Coasters: a different lifestyle

In the documentary, ‘’Les Coasters’’, Nicolas-Alexandre Tremblay and Stéphane Trottier shine a light on three communities of the Lower-North-Shore; one English, one French and one Innu. They expose to the public their struggles, and their fights to maintain their traditions, to preserve their towns as they know, and to prevent them from closing down.

Presented to the public for the first time on Tuesday, November 13th, 2018, this project was started when one of the producers visited the Coast and fell in love with it.

‘’It was our film director who started all of this. He came to the Lower-North-Shore and felt this buzz. It’s a completely different world!’’ stated Stephane Trottier and Nicolas-Alexandre Tremblay, at the assembly.

The documentary is separated between a few ‘’main characters,’’ each presenting a  different point of view on the main battles Coasters face, or have to face year after year. The Monger family showcase how it is to live in a village that is slowly dying, but how so many refuse to leave, not wanting to part with their culture and ways of life fade. The film also features the Martin family from a student’s point of view, leaving his village to pursue his studies. For many of these students, the question ‘’Will I go back home?’’ is one that requires serious thought.

From another point of view, we see Jeremy Cox, opposing the belief that students do not come back after their studies, as he explains how coming back to work as a fisherman was the best decision he ever made. This movie also presents the moving story of an Innu Nation that was moved from their home land, explained by Beaudoin Lalo, an Innu tourism development agent. Dieudonné Uzubahimana, who originated from Africa, also has a part for himself, exposing to others how he built himself a new life in La Romaine, and how he has found himself a place as a part of the community.

All of these people represent the characteristic of the Coasters; proud, solidary, but most of all, anchored to their homes; their land, The Coast. They show to all that there is no moving them; that the Coast is their home, and will remain their home forever.

‘’We researched the place and noticed that there wasn’t really any information and very little pictures.’’ This is the reason why the directors decided to dig deeper, and explore the special place that is the Coast.

My first reaction when seeing this documentary was “Hey! That’s us!” People know so little about us. Rare are the people who are this interested in us, or even enough to star us in a movie. They were devoted, and achieved their goal of showing us to the public as we truly are: warriors, rooted in this land we call home, ready against everything to defend it. When seeing this movie, I recognized some of the problems I will have to face later, for myself. Some of my fears, like leaving everything I have known for a part of my life. This is our reality. This is what the producers present to the public.

They even saved a bit of time for our love of hockey and our carnivals! This showed a different aspect of us, our wild side, and our fun side. These are a period in the winter months when everyone from each and every village come together as one big family. The directors were able to pass this message through a screen in a heartwarming way.

The Coasters is a documentary that will give the population of the city a new perspective, showing them a small stretch of land isolated from civilization. The Lower North Shore. Our beautiful, little piece of heaven.

Savanah Perron, secondary 3 and Arianne Marcoux, secondary 4,
École Netagamiou School, Chevery