Polytechnique

The film focuses almost exclusively on a straight-centered academic environment. There is no discernible presence of LGBTQ narratives or non-binary gender identities within the main character arcs.

The narrative centers the lived experiences of female students in a male-dominated STEM field. It critiques toxic masculinity by framing traditional male dominance as a source of social dysfunction.

The film portrays a realistic, largely Eurocentric academic population reflective of 1989 Montreal. However, it lacks intentional diversity or complex racial representation.

The story critiques institutional stability by portraying the university as a site of systemic failure. It deconstructs the meritocratic myth by showing how misogyny undermines female scholars.

Mental health is explored through the lens of the perpetrator's psychological instability. There is little representation of neurodivergence or disability outside of this violent context.