The Barbarian Invasions

Rémy, a history professor in his fifties, is hospitalized in Montreal with terminal cancer. His ex-wife Louise contacts their estranged son Sébastien, a businessman based in London, even though father and son have had little to say to each other for years. Sébastien hesitates, then returns, and sets about using his money and connections to make his father's remaining time more bearable, cutting through the health system however he can. He also gathers the circle of relatives, friends and former lovers who once surrounded Rémy, including Pierre, Alain, Dominique, Diane and Claude, so that they can see him again.

Denys Arcand wrote and directed the film, which follows his Stardom (2000) in his filmography and continues the characters he had introduced in The Decline of the American Empire. Rémy Girard leads the cast as Rémy, alongside Stéphane Rousseau as Sébastien, Marie-Josée Croze as Nathalie, Dorothée Berryman as Louise, Louise Portal as Diane Leonard and Dominique Michel as Dominique St. Arnaud. Daniel Louis and Denise Robert produced.

Made for about 8 million dollars, the film took roughly 35 million worldwide, a strong return on its budget. On IMDb it holds a 7 out of 10 from 422 votes, while critics' reviews give it 7.2 out of 10 from 135 reviews, so the two measures sit close together, with critics slightly more favourable.