In its portrait of Bernard, the youngest son of the mythical Gaspé patriarch Ernest Guité, the film My Damn Family tells the story of a Gaspé family that is radiant, eccentric and torn by apparently unsolvable conflicts. By honing in on Bernard, the film will capture the life and energy of a simple yet exceptional man who indulged in whatever fancy took him, from vintage cars to trips around the world to the pursuit of women, betraying a family’s dreams and ending up in his final years all alone and penniless, abandoned by family and friends.
The film will paint an incisive picture of a man who was very much of his generation – the 1960s and ‘70s, when the world seemed full of limitless possibility. The viewer will embark on a journey at the very heart of a troubling family saga punctuated by fratricidal conflicts, malicious accusations and a strong feeling of unresolved guilt. It will provide an intimate look into the nature of the dreams of past generations, the decline of a big family, the handing down (or rather, the failure to do so) of traditions and values from one generation to the next, and the dramatic changes in family structure and family ties that in the past were the very bedrock of Quebec society. It will shed light on an issue that has been tormenting my family for generations, leading ideally to the understanding and resolution necessary for life to move forward
My Damn Family