The NFB is committed to respecting your privacy

We use cookies to ensure that our site works efficiently, as well as for advertising purposes.

If you do not wish to have your information used in this way, you can modify your browser settings before continuing your visit.

Learn more
Skip to content
My List
Your request could not be processed.
This film is already in your list
New release
Coming 
None

Absences

2013 1 h 14 min
Leaving soon

The film was inspired by Laganière’s own personal story, of the inevitable estrangement of her mother, whose memory is slowly being consumed by Alzheimer’s disease. This “anticipated separation” serves as a bridge to the film’s other subjects as they pursue their own personal quests: Ines, an immigrant who returns to her country of birth, Croatia, to find the mother who abandoned her; Deni, an American author who is finally able to search for his Quebec roots; and Nathalie, who is desperately looking for her missing sister. Through their stories, Absences explores the deepest regions of the psyche, where our sense …

We're sorry, this content is not available in your location.
Your rental expires on
None
You've already purchased this film.
Download it from My purchases.
Not available
Share
Absences

Details

The film was inspired by Laganière’s own personal story, of the inevitable estrangement of her mother, whose memory is slowly being consumed by Alzheimer’s disease. This “anticipated separation” serves as a bridge to the film’s other subjects as they pursue their own personal quests: Ines, an immigrant who returns to her country of birth, Croatia, to find the mother who abandoned her; Deni, an American author who is finally able to search for his Quebec roots; and Nathalie, who is desperately looking for her missing sister. Through their stories, Absences explores the deepest regions of the psyche, where our sense of loss and resiliency co-exist.
  • participation
    Colette Sauvageau
    Deni Yvan Béchard
    Nathalie Bergeron
    Ines Hajrovic
    Yvonne Duguay
    Marcel Dumesnil
    Zekija Hajrovic
    Robert Hendricks
    Laurette Sauvageau
  • script
    Carole Laganière
  • direction
    Carole Laganière
  • camera
    Dominic Dorval
  • editing
    Aube Foglia
  • location sound
    Richard Lavoie
    Mélanie Gauthier
    Louis Léger
  • original music
    Luc Sicard
  • research
    Myriam Berthelet
  • additional camera
    Carole Laganière
    François Vincelette
  • still photographer
    Dominic Dorval
  • production assistant
    Perrine Bral
    Olga Maticevic
    Chris Niesing
    Rance Russo
  • sound editing
    Claude Beaugrand
  • dialogue editing
    Francine Poirier
  • translation
    Jelena Popovic
    Vision Globale
  • technical support - editing
    Pierre Dupont
    Isabelle Painchaud
    Patrick Trahan
  • online editing
    Yannick Carrier
  • titles
    Gaspard Gaudreau
  • infographics
    Mélanie Bouchard
  • foley
    Lise Wedlock
  • re-recording
    Serge Boivin
  • musician
    Luc Sicard
    Mélanie Auclair
    Andrew Czerny
  • music recording
    Luc Sicard
    Gaëtan Pilon
    FC Legault
    Carl Bastien
  • music mixing
    Luc Sicard
  • marketing manager
    Tammy Peddle
  • marketing manager - assistance
    Geneviève Bérard
  • administrator
    Johanne Dubuc
    Sia Koukoulas
  • production coordinator
    Hélène Regimbal
  • administrative assistant
    Sophie Dupuis
    Lise Lévesque
  • technical coordinator
    Richard Cliche
  • associate producer
    Mélanie Lasnier
  • producer
    Colette Loumède
  • director general
    Monique Simard

Enjoy the NFB experience on your favourite device. 

Education

Ages 16 to 18
School subjects

Ideal for essays and debates on memory and family history. What parallels is the filmmaker drawing between the various stories in her film? What is the filmmaker saying about memory with the story of her mother’s dementia? Trace the history of your family back three generations. Identify the gaps in this history. Write a story about an imaginary long-lost relative. Tell the story of an absence in your life visually or in writing.

Absences
Purchase options
Already paid to see this film?