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Shuswap Film Society hosts The Rest of Us at the Salmar Classic

Cinemaphile by Joanne Sargent
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Heather Graham and Sophie Nélisse play mother and daughter Cami and Aster in The Rest of Us, scheduled to play the Salmar Classic on Saturday, Sept. 19. (Contributed)

Our first Film Society movie was so popular that we had to turn people away because of the 50-person COVID-19 limit.

We apologize for any inconvenience, but because of the rules, we cannot guarantee a seat for everyone who tries to attend. We can only encourage you to get there early.

This week we bring you an excellent Canadian film, The Rest of Us, a story about two mothers and two daughters having to come to terms with the death of a man who connects them in a complicated way.

Cami, a divorcee and successful children’s book author lives in a large house outside Toronto with her daughter Aster. Her ex-husband, Craig, left them a decade ago for his younger mistress, Rachel, and started a new family. When Craig dies suddenly, Cami finds herself in an awkward position: attending the funeral of a man she once loved, in a home they once shared, hosted by the woman who took her place.

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When Cami learns that Craig has left his new family with a mountain of debt, she makes the magnanimous gesture of inviting them to stay at her home. Rachel and her daughter Tallulah move in, creating a predictably uncomfortable situation – the half-sisters are basically strangers and the women former enemies. Together under one roof, Cami and Rachel and their daughters are forced to deal with their feelings about Craig and each other, and process their resentment, grief and anger. As the strange arrangement proceeds, compassion and an unexpected bond develop between the two families.

Well-directed and well-acted, The Rest of Us packs a lot of emotional complexity into a small package, tackling themes of betrayal, guilt, shame and especially grief, with both comedy and drama. It’s a quiet tribute to women who pick up the pieces after a tragedy.

The Rest of Us plays at 4 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Salmar Classic. Please bring a mask.

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