean-François « Jafaz » Ferland, Marie-Claude Lafontaine, Marc Morissette Nominated
Best Casting Adélaïde Mauvernay, Nathalie Boutrie Nominated
Most Successful Film Outside Quebec Luc Déry, Kim McCraw, Élaine Hébert, Caroline Bonmarchand, Xenia Sulyma Nominated
Prix Michel-Côté Luc Déry, Kim McCraw, Élaine Hébert, Caroline Bonmarchand, Xenia Sulyma, Chantal Pagé, Sophie Deraspe, Mathyas Lefebure Nominated

References

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