Blood Lines (2025)★ 5.7/10
- Drama
- Romance
Directed by: Gail Maurice
Written by: Gail Maurice
An estranged Métis mother and daughter struggle to overcome their differences but their world comes crashing down when an alluring woman enters their lives.
Cast & crew
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Reviews
M
maeb22October 5, 2025
maeb22October 5, 2025VIFF 25 #5 (Oct 4)
Really gorgeous. I kind of regret not asking during the q+a about the decision to use anamorphic lenses with such a dramatic effect. The three pieces of media that come to mind that use such a strong anamorphic distortion are Poor Things, Dead Boy Detectives, and Shogun (the last of which I haven’t seen). At least for the first two, the lens effect adds a certain sense of fantasy and separation from reality. This doesn’t really have that vibe, and while I enjoyed the look, it left me wondering why it was chosen. Alas, I don’t think I could have worded a question about it in a way that made sense and didn’t sound critical, so it’s probably for the best that I didn’t ask anything.
Anyway, I really liked this, and the parts I didn’t like as much turned into something I appreciated after the q+a. This included the “twist” that initially felt like it was taking such a refreshing lesbian story (in which the conflict is never about being queer!) and throwing it back into tropes territory. But hearing Gail Maurice talk about the story behind this, and how much of her was put into this movie, all my concerns kind of flew away.
Also, it felt very special to be watching a movie with a very significant portion spoken in Michif.
(More casting directors in q+as!! It was so interesting to hear about the process!)
Really gorgeous. I kind of regret not asking during the q+a about the decision to use anamorphic lenses with such a dramatic effect. The three pieces of media that come to mind that use such a strong anamorphic distortion are Poor Things, Dead Boy Detectives, and Shogun (the last of which I haven’t seen). At least for the first two, the lens effect adds a certain sense of fantasy and separation from reality. This doesn’t really have that vibe, and while I enjoyed the look, it left me wondering why it was chosen. Alas, I don’t think I could have worded a question about it in a way that made sense and didn’t sound critical, so it’s probably for the best that I didn’t ask anything.
Anyway, I really liked this, and the parts I didn’t like as much turned into something I appreciated after the q+a. This included the “twist” that initially felt like it was taking such a refreshing lesbian story (in which the conflict is never about being queer!) and throwing it back into tropes territory. But hearing Gail Maurice talk about the story behind this, and how much of her was put into this movie, all my concerns kind of flew away.
Also, it felt very special to be watching a movie with a very significant portion spoken in Michif.
(More casting directors in q+as!! It was so interesting to hear about the process!)
