Mathyas, a young advertising executive, quits his job on a whim and leaves Montreal. He lands in the South of France, where he envisions a quiet, more meaningful life as a shepherd. His idyllic aspirations are abruptly confronted by the harsh realities of the pastoral world, forcing him to question his romantic vision of the profession. As he wonders whether he severed ties too abruptly with his former life, a visit from Elise—who has also just quit her job—gives Mathyas’s quest a new direction. Together, with a herd in their care, they embark on a journey toward a new way of life in the mountains.

Sophie Deraspe’s seventh feature, Shepherds, won the Best Canadian Film award at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and was named to TIFF’s annual Canada’s Top Ten list in 2024. Freely inspired by the novel D’où viens-tu, berger? by Mathyas Lefebure, this adaptation showcases the breathtaking mountain pastures of the Alps. Visually stunning, it is also soothing in its ability to find beauty in simplicity, and solace even amidst cruelty.

Canada (Quebec)

French with English subtitles

113 minutes