A captivating and immersive short, Invincible, written and directed by Vincent René-Lortie, explores the last few days of a French-Canadian boy, Marc-Antoine Bernier (Léokim Beaumier-Lépine). The troubled kid is spending a few years in a juvenile detention center, or as they’re better known in Quebec, a Youth Centre.
Marc was out on furlough for a great weekend with his family. But now he is thrust back into the insensitive and uncaring hands of a system that has deemed him a bad child who needs his behavior corrected. Of course, the Youth Centre lacks the means to actually help. Instead, the superintendent of the facility, Luc (Ralph Prosper), simply demands Marc prove to him he needs to be released by doing precisely the sorts of things Luc approves of.
“…thrust back into the insensitive and uncaring hands of a system that has deemed him a bad child…”
As this is the last few days of Marc’s life, I’m fairly confident in saying we all know where such a stand-off is heading. It’s effectively projected over the course of a half-hour. Invincible is quite clear at placing us in Marc’s proverbial shoes. Here is a kid who wants to return to his family, and thanks to a momentary lapse of reason on his part, is restrained by the state in a badly run and falling apart Youth Centre.
René-Lortie has chosen to tell his story in a visually lyrical style. The crisp mid-range shots and close-ups on Marc really allow us full access to the young man’s state of mind. This is a very naturalistic telling, and the use of colors is sumptuous.
Invincible is a heartfelt and compelling look at a kid who made a terrible mistake and is paying for it more than he should. It tugs compellingly at your heartstrings. If you’re looking for a great short film, this is worth considering.
"…heartfelt and compelling..."
