Overview

October, 1995. The most important political event in recent Canadian history, the Quebec vote on sovereignty, is about to unfold. During the tense days leading up to the referendum for independence, 23 filmmakers from the NFB's English and French documentary studios take their cameras into the streets and homes of Quebeckers. Culled from 250 hours of footage, Referendum is an emotional portrait of a profoundly divided society. In a collage of powerful moments, the video recaptures the emotions of that time and measures them against today's political agenda. Implicit is the question: What next?

Top Cast

J

Josh Freed

self

C

Charles Taylor

self

M

Matthew Coon Come

self

Bernard Landry

self

Jean Chrétien

archival footage

Jacques Parizeau

archival footage

René Lévesque

archival footage

M

Michael Enright

self

Lucien Bouchard

archival footage

Louise Harel

self

D

Dan Knafou

taxi driver