Before the Streets is a drama film directed by Chloé Leriche. Set among the Atikamekw people, the film stars Rykko Bellemare as Shawnouk, a man undertaking the process of restorative justice after accidentally killing someone.
Shawnouk, a young Atikamekw, commits a crime. After escaping into the forest, he returns to his community, where he tries healing by investing the native traditionalism. "Before the streets" is cast almost entirely by non-professional Atikamekw actors performing in their own language, and in the authenticity of their native village.
BEFORE THE STREETS celebrates a revival of native culture and its traditions, as embodied by the very actors who participated in the film. the first dramatic feature shot in the native language of atikamekw, the film boasts a cast composed almost entirely of non-professionals living and working in the villages where the film was shot. the story takes place in manawan, while a forest fire closes in on the nearby village of wemotaci.
Of Atikamekw First Nations background, unsettled, irresponsible and unemployed Shawnouk, a young man, still lives at home on the Manawan Reserve in Québec with his mother Anita, younger single mother sister Kwena, and Anita's boyfriend Paul-Yves, a police officer with the reserve service. While Shawnouk and Kwena have some issue with Paul-Yves and the way he handles the household, especially as he is not their father, Paul-Yves and his partner in turn have problems with la Sûreté du Québec whenever they are required to come on the reserve in they not understanding indigenous ways. Shawnouk usually hangs out with friends blowing off steam in one way or another, including doing drugs. While he basically has a good heart, he is easily pulled astray, as is the case when Thomas Dugré, someone he doesn't know from off reserve, convinces him to get involved in some B and E's of some country houses on the reserve of wealthy non-indigenous people. Their exploits go horribly awry which leads to Shawnouk going on the run. In investigating what happens, Paul-Yves is the only person who comes to learn of Shawnouk's involvement. At risk to his own standing within the reserve force, Paul-Yves takes steps to help Shawnouk in his redemption through indigenous healing methods.—Huggo
