Borderline is a 2008 Canadian drama film directed by Lyne Charlebois, who co‑wrote the screenplay with Marie‑Sissi Labrèche. The narrative is adapted from Labrèche’s novels Borderline and La Brèche. The film was produced by Roger Frappier and Luc Vandal for Max Films Productions and was distributed by TVA Films. It was released on 8 February 2008, has a running time of 110 minutes, and is presented in French.
Synopsis
The story follows Kiki (portrayed by Isabelle Blais), a graduate student in Montreal who lives with borderline personality disorder. Through a series of flashbacks, the film reveals Kiki’s traumatic upbringing: an absent father, a mother who suffers from severe mental illness and is later institutionalized, and a childhood spent under the care of her grandmother. As an adult, Kiki’s unresolved trauma manifests in self‑destructive behavior, particularly in her use of physical intimacy to avoid emotional connection. Approaching her thirtieth birthday, she confronts the deterioration of her relationships, the impending death of her grandmother, and a fraught affair with her thesis advisor, Tcheky (Jean‑Hugues Anglade). The narrative culminates in Kiki’s struggle to reconcile with herself.
Cast
- Isabelle Blais as Kiki (ages 20 & 30)
- Laurence Carbonneau as Kiki (age 10)
- Jean‑Hugues Anglade as Tcheky
- Angèle Coutu as “Mémé” (grandmother)
- Sylvie Drapeau as Kiki’s mother
- Pierre‑Luc Brillant as Mikael
- Marie‑Chantal Perron as Caroline
- Antoine Bertrand as Eric
- Hubert Proulx as Antoine
- Maxime Le Flaguais as Sébastien
Production
Cinematography was handled by Steve Asselin, editing by Yvann Thibaudeau, and music composed by Benoît Jutras. Isabelle Blais described the filming of a striptease scene as particularly challenging, noting that she had to enter an “unconscious state” to perform it.
Awards and Recognition
The film received several honors, including:
- Genie Award for Adapted Screenplay
- Prix Jutra awards for Best Director (Lyne Charlebois), Best Actress (Isabelle Blais), Best Supporting Actress (Angèle Coutu), and Best Editing
References
- Wikipedia, “Borderline (2008 film)”.
- IndieWire, “‘Necessities of Life’ Leads Genie Nods”, 10 February 2009.
- ScreenDaily, “Passchendaele wins Best Picture at Canada’s Genie Awards”, 5 April 2009.
- Voir.ca, “Jutra 2009: Les Gagnants”, 29 March 2009.