{{Short description|2023 film by Pascal Plante}} {{For|the web series|Red Rooms (web series)}} {{Infobox film | name = Red Rooms | image = Red Room movie poster.jpg | native_name = {{infobox name module|fr|Les chambres rouges}} | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Pascal Plante | writer = Pascal Plante | producer = Dominique Dussault | starring = {{plainlist|<!--Per poster billing--> * Juliette Gariépy * Laurie Babin * Elisabeth Locas * Maxwell McCabe-Lokos * Natalie Tannous * Pierre Chagnon * Guy Thauvette }} | cinematography = Vincent Biron | editing = Jonah Malak | music = Dominique Plante | studio = Nemesis Films | distributor = Entract Films | released = {{Film date|2023|07|4|KVIFF|2023|8|11|Canada}} | runtime = 118 minutes<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 14, 2024|title=''Red Rooms'' (18) |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/red-rooms-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdizmtmx|access-date=August 15, 2024 |publisher=British Board of Film Classification}}</ref> | country = Canada | language = {{Plainlist| * French * English }} | budget = | gross = $145,362<ref name="BOM">{{Cite Box Office Mojo|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt22207786/|title=Red Rooms|access-date=November 6, 2024}}</ref> }}
'''''Red Rooms''''' ({{langx|fr|Les chambres rouges}}) is a 2023 Canadian crime drama<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/red-rooms-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdizmtmx |title=Red Rooms |website=bbfc.co.uk |access-date=October 23, 2025 }}</ref> film written and directed by Pascal Plante.<ref>Tim Dams, [https://www.screendaily.com/news/red-rooms-first-trailer-for-pascal-plantes-karlovy-vary-competition-thriller-exclusive/5182666.article "'Red Rooms': first trailer for Pascal Plante's Karlovy Vary competition thriller"]. ''Screen Daily'', May 30, 2023.</ref> The film stars Juliette Gariépy, Laurie Babin, Elisabeth Locas, Maxwell McCabe-Lokos, Natalie Tannous, Pierre Chagnon, and Guy Thauvette. The film's production was first announced in November 2022.<ref>Pierre-Marc Durivage, [https://www.lapresse.ca/cinema/2022-11-09/juliette-gariepy-et-laurie-babin-dans-les-chambres-rouges.php "Juliette Gariépy et Laurie Babin dans Les chambres rouges"]. ''La Presse'', November 9, 2022.</ref>
''Red Rooms'' premiered at the 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on July 4, 2023,<ref>Bruno Lapointe, [https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2023/06/08/les-chambres-rouges-de-pascal-plante-en-ouverture-du-festival-fantasia "«Les chambres rouges» de Pascal Plante en ouverture du festival Fantasia"]. ''Le Journal de Montréal'', June 8, 2023.</ref> and had its Canadian premiere as the opening film of the 2023 Fantasia Film Festival.<ref>Zac Ntim, [https://deadline.com/2023/06/pascal-plante-red-rooms-fantasia-festival-1235411668/ "Pascal Plante's 'Red Rooms' And Nicolas Cage Pic 'Sympathy For The Devil' Among Titles Set For Fantasia Festival"]. ''Deadline Hollywood'', June 8, 2023.</ref> It was released theatrically in Canada on August 11, 2023, to positive reviews from critics.
==Plot==
In Montreal, fashion model Kelly-Anne attends the trial of Ludovic Chevalier, accused of broadcasting his murder of three teenage girls in a "Red Room", a chat room on the dark web where people pay to watch snuff films. The case has become a media circus and attracted the attention of both the press and "fans" of Chevalier, some of whom believe he is being framed due to his reticent demeanor. Despite the FBI's submission of two snuff films to the Canadian authorities, doubt is cast over the killer's identity due to their use of a balaclava while filming them.
Kelly-Anne bonds with a neurotic "fan" of Chevalier's, Clementine, a younger woman who has hitchhiked to Montreal to attend the trial. Having grown close due to their mutual fascination with the case, Kelly-Anne invites Clementine to live with her for the duration of the trial. While Clementine passionately defends Chevalier in conversation, Kelly-Anne remains distant and taciturn.
Kelly-Anne reveals that the majority of her income comes from online gambling. She further reveals a proficiency in computer technology, having programmed her own AI which she has named Guinevere. Unbeknownst to Clementine, Kelly-Anne has begun cyber-stalking Francine Beaulieu, the mother of Camille, Chevalier's youngest victim and the only girl whose snuff video has never been found.
On the day that two of Chevalier's snuff films are to be played in court, the public gallery is forced to leave. An upset Clementine expresses disappointment that she will not be able to see the films, believing they will prove Chevalier's innocence. Kelly-Anne reveals she has already obtained and watched the films via the dark web, and that they contain proof Chevalier is the killer. Kelly-Anne and Clementine return to the former's apartment, where they watch the videos together. Kelly-Anne points out the masked killer has Chevalier's distinct blue eyes and unusual gait. Clementine begins weeping at the brutality of the videos; visibly disturbed, she decides to skip the rest of the trial and buys a bus ticket home. As she leaves, Clementine asks Kelly-Anne why she is so fascinated with the case; the latter cannot reply.
On Chevalier's birthday, Kelly-Anne attends court wearing a wig, colored contact lenses, and the uniform Camille was murdered in to resemble the girl. Kelly-Anne is forcibly ejected from the courtroom; as she leaves, the normally rigid Chevalier waves and makes eye contact with her. That night, Kelly-Anne's modeling agency fires her for the stunt.
Kelly-Anne makes contact with a dark web hacker, who has obtained Camille's snuff video and is planning to auction it. After proving her identity and ability to bid, Kelly-Anne is welcomed into the auction. Though the bidding initially rises above what she can pay, Kelly-Anne wins a last-minute hand of poker and uses the proceeds to win the snuff film. Suspicious that her activities have been monitored via Guinevere, Kelly-Anne destroys the AI in her blender and watches the film. That night, Kelly-Anne breaks into the Beaulieus' home. After posing for selfies in Camille's room while wearing her schoolgirl uniform, Kelly-Anne leaves a flash drive containing the snuff film in Francine's bedroom.
Some time later, a news broadcast reveals that Francine turned the flash drive over to the police. Camille's snuff film contains irrefutable proof that Chevalier is the murderer; he subsequently changes his plea to guilty. Back home, Clementine gives an interview to a journalist in which she describes herself as an "ex-groupie" and expresses regret for having supported Chevalier, saying she can now only think about his victims.
==Cast== * Juliette Gariépy as Kelly-Anne * Laurie Babin as Clémentine * Elisabeth Locas as Francine Beaulieu * Natalie Tannous as ''Maître'' Yasmine Chedid * Pierre Chagnon as ''Maître'' Richard Fortin * Guy Thauvette as Judge Marcel Godbout * Maxwell McCabe-Lokos as Ludovic Chevalier
==Production== Principal photography took place in Montreal in 2022 over 23 days.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lattanzio |first=Ryan |url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/red-rooms-explained-pascal-plante-2024-best-serial-killer-movie-1235053617/ |title='Red Rooms' Director Pascal Plante 'Got a Bit Sadistic' While Making the Year's Best Serial Killer Movie |website=IndieWire |date=October 4, 2024 |access-date=November 6, 2024}}</ref>
==Reception== ===Critical response=== {{Rotten Tomatoes prose|96|8.1|78|Anchored by Juliette Gariépy's superb portrayal of self-destructive obsession, ''Red Rooms'' is a haunting and timely trip down a particularly morbid rabbit hole.|ref=yes|access-date=December 28, 2024}} {{Metacritic film prose|81|15|ref=yes|access-date=November 6, 2024}}
===Accolades=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |- ! scope="col"| Award ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Category ! scope="col"| Recipient(s) ! scope="col"| Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{Refh}} |- !scope="row"|Karlovy Vary Film festival |2023 |Crystal Globe Competition |''Red Rooms'' |{{nom}} |<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=July 2023 |title=Red Rooms / Les chambres rouges |url=https://www.kviff.com/en/programme/film/63/40082-red-rooms |website=kviff.com}}</ref> |- !scope="row" rowspan=4|Fantasia Film Festival |rowspan=4|2023 |Best Film |rowspan=2|Pascal Plante |{{won}} |rowspan=4|<ref>Erik Pedersen, [https://deadline.com/2023/07/fantasia-film-festival-awards-2023-winners-list-1235451136/ "Fantasia Film Festival Awards: 'Red Rooms' Takes Best Feature & Two Others; 'Femme' A Double Winner – Full List"]. ''Deadline Hollywood'', July 30, 2023.</ref> |- |Best Screenplay |{{won}} |- |Best Performance |Juliette Gariépy |{{won}} |- |Best Score |Dominique Plante |{{won}} |- !scope="row" rowspan=13|Prix Iris |rowspan=13|December 10, 2023 |Best Film |Dominique Dussault |{{nom}} |rowspan=13|<ref>[https://ctvm.info/quebec-cinema-devoile-les-finalistes-aux-prix-iris-2023/ "Québec Cinéma dévoile les finalistes aux PRIX IRIS 2023"]. ''CTVM'', November 14, 2023.</ref> |- |Best Director |Pascal Plante |{{nom}} |- |Best Supporting Actress |Laurie Babin |{{won}} |- |Revelation of the Year |Juliette Gariépy |{{won}} |- |Best Screenplay |Pascal Plante |{{nom}} |- |Best Art Direction |Laura Nhem |{{nom}} |- |Best Cinematography |Vincent Biron |{{nom}} |- |Best Editing |Jonah Malak |{{nom}} |- |Best Original Music |Dominique Plante |{{nom}} |- |Best Sound |Olivier Calvert, Stéphane Bergeron, Martyne Morin |{{nom}} |- |Best Hairstyling |Nermin Grbic |{{nom}} |- |Best Makeup |Marie Salvado |{{nom}} |- |Best Casting |Marilou Richer |{{nom}} |- !scope="row"| Prix collégial du cinéma québécois | 2024 | Best Film | rowspan=2| Pascal Plante | {{won}} | <ref name=lemay>Marie-France-Lou Lemay, [https://www.lapresse.ca/cinema/2024-04-06/prix-collegial-du-cinema-quebecois/les-films-les-chambres-rouges-et-madeleine-recompenses.php "Les films Les chambres rouges et Madeleine récompensés"]. ''La Presse'', April 6, 2024.</ref> |- !scope="row"| Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois | 2024 | Prix Luc-Perreault | {{won}} | <ref>Charles-Henri Ramond, [https://www.filmsquebec.com/les-chambres-rouges-prime-par-laqcc/ "Les chambres rouges primé par l'AQCC"]. ''Films du Québec'', March 4, 2024.</ref> |- !scope="row"| Chicago Film Critics Association | December 11, 2024 | Best Foreign Language Film | ''Red Rooms'' | {{nom}} | <ref>{{Cite web |last=Tallerico |first=Brian |date=December 10, 2024 |title="The Brutalist" Leads Chicago Film Critics Association Nominees |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/the-brutalist-leads-chicago-film-critics-association-nominees |access-date=December 10, 2024 |website=RogerEbert.com}}</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title}}
Category:2023 films Category:2023 psychological thriller films Category:2023 Canadian films Category:2023 French-language films Category:Canadian psychological thriller films Category:Courtroom films Category:Dark web Category:Films about computer hacking Category:Films about cryptocurrencies Category:Films about the Internet Category:Films about snuff films Category:Films directed by Pascal Plante Category:Films set in Montreal Category:Films shot in Montreal Category:French-language Canadian films Category:French-language thriller films Category:Techno-thriller films