This is a LOVE story of two lesbian ex-convicts Victoria (Pierrette Robitaille) is recently out of prisons and goes back to her small rural Quebec home in the poor wild forest area to stay with her dumb but not yet deaf uncle's at his cottage. The bossy probation officer Guillaume (Marc-Andre Grondin) often visits her to check on how she is coping with her new life. Soon after Victoria is joined by her ex-convict lesbian lover Florence (Romane Bohringer) from the same prison. There are layers of mysteries surrounding the pasts of each character which are much evident between the gaps of the narration like; Victoria's past tussle with another local evil woman in the neighborhood that might have landed Victoria in prison holds the main crux. Another past story that is attraction between Florence and Guillaume (probation officer) Victoria and Florence are domesticated in their mundane LOVE life of making sex and enjoying each other's company by roaming in the nearby forest and spending gay and fun times in a golf course car. With probation officer Guillaume coming to spend more time to inspect how these two ex-convicts are doing - Victoria suspects something going on between Florence and Guillaume - and thus feels jealous and fears losing her LOVE Florence to Guillaume. In the pre-ultimate scene - while sitting at a lake inside the deep forest - Victoria emotionally shares her fears, but Florence re-assures her unconditional LOVE for Victoria. That's when the unexpected tragedy strikes - when that evil woman of Victoria's past seeks revenge on these two love-birds. (That's where the title is derived from) The ending is so tragic that this movie feels like a fable LOVE story like Romeo - Zuliet and Layla-Majnun Despite that the movie leaves a warm feel because as Angels the two LOVERz are shown roaming hand in hand after death in the same forest - Their Garden of Eden..! The location setting of rural Quebec is shot amazingly. The casting of each character is perfect. The cinematography is magical. The quirks of each character are poignantly engaging and intriguing. The Writer - Director Denis Cote who loves to make unusual out-of-the-run movies on the fringe topics on outlandish rural societies has maintained a tight grip on the narrative. Both the main lead characters Pierrette and Romane have played their role as aging lesbian LOVERz beautifully The ending is very sad and heart-breaking and gives the movie and audiences its final punch for the story to remain alive in our consciousness forever. Apart from winning best ACTRESS, best director, and best movie award - the movie has been nominated in several categories including screenplay, writing and supporting actress. Such LOVE Stories are evergreen and priceless because they connect beyond human made boundaries like age and gender stereotypical cliche narratives. I would go with 7.25 out of 10 for this movie.

Watching a lot of independent films like this during the "free for the coronavirus Hollywood Suite channel". I liked the rugged backwoods Quebec backdrop and the interaction between characters. When things seem a little bit off to you as you watch, then they probably are. The plot twists slowly. Neatest obscure closing song of a movie (for me) since Before Sunrise. Marie Pöör, "Pretty Day".

My two favourite Denis Côté films are CARCASSES and JOY OF MAN'S DESIRING. By a solid margin. They represent the hybrid strain in his work and stand, I guess, peripheral to the more standard art house narrative features, most of which are very strong but fundamentally slight. VIC + FLO probably needs to be granted special status as exemplar by virtue of its being the ultimate eccentric marginal bedraggled folktale.

I saw this film at the Berlinale 2013, where is was part of the official Competition. The story line is an achievement in itself, because of mixing an intriguing story together with intriguing characters. Throwing in a parole officer who pops up every now and then, plus some people out of the past with an ax to grind, plus a remote cottage far away from everyone, all this combined creates a setting for an interesting story. All the time it keeps you wondering what will happen next, with hidden agenda's all around. Even a friendly woman who offers to help with the garden, cannot be trusted, so it seems. It is next to impossible condensing the story here in a few sentences. Moreover, I think it is counter productive to reveal too much of what is going to happen. Lean back and wait for several surprises. (*** warning *** spoiler ahead***) Pity that it ended so miserably for the two main characters. After the Berlinale festival I learned that this film received the Alfred Bauer Prize (Silver Bear), (start quote) "awarded in memory of the Festival Founder, for a feature film that opens new perspectives" (end quote). I'm not sure I concur, due to my failure to feel with either one of the characters involved. This may be my fault, of course, but it gets in the way of recommending this film without any hesitation. Still, a remarkable piece of work, augmented with great casting and acting all along.

(spoilers) Director and writer Denis Cote of "Vic + Flo saw a Bear" has come up with an interesting set of characters and predicaments. His movie is at once quirky but foreboding. The ending certainly doesn't creep up on you, and seems sort of mal-formed for the tone of the story earlier in the runtime. Convicts must pay for their past, and they do so in more ways than time in prison as evidenced in this story. I liked the younger character Flo, who has a better understanding of her predicament than Vic. Some added details might've been a little more satisfying with the whole vendetta, but this movie is good, especially as it continues on and acting is fairly well done on the whole. 7/10

Watched this movie at the 15th Mumbai Film Festival and it was a totally unexpected treat. I thought it would be a mushy lesbian movie, instead, it turned to be a stark, violent film about ex-cons. The look of the film is superb, set as it is in the rural backwaters of Quebec. The forest, the tin house, the narrow roads, the soft autumn light, even the brief glimpse of a town when the three main actors go to a diner after a tour of the local museum. The casting is perfect, with each of the actors looking the part, including the bad girl who looks so very evil in the end. The films at first lulls you into thinking its a staid drama (with the two leading ladies roaming the rural roads on a golf-cart like vehicle), but then it turns grim and rather scary. I liked the "bossy" parole officer (didn't realize he was gay until Flo said so!) who turns out to be all sentimental in the end.

It's captivating if you let it, as another reviewer stated here. It's very strange that even though you feel that the movie goes off a couple of times (you could also call it being inconsistent and off-balance), there is a weird enticing element to it. And it's not the fact that we have lesbians in the main role. There is another level to the movie, that is a layer of mystery, that might leave you with a few questions you might not be able to answer. But you'll either cherish that thought or think that it is redundant. If it's the former you will be able to enjoy the movie to a certain degree. The relationships between characters is very important. But the ending is really not holding back either ... You'll love it or hate it

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Trailer—Vic + Flo Saw a Bear