Coming-of-age movies are a dime a dozen, at this point practically an entire sub-genre of Sundance-approved indie calling cards. Which is perhaps why Henry Bernadet’s Gamma Rays feels so refreshing — a quiet, remarkably assured drama about youth in present-day Montreal that feels unencumbered by cliche or the demands of a mainstream distributor looking for a sleeper hit. There’s an unaffected naturalism on display here, from the stellar, non-professional cast to the unfussy, straightforward cinematography (credited to a trio of photographers: Natan Foisy, Philippe St-Gelais, and Philémon Crête) that stands in stark contrast to what comes out of Park City these days.
Gamma Rays begins with a trivia contest between two school groups, and from there, the narrative splinters into a series of character studies that follows a diffuse set of teens. Their stories run parallel to each other, occasionally intersecting in both small and large ways. Fatima (Chaimaa Zineddine Elidris) works at a grocery store and is trying to go straight but has a tenuous relationship with a local drug dealer. Her best friend is Naïma (Oceane Garcon-Gravel), who tries her best to support Fatima and help her stay out of trouble. Then there’s Abdel (Yassine Jabrane), a sneakerhead who must welcome his older cousin Omar (Hani Laroum) for an extended visit, while Toussaint (Chris Kanyembuga) is a quiet introvert who has a crush on his trivia teammate Sanna (Amaternur Khan).
The film patiently flits around and follows each character in turn, observing them as they go about their days and hang out with friends, go to parties or work, and argue with their parents. Everyone here is a first- or second-generation immigrant, and the various nationalities on display make up much of the film’s distinct flavor, as well as imbue the proceedings with an undercurrent of racial tensions that occasionally threaten to boil over. In execution, then, Gamma Rays operates as a city symphony of sorts, with Bernadet allowing ample time for digressions and little bits of business that have nothing to do with narrative but add welcome color, little documentary-like asides that all add up to a sort of mosaic. Here the movie might stop cold for a few minutes so a young man can perform a rap, while there is footage of a kid doing parkour over and around various landmarks.
But eventually, Bernadet must allow for some sort of narrative focus to take over, even if one wishes he simply kept up with the casual, anything-goes approach to story. Abdel and Omar have a falling out, which leads to a desperate nighttime search, while Fatima must grapple with the violence she carries around inside herself. Toussaint, meanwhile, makes a penpal, but then drives them away with his insecurities. Thankfully, however, despite the intrusion of overt dramatic incident, Bernard doesn’t force faux epiphanies onto anyone. Gamma Rays ultimately ends as quietly as it began, with people living their lives and trying to make sense of the world around them. What else is there?
Published as part of Slamdance Film Festival 2025 — Dispatch 1.
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