Planet in Focus: The Blueberry Blues (Les Blues du Bleuet)
- Thu, Oct 22
Midnite weekend screenings happen on Friday & Saturday nights,. so please be sure to arrive on Friday and/or Saturday night by 11:45pm for seating and the screening will start after midnight.
Director: Andrés Livov-Macklin Run Time: 90 min. Format: DCP Release Year: 2026 Language: French
Summer unveils a new blueberry season in northern Canada. The fields are covered in blue and workers from all over scramble before the frost puts an end to the harvest. And yet this time of year is much more than just picking: it’s a time of music and connection.
Each summer, the boreal landscapes of Lac-Saint-Jean, Québec, are transformed by the deep blue of wild blueberries. In Andrés Livov’s tender Les blues du bleuet, the wild fruit becomes a point of departure for a poetic portrait of the people who gather to harvest it. Through intimate encounters, music, and archival footage, the story moves between past and present.
The film unfolds against a landscape marked by wildfires and climate change, but never loses sight of the pleasure, connection and even humour found in everyday life. Blueberries become both a way of life and a meditation on renewal as Livov brings together blueberry pickers from near and far, seasonal workers from Mexico, and local residents to reveal the many histories held within this annual ritual.
Planet in Focus is honoured to present the Toronto premiere of Livov’s latest film, following his untimely passing at age forty-seven this summer. At the film’s Canadian premiere in 2025, he asked: “Why didn’t anyone tell us that dying means being reincarnated in those we love while they are still alive? When the forest burns, is it aware that blueberries will grow in its place?” Today, his words resonate with particular poignancy. -PLANET IN FOCUS
Preceded by PLATFORMES (PLATEFORMES) (dir. Karl Lemieux, Canada, 20 min): As the need to move away from fossil fuels becomes more urgent than ever, some 12,000 oil rigs remain at sea. Platforms takes viewers on an immersive visual journey into the decommissioning of these structures, a colossal mission spanning from the shores of Scotland to the Global South. Through evocative, contemplative images shot on 16 mm and video, artist-filmmaker Karl Lemieux provides a unique perspective on the end of oil.
Doors Open 30 Minutes Before Showtime.