In keeping with their Sunday tradition, after mass a family flocks to grandma and grandpa’s house, where the chaotic discussion soon begins to resemble a raucous gathering of crows on power lines. The local factory has shut its doors and, naturally, the adults can’t stop fretting about their money woes. On this particular grey Sunday, a young boy drops a coin on some nearby train tracks out of sheer boredom. Picking the coin up after a train has run over it, he discovers to his astonishment that an amazing transformation has taken place... Sunday, Patrick Doyon’s first film, is a magical tale that imparts important lessons about life as seen through the eyes of a child.
Ages 8 to 11
Family Studies/Home Economics - Child Development
Family Studies/Home Economics - Relationships
As a preparatory activity, spark a discussion with the following questions: why do we occasionally feel bored and weary? Why do we sometimes feel alone, even when someone else is there? Are there ways of passing the time without entertainment technologies? Then, ask the students to share their impressions of the film: what is part of the boy’s “reality,” and what is part of his imagination? What does he do to stave off boredom? What roles are played by adults and animals?