My Internship in Canada

Determined to find an internship in Canada, Haitian political science student Sovereign writes to 100 Members of Parliament. Arriving at the office of the one MP to reply (the entrance is through a lingerie boutique), he meets the well-meaning if clueless ex-hockey-playing MP from the Quebec backwoods, and realizes that the internship is going to go both ways. Director Philippe Falardeau (“Monsieur Lazhar,” TCFF 2012) brings us a breezy French-Canadian political comedy about Steve Guibord, an MP who is saddled with making the tie-breaking vote as to whether Canada will go to war or not, and his intern, who is far more politically savvy than his boss. Blinded by the national spotlight, Guibord decides to crowdsource his decision, and embarks on a Democracy Tour of town hall meetings to hear from the people. His quirky constituents definitely have opinions on the issue, as do his hawkish wife and peace-loving daughter. This feel-good, farcical yet sincere comedy is a balm for this absurdly serious US election year.