HUNTING DAZE: A Review Of The SXSW Midnighter!

Introduction

Profound social commentary in film is a tricky thing to pull off without falling into the trap of virtue signaling. Virtue signaling occasionally works for big-budget movies, where the A-listers and huge budgets outshine the awkward moments. But indie films don’t have that advantage. So how do you craft an effective film that tackles sexism, white-male privilege, and xenophobia without making eyes roll? You make it gritty, raw, and punchy.

This is exactly what Annick Blanc does with her incredible film Jour De Chasse, or Hunting Daze. This is Blanc’s first feature film as producer, screenwriter, and director. It’s a project that she should be proud of and worthy of a world premiere at SXSW.

Synopsis

Nina is a feisty, sex worker from Montreal who finds herself in a pickle. She’s stranded on the roadside with her handler, Mike, and two other strippers. Their car ran out of gas driving back from a bachelor party in a remote cabin in the woods. Nina is angry at Mike for a long list of reasons, and being roadside after a night of stripping seems high on the list.

Rescue soon arrives in the form of the man who hired them, Kev. He brings some extra gas and asks if Mike didn’t see the sign warning of no gas stations. This sets off a violent clash between Nina and Mike. Subsequently, Mike drives off without her and Nina has no choice but to convince Kev to take her to the cabin.

There she is reunited with the bachelor party, a group of five white men out on a hunting trip. She’s begrudgingly allowed to join the festivities and ends up bonding with the men. A  day later, Kev brings a stranger to the cabin, Doudos. Soon after, a drunken accident entangles the group in a moral quagmire. Nina must make a difficult decision. Will she protect her newfound and dubious friendships, or stand up for a marginalized man, in a situation that could have been her own?

Performances

Hands down, Nahéma Ricci kills it as Nina. Her performance is on point and unapologetic. She pulls the camera and speaks novels with her arresting gaze. Ricci executes her role with the perfect combination of hard edge and inviting vulnerability. In the second act, when Nina becomes part of the group, she tempers her tempestuous emotions. You watch her grow a communion with the men. It’s palpable, real, and beautiful.

Nina as a character is an amazing force of nature. She is a woman scorned, from start to finish, and she’s not going to sit idly by. The crackling charisma of her character and her performance were fantastic.

Her chemistry with the other actors is noteworthy, particularly with Bruno Marcil, who plays Bernard, the ring leader of the group. Marcil is as excellent as Bernard. Their scenes together are enchanting and feel almost like a different story is about to develop. While he teaches her to hunt, she wins him over with her grit and talent. In addition, he tutors her in his philosophy of power and more subtly in the ways of privilege.

Intoxicating Power

Bernard’s acceptance of her marks a shift in power and status for Nina. For a brief period, Nina can relax and have fun among the same men who a day earlier desired her for only her body. She’s taught to hunt, rewarded for her efforts, and protected from unwanted sexual advances. Nina becomes the scrappy little sister that can hang with the best of them.

How intoxicating this must be for a woman who was objectified at every turn. Before this strange holiday, her life was decided by her pimp Joe. Joe would likely be on the lookout for her now. Unlike her new male friends, Nina will return to a life of uncertainty. But with these men in the cabin, she enjoys some rare moments of pure leisure.  Perhaps Nina embraces her role as “one of the boys” not only because it was required of her, but maybe also because it is a relief.

Crushing the Rose Colored Glasses

As marginalized as a female sex worker like Nina may be, her situation has more advantages than Doudos’. As a black immigrant, most likely forced to sell drugs for a living, Doudos is unable to fit in like Nina. He doesn’t speak French or English and arrives looking unsettled. While his drugs are well-received, he is visibly anxious about the situation. The men try to engage him the same way they engage Nina, but Doudos never truly relaxes. He too comes from a haunted past, and he is not sure of his footing amongst these men.

The fall-out from the accident that follows breaks an unspoken boundary in the group. Will Nina’s new “friends” choose to keep their convenient and privileged lives? Will they reduce the value of human life to that of a dog’s, as depicted in an elegant parallel? Nina must also choose. Will she protect, or betray her recently acquired acceptance?

Oh, the hypocrisy!

The movie tackles quite a bit of irony found in the societal agreements made to benefit men and their wants. The night before she came to them in need, the men in the cabin were her customers. Surely, they appreciated her feminine attributes as she and her colleagues danced for them. And yet, when she comes back to them, desperate for a place to stay, they insist she act like a man. Heaven forbid the men might have their fun holiday marred by a woman. Not a bit does it bother them that she has no other options. They never bother to ask. They simply sense their advantage and press it to have their fun boy’s getaway.

And even when Nina turns the rules of their own game against them as things get serious, can she win? It’s all fun and games to have her as a drinking buddy, but isn’t it still an exercise in folly? Nina is reminded, once again that in this man’s world, she has very little choices.

Style and storytelling

Hunting Daze opens with haunting sounds of nature and a shot of Nina coming into focus. She is leaning against a cliff wall, fully made up and dressed for work. The cliff runs alongside the road where their car ran out of gas. Once she comes into focus, the movie bursts into life with Ricci’s performance. From then on, tension is ever present, halting only for some time in the second act, when Nina parties with the group.  But even those moments of peace are interrupted by an effective dream sequence, symbolic of Nina’s predicament.

Perhaps more of the story could have been told using the group dynamics. Bernard is the wise and dominant leader and takes up most of the dialogue and screentime from the men. Kev, played by Frédéric Milliare-Zouvi, is the pushover gopher. Phillippe, played by Marc Beaupré, owns Mack the dog and is a veterinarian. LP, performed by Alexandre Landry is the emotional groom-to-be.  And Claude, played by Maxime Genois, is the leering frat boy type, who lusts after Nina.

Individually, they seem like average nice guys. Most likely it’s how each of them perceive themselves. However, each man represents a different type of toxic masculinity. Bernard is a control freak. Kev is a spineless weasel. LP hates having his romantic delusions spoiled. Phillippe loves his manly things. And Claude would love to continue to objectify Nina. It’s not overplayed, which makes this point more effective. This is how it is in real life. Many toxic people don’t realize they’re toxic because of standing social contracts. Boys will be boys, as the example. This movie reminds us that even boys being boys must be held accountable.

In Conclusion

Dark, powerful, and relevant, Hunting Daze is an excellent film. The tension is thick enough to cut with a drop-point blade and the story is compelling. It brings fresh and sharp energy to themes that feel overplayed in other films. Perhaps not the best date night movie, but a fabulous choice if you want a thought-provoking, gritty thriller as entertainment.

Read more about our SXSW Coverage here!

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