La Frontière

La Frontière is a poetic documentary portrait of Northern Maine’s border with Canada.

2024

36 mins

Synopsis

La Frontière is a poetic documentary portrait of Northern Maine’s borderlands. Through interviews, vérité moments and scenic landscapes, this 35-minute film takes viewers on an exploration of the history and culture of the six-hundred and eleven mile-long border between Maine and its northern neighbors Quebec and New Brunswick.

The film features stories from Wabanaki and Acadian communities, farmers, people who used to work and live at Loring Air Force Base, young women competing in the annual Potato Blossom Festival, and many others. It is a story of connection, resilience, and the subtle yet profound impact of borders on both individuals and communities.

Director Commentary

As filmmakers, we wanted to reflect on and reframe a discussion of borders and border policy in America by looking at our larger, and often less considered, border with Canada. We explore the history of the northern border of Maine--from before it was formed, to the way it increasingly can be a barrier, dividing families and communities. We focus on the specific stories of people living on and around the border, while invariably speaking to universal themes and impacts of policy, and asking viewers to reflect on how America considers all of its border communities.