The Passion of Augustine (French: La passion d'Augustine) is a 2015 Canadian drama film from Quebec directed by Léa Pool and written by Pool and Marie Vien. It stars Céline Bonnier as the head of a rural Quebec convent music school threatened by 1960s educational reforms. The film won six Quebec Cinema Awards, including Best Film, Best Director for Pool and Best Actress for Bonnier, and received two Canadian Screen Award nominations.

Synopsis In rural Quebec in the 1960s, Mother Augustine is a Catholic nun who teaches music at a convent school. During the period of Vatican II and Quebec's Quiet Revolution, the local government threatens to close the school and replace it with public education. Augustine’s efforts to save the school are complicated by the arrival of her rebellious but musically gifted niece, which forces her to confront her past.

Cast The cast includes:

Céline Bonnier as Mother Augustine Lysandre Ménard as Alice Diane Lavallée as Sister Lise Valérie Blais as Sister Claude Pierrette Robitaille as Sister Onésime Marie Tifo as the Mother General Marie-France Lambert as Madame Thompson Andrée Lachapelle as Mother Marie-Stéphane Maude Guérin as Marguerite

Production The screenplay was written by Marie Vien and Léa Pool, based on an original idea by Vien. Produced by Lyla Films, the film had an approximate budget of C$4.7 million and was shot over 30 days in March, April and May 2014.

For the student roles, Léa Pool cast young musicians rather than actresses because she wanted authenticity in the musical scenes.

Reception Variety wrote that the film made effective use of a premise that could have become clichéd, providing "a good dose of inspirational uplift without ever seeming to reach for it in the obvious, expected ways". The review praised its musical sequences and visual design. Boulder Weekly praised Pool’s attention to detail in depicting Catholic school life and wrote that she added “just enough whimsy” to give the film an “effervescent feel”.

Filmdienst described it as intelligent, subtle and charming, writing that the film portrayed the struggle of a progressive women’s convent for its future. The review praised the performances and the film’s musical references. SRF described the film as a fine drama in which music plays a central role, and wrote that it was also a strong women’s film with a large ensemble and emotional force. Awards and nominations Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Canadian Screen Awards 13 March 2016 Best Actress Céline Bonnier Best Original Score François Dompierre Mill Valley Film Festival 8–18 October 2015 Audience Favorite, Gold – 2015 World Cinema Indie Newport Beach Film Festival 23–30 April 2015 Best Feature Film Best Director Léa Pool Best Screenplay Marie Vien, Léa Pool Best Actress Céline Bonnier Best Supporting Actress Lysandre Ménard Quebec Cinema Awards 20 March 2016 Best Film Lyse Lafontaine, François Tremblay Best Director Léa Pool Best Actress Céline Bonnier Best Supporting Actress Diane Lavallée Lysandre Ménard Best Screenplay Marie Vien, Léa Pool Best Cinematography Daniel Jobin Best Art Direction Patrice Bengle Best Costume Design Michèle Hamel Best Hairstyling Martin Lapointe

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