Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend

This adrenaline-charged biopic chronicles the career of one of Canada’s foremost athletes. Directed by Yan Lanouette Turgeon (Rock Paper Scissors) and written by Daniel Roby (TIFF ’04’s White Skin) and Guillaume Lonergan (also at this year’s Festival with Alice), Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend stars Rémi Goulet as the kid from Quebec who changed the way Formula One was done.

Born to a piano tuner in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Gilles Villeneuve (Goulet) came from a humble background, but his passion for speed and precision was evident from a young age. He started out snowmobile racing before entering drag-racing events with his modified 1967 Mustang. 

In 1970 he marries Joann (Rosalie Bonenfant), with whom he will go on to have two children, but Gilles is not one to settle down. While the upper echelons of competitive racing seem elusive, the exclusive domain of the elite, Gilles persists. He finally makes his Formula One debut at the 1977 British Grand Prix, where he impresses famed entrepreneur and driver Enzo Ferrari (Frank Crudele, TIFF ’04’s Saint Ralph, who helps Gilles take the fast track to his dreams.

In his too-short life, Villeneuve achieved a dizzying roster of triumphs: six wins, two pole positions, eight fastest laps, and 13 podiums in Formula One. The Rise of a Legend shows us what he overcame to get  there, through a fusion of rare talent, extreme discipline, the support of his loved ones, and a devil-may-care attitude that left others in the dust. 

Content advisory: accident trauma, mature themes