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Of Whales, the Moon, and Men

Name: Of Whales, the Moon, and Men
Director: Pierre Perrault, Michel Brault, Marcel Carrière
Released: 1963
Duration: 106 min

Representation Score

1.8/10

Minimal

1963

Director

Pierre Perrault, Michel Brault, Marcel Carrière

Runtime

106 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

This documentary is a foundational work of cinéma vérité that prioritizes ethnographic realism over social representation. It captures the lived experiences of the Île-aux-Coudres community, focusing on the revival of ancestral fishing traditions. The film's structure is built upon the preservation of existing social hierarchies. Because it aims to document a specific historical moment in 1963, it reflects the era's traditional gender roles and cultural homogeneity. While it lacks modern diversity metrics, the work provides immense value in preserving oral histories and regional Quebecois identity through an observational lens.

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Category Breakdown

Does Of Whales, the Moon, and Men have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses on the socio-economic and labor realities of a mid-century maritime community. There are no documented LGBTQ+ characters or narratives addressing non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth identities.

How does Of Whales, the Moon, and Men portray gender?

Limited

The film highlights the traditional gender roles where men are engaged in seafaring and fishing, while women are depicted in domestic settings. This reinforces the gender hierarchies of 1960s Quebec.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Of Whales, the Moon, and Men?

Fair

The community is culturally homogeneous, lacking modern racial diversity. However, it offers deep ethnographic insight into a specific Quebecois regional identity and local dialect.

How does Of Whales, the Moon, and Men represent religion and culture?

Fair

The documentary portrays traditional social structures and communal labor as a cohesive process. It focuses on cultural preservation rather than offering a systemic critique of institutions.

Does Of Whales, the Moon, and Men include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no specific depictions of visible or invisible disabilities that drive the narrative or serve as central character arcs.

Present on Screen

Provides deep ethnographic insight into a specific regional Quebecois identity.
Preserves local dialects and unique cultural traditions through oral history.
Offers an authentic look at mid-century maritime communal labor and social structures.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth gender expressions.
Reinforces traditional gender hierarchies by centering men's control over the story in labor.
Presents a culturally homogeneous community without racial diversity.

Official Synopsis

At the instigation of the filmmakers, the young men of the Ile-aux-Coudres in the middle of the St-Lawrence River try as a memorial to their ancestors to revive the fishing of the belugas interrupted in 1924.

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