AT first, it may sound strange to call a film that explores the psychological impact on a victim who is confronted with the release of her attacker ‘a story of hope,’ but that is how producer Maxime Remillard describes Elles etaient cinq (English title: The Five of Us). Directed and cowritten by Quebec native Ghyslaine Cote, Elles etaient cinq is scheduled to open the Montreal World Film Festival on Aug. 26 as part of the fest’s World Competition.

‘There is hope in the worst human tragedies,’ says Remillard, president and cofounder of Montreal’s Remstar Productions, who coproduced with Forum Films’ Richard Lalonde. ‘This is what Elles etaient cinq told me when I first read the script by Chantal Cadieux [Le Collectionneur] and Cote.’ Remillard also recognizes that films with the most disturbing of storylines can enjoy critical and commercial success, as was the case with Academy Award-winner Monster starring Charlize Theron, which was released domestically by Remstar through its distribution deal with Alliance Atlantis.

The protagonist of Elles etaient cinq is 32-year-old Manon Cloutier (Jacinthe Lague, from Phyllis Katrapani’s Home), who, 15 years earlier, was raped on the way to a party with long-time friends Anne (Julie Deslauriers), Claudie (Brigitte Lafleur), Isa (Ingrid Falaise), and Sophie (Noemie Yelles). Since then, Manon has hidden from this trauma by avoiding her friends altogether. However, the chance for romance in a new relationship motivates her to make contact with them again, and together they face the demons that have haunted Manon for so long.

‘Chantal Cadieux developed the idea of five friends meeting years after being driven apart by tragedy,’ says Cote, whose previous directing credits include the 1999 children’s feature Pin-Pon: le film (which received two Jutra nominations) and the 1998 short Pendant ce temps…, nominated for a both a Genie and Jutra. ‘What caught my attention was the underlying theme of enduring friendship. What also intrigued me was what happens to a person’s soul when they are finally freed from the pain of having been victimized by an aggressive crime.’

The sensitive theme of Elles etaient cinq is quite a departure from Pin-Pon, the adaptation of a popular Quebec TV series about the adventures of a pair of firemen.

Pin-Pon came about when Telefiction producer Jacques Bonin approached Cote after seeing Pendant ce temps… ‘I loved having the opportunity to do it as my first feature – and to do a film for kids – but this kind of film is not my first love,’ Cote says.

In a relationship-driven film such as Elles etaient cinq, the interplay between the actors is everything. If the chemistry is right, the picture will fly. If not, it will sink like a stone. Fortunately for Cote, ‘the actresses got along really well with each other,’ she says. ‘In fact, I was surprised by how they respected and helped each other during the filming. That was a very great pleasure for me.’

Elles etaient cinq was shot on location in Cap St-Jacques on Quebec’s Lake of Two Mountains – ‘in the woods,’ Cote says. The film’s budget is $3.2 million, with funds coming from Telefilm Canada, SODEC, federal and provincial tax credits, presales from Super Ecran and The Movie Network, Astral Media, and Radio-Canada. Remillard says Remstar is distributing in addition to coproducing.

Taking swift advantage of the buzz created by its WFF debut, the film will open in Montreal on Aug. 27, just one day after its festival premiere, followed by a wider Quebec release on Sept. 3. ‘We plan to make 15 prints initially, then we’ll see how it goes,’ Remillard says. He is also looking towards the domestic DVD market as well as international sales for both the film and DVD, depending on returns from the initial box office run.

As for distributing a subtitled English version in the rest of Canada, Remillard remains cautious. ‘No matter how successful a film is in Quebec, it is often difficult to translate this success to the rest of Canada,’ he says.

Meanwhile, Cote’s attention is more focused on her film’s festival launch, especially since it has landed WFF’s most coveted timeslot.

‘We’ve been working on this film for four years,’ Cote says. ‘Montreal is where I have been living for the most part of my life, and that is why it is a great pleasure for me to open here.’ Remillard adds: ‘Montreal is an excellent launch platform. We couldn’t have hoped for a better premiere.’ *