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[music playing]
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[muffled conversations]
Hey, hey, how are you doing, gentlemen?
Isn't it a great day to be alive?
Hey, I betcha every day looks good to you,
Roch, with all them beauties.
Baking bread, no less.
Oh, listen, my friend, you come down
with a grader some day, youknow, do a little road work,
this and that.
And I promise you, I'llgive you a fair exchange.
Ask Rod over there, he'll tell you.
You know, he brings a load of gravel.
I supply him labor for his fencing.
I tell ya, bartering, eh?
It's the way of the future.
All good things, organic,very delicious, sir.
Me, I bet you can chargedouble what I ask from you.
You with that bunch livingout in the bush by Church River.
Yeah, yeah, oh, we're workingvery hard to make a paradise.
You should come and visit sometime.
There's nothing funny in the bread, is there?
Funny?
Yeah, you know, dope or something.
Oh, my god, no, never.
So sorry-- sorry, I didn't mean--
ahem.
Sure, hey, I'll take what you've got.
And if they sell, we can work something out
on a regular basis.
Thank you, sir.
Oh, thank you.
STORE CLERK: So when did you bake these?
SUZETTE: At 3 o'clock this morning.
There's two dozens here.
STORE CLERK: 3 o'clock?
Yeah, in the morning.
That's when we wake up to make bread.
STORE CLERK: OK.
SUZETTE: Two dozens, and it's $4 per dozen.
And these bread here are $0.50 each.
They're really, really good.
Thank you very much.
Thank you so much.
STORE CLERK: Morning, Paula,can I get you anything?
PAULA: Just a coffee today, thanks.
[laughter]
One rooster to a hen house, ah.
It's plenty.
I've got a few chickens here and there myself.
We put them in the same house together,
I figure they'd peck me to death in no time.
Yeah, right.
Hey, blue eyes, blueeyes, smoking is very bad.
You know, I used to run theclinic to help people quit.
I had a big success rate.
It's going to kill you.
Well, we're all going to die one day.
No, no, no, no, no, not me.
I'm never going to die.
I just want my kids back, OK.
I know-- I know I'm not good for much,
but I can take care of my own fucking kids.
This is crazy.
Can I bum a smoke?
Yeah.
And Ginger, she's the sweetest baby ever.
Hug me, mom, harder.
Come on.
[gasps]
Fuck off, you fuck off.
Your children will be returned to you
when you stop using drugs.
But I did.
I quit.
I've been rehabbing, 12-stepping, fucked
over a thousand times.
Just give me a chance.
It's not for you to say, Irene.
A blood test once a week for six months.
If you're clean, you get your kids back, simple.
You know, I've to go.
No, no!
No, no, I'm not going without my kids!
Give them back this minute!
No!
No, no!
Let go of me.
I'm not going.
No, I'm not going without my kids.
[screaming]
Let's go outside.
Let me go!
Run! Get out!
Run!
They'll take your kids!
[sobbing]
It's going to be OK.
Suzette, Lise, my colleague Paula Jackson.
Hi.
GAYLE: Paula here is from Children's Aid.
These are the last in a long line of women
from the commune out at Church River
to come in asking for assistance.
I have explained again and againad nauseum that Toronto has
designated them an institution,and thus they are not
eligible for welfare benefits.
Is it because we're French?
Good God, no, it's because you call
yourselves a bloody church.
Madame, winter is coming.
Children need boots, warm clothes, food.
How many kids are there out there now anyway?
SUZETTE: 17 children.
We're nine women and two men.
Well, two men besides Roch.
We have a contingency fund for emergencies.
But it's a one-time only proposition.
We only get involved on an ongoing basis
if you abuse your children.
It's an upside down world all right.
I'm sorry.
Don't worry.
God will provide.
[car doors closing]
[banging]
ROCH: What?
What?
Hey, hey, hey, hey, welcome, my friends.
Welcome, welcome to our humble domain.
Say, Roch, I hope you think--
or you folks don't mind us barging in like this.
We brought up some blanketsand some canned goods, so, uh--
we've got a few bags ofclothing for the children,
snowsuits, some mitts.
You know, winter's coming, eh.
All highly unofficially but, hey, wanted to help
you out however we could.
No, no, no, it's a pleasure.
It's a pleasure.
You know, we're not that foolish that we
would look a gift horse in the mouth, even
an English gift horse.
You know, we were starting tothink that maybe, you know, you
people, you turned your back on us because we're
ignorant French-Canadians.
Oh, that's ridiculous.
Why would you think such a thing?
Where is the check?
[chuckling]
I'm just joking with you, Blue Eyes.
Everybody knows money is shit.
The best things in life are free.
Oh, I want to show you theschool room, nice school room.
Come, come with me.
Tomato, potato, tomatoes, potatoes.
Voila.
See, the schoolhouse is one of the first things
we built. Hey, we may besavages who live in the bush,
but education is very important to us.
And here is Marie-Claude.
Come, come, come.
Marie-Claude has a very, very special
gift for teaching children.
She worked for a long timein a kindergarten in Quebec.
And there is Alinne, [inaudible]..
She's my daughter from Marie-Claude.
Will you show our guests into the house?
- OK. - OK.
Come.
[muffled conversations]
Well, let's eat.
This looks fabulous, quite the feast.
Thank you.
You're welcome, my friend.
Oh, this is my wife, Suzette.
She's been all over the world.
She's a professional nurse, invaluable to us.
Please, please, my darlings,please, please, sit.
Sit, my sweets, come, come.
I want to introduce you properly.
These are my concubines.
What about Alphonse and Danny?
ROCH: Well, Danny is with Jeanette,
and Alphonse over here, he'smarried to Marie-Claude.
But, um, Jeanette and Marie-Claude
are still your concubines?
Well, yes, why not?
You can't get too much love, eh?
[giggling]
We came here to create a newworld, to make it our own.
We work hard, yes, but we work with our hands,
and we create beautiful things.
We love God and, of course,we love one another.
It is a Garden of Eden, notat all an institution, eh.
Marie, Marie, come see Papa.
Come, come here.
I want to show you my babies.
Marie, Marc, Jacques.
Jacques, go get my guitar.
These are my babies.
They are the love of mylife, the eyes of my soul.
Give me that, give me that.
You have any children, Blue Eyes.
No.
You married?
Not anymore.
Oh, how long have you been divorced?
Not long enough.
[chuckling]
Listen to this.
I'm sure you never heard this one before.
[guitar playing]
[non-english singing]
[clapping]
[non-english singing]
What are they trying to say?What is it?
What does it mean?
Guys going off to war.
Uh, both of you are underarrest for attempted singing.
It was really bad.
Oh, look, we went out to the commune today
doing all good works, and Terrywill start singing that song.
Come on, Paula, the guy's pretty good.
I mean, at least he didn't start singing
"Michael Row the Boat Ashore."
He makes my skin crawl.
Oh, she's full of shit.
If half our clients was half as industrious,
we'd have half the workload.
I mean, maybe they've got the answer.
Maybe they will make it a better world, huh?
How come it gives you the creeps?
I don't know.
It's the whole set-up.
It sort of reminds me of the Waltons.
Yeah, that's-- that's creepy, Paula.
Look, the Waltons is TV.
But I see something that playslike TV in real life, it's--
it's-- it's bullshit.
[woman crying]
[ambulance doors closing]
Shut up, shut up, you, run.
Paula?
You OK?
Yes, um, daydreaming.
One of the babies out of the commune has died.
What?
I thought since you've already been out there,
you might go out again, talk to the mother,
see how she's doing.
The coroner's done an autopsyalready, crib death apparently.
Lise, how are you?
I heard about the baby.
Who's the mother?
I just want to see that she's all right.
Uh, um, me, I don't know.
PAULA: You don't know who the mother is?
I must ask Moses.
Moses, what are you talking about?
Who's Moses?
Roch, Roch is Moses.
Lise, I just want to talk to her.
This way.
Danielle, this is a workerfrom the government.
She wants to talk with you.
Me, I'll take care of it, OK.
I'm so sorry, Danielle.
What happened?
Can you tell me what happened?
It's all for the best, Madame.
Guillaume is with God now.
Yes, yes, of course, he is.
It didn't seem so cold when we put him outside.
You put Guillaume outside?
He was crying and crying.
And he would not stop, not even when
Moses tell him to be quiet.
[footsteps]
We are mourning the deathof our dear baby, Guillaume.
It's not a good time for you to call.
Take her to the house.
Mourning his death by makinghis mother scrub the floor, hm?
Sometimes work is the best medicine.
You know, you have to look tothe future and let the past go.
You get the fuck off my land right now.
[car door slams]
[car engine starts]
I can repeat myself till I'mblue in the face, Mrs. Jackson,
but my findings won't change.
That baby died of SIDS, crib death.
There's not a shred of doubt in my mind.
Yes, but in light of what the mother told me,
maybe you'll want to reconsider.
Were there any signs ofhypothermia, for instance,
that you might have overlooked?
Are you questioning my expertise?
No, of course not.
I was only--
I have a lot ahead of me today, please.
Good day.
Pompous old fart.
Crib death, yes, of course, that's
what happens when you put a criboutside in freezing weather.
That's hearsay.
Well, it's hearsay fromthe horse's mouth, Gayle.
What more do we need?
We need a horse who would say it in court.
God, I'm sorry to be such a nuisance.
I was really afraid, you know, of Roch.
Such malevolence.
And the worst thing was, I knew in my bones
that none of the others wouldhelp me, no matter what.
The thing is you can't help them either, Paula,
not until they want it.
[knocking]
Excuse me.
Hi, Gayle.
Quebec police have a file on him a mile long.
Roch Theriault, also known as Moses,
lived in relative isolation in the Gaspe
with a band of dedicated followers,
nine women and two men,ranging in age from 25 to 34.
Five of those women had bornchildren while in Quebec.
After one of the infants, aboy, had died of a beating,
questions were raised aboutRoch's role in his death,
and he served 18 months injail for criminal negligence.
After which, he was released on probation.
At this time, he and his followers
disappeared into thin air.
Thin air, being Church River.
He broke the conditions of his probation, Vern.
Can we pick him up on that?
Not a chance.
Quebec's a different jurisdiction.
They don't seem to beinterested in him anymore.
They're probably glad to get rid of him.
But now that we have this information,
surely we have the right togo out there and investigate.
Not without a complaint.
Or evidence of somekind, a doctor or teacher,
anyone who witnessed anything.
Well, they don't see a doctor on this.
They're dead apparently, and theteacher is part of the commune.
But they have neighbors, huh, don't they?
Hi, how are you?
Pretty good.
I'm Paula Jackson from Children's Aid.
I'm just doing a littlebackground check on the people
over at the commune.
Have you noticed anythingpeculiar, anything disturbing
about the kids?
Piss off, all right.
So you want to know how thingssit with me and those freaks,
eh?
Well, I'm particularlyinterested in the children,
of course.Have you seen much of them?
Do you have any thoughts about--
Rod, that's my husband.
He's something of a big shot around here.
Only lumber mill worthits weight in gold for 100
miles, big shot, busy man.
Of course, any free time, and he's hauling
wood to the commune for free.
Why would he do that then?
I mean, haul lumber up there for free?
For all the French pussy that's on offer.
That's why, lady.
And don't be thinking that myold man is the only bastard
sniffing around up there.
Roch's got them all coming and going.
Anything he wants for services rendered.
And the kids, anything?
Kids, who needs 'em.
Fought the first war, I wantno income tax, no passports,
nothing.
A man could come and go as he pleases.
Yes, he must have been wonderful.
But do you have anythoughts about the people
over at the commune?
Ah, no governmenthandouts for welfare bums.
No government interference either.
Eh, a man worked hard, [inaudible] by his wits,
no how, looked after his own like God intended.
Oh, you should quit with them[inaudible],, little lady.
You should spend some time up in the commune.
I had that ignorant habitfor 52 years and Roch,
he got me to quit, yes, sir.
Yes, but do you have anyinsight into the goings
on at the commune?
You come up to the house whenI'm done here, I'll show you.
I got lots of reading material.
I know who's behind this mess.
It's the international and the multi-nationals,
and the Jews with their banks.
[music playing]
Senior men's hockey is coming to town, OK.
I mean, this is big, lots of excitement.
I mean, these guys had actually-- they'd
been something in their day.
We're talking N-H-L, all right.
Now Bruce and me'd been separated for what,
like about--
I don't know-- two years at this point.
I mean, I was so horny.
I'd find myself fondling thecucumbers at Shop Easy, OK.
So the game is a one-up kind of thing.
And I say to myself, I amgoing to get me one of them big
strapping hockey players, you know,
the kind who knows a thingor two, you know what I mean,
ladies.
So I get myself all dolled up, right.
I'm looking real good.
I go to this stupid game.
I get invited back to the bar and the party.
And suddenly I'm gettingdown and serious-- you know,
not too serious.
You don't want to scare them off--
with Mr. Big, OK.
The guy has shoulders out to here.
His forearm is the size of my thigh.
So he buys me a drink, buys me a fucking rose.
So I take him home.
The girls are at my sisters for the night.
You know, you've got to plan these things.
So we have another drink, startto dance, a little necking.
The next thing you know, we're tearing
each other's clothes off.
We get buck naked.
The guy's dick--
I kid you not--
his dick is this big.
[chuckling]
Anybody home?
What did you do?
What are you going to do?
You don't laugh at a guy's dick, never.
I fucked him and pretendedit was the lay of a lifetime.
And then I went back to the produce department.
To big dicks.
Ooh, yeah.
So, Paula, you've been out to the commune.
What's your guess?
Roch got a big dick.
I've seen it.
- You devil. - No.
Full of surprises.
It's not what you think, Lana.
Wayne and I went down there,and he was waving it around.
I was too embarrassed to really look.
I'm sorry.
I wouldn't care anyway if it was a foot long.
I think he's a pumped up moron.
Hey, Blue Eyes, how are you doing?
You know what?
I hear you've been askingall around about me.
I've got to tell you,Blue Eyes, there's always
space in my heart for one more.
I could bring you back to life.
Oh, come on, give us asmile, or give us a dance.
They're playing our song.
You see, she's very sweet, but she
breaks my heart all the time.
Would you ladies mind if I should
sit with you for a minute?
No, not at all.
Thank you very much.
Can we get another glass over here?
Whoa, ladies curling, youladies celebrating tonight?
Win or lose, we always celebrate.
That's good.
I like that.
Celebrate life, no matter what.
You know you have a very beautiful face.
No, really, it's very strong.
You have a lot of strength.
You must take care of a lotof people, but you're lonely.
You're carrying too muchweight on your shoulders.
How do you know that?
It's in your eyes, Miss.
It's in your eyes.
Excuse me.
Well, what's the matter, Darling.
You seem to be in terrible pain.
You got that right, buddy.
You know what?
I can help you.
What?
You going to do my shift tonight?
[laughing]
Well, no, no, really, really, I can help you.
People say I have a gift with my hands.
Can I try?
[chuckling]
I mean, you have nothing to lose, like humor me,
indulge me.
I'll just try, two minutes.
All right.
OK.
I have to get my hands warm first.
Now I have to put my handsdirectly on your skin.
Is that all right?
Show me the pain, where it is.
OK.
Just relax.
It's OK.
Good, just breathe.
Relax, it's OK.
Now look at me, look into my eyes.
Give me your pain.
Give it to me.
I'm open.
Give it to me.
Give me your pain.
Give it to me now.
It's gone.
The pain is gone.
Phrum.
Isn't that great?
Tonight, all your drinks are on me, OK?
That's good.
I like that. That's a good idea.
He doesn't look like a moron to me.
Looks aren't everything.
You stupid fucking bitch.
See, I think that we all have a gift.
And our job in life is fairly simple.
It is just to try andbecome what we already are
and to share that gift with others.
Anyway, that's what I think.
Hey, Blue eyes, how come you left your home
to come and live so far away?
Not because I was breakingthe conditions of my parole.
To remember me by.
It's big.
[crashing sounds]
[laughing]
[howling]
[skidding tires]
Jesus.
[woman crying]
Ma'am?
Ma'am, you OK?
[sobbing]
[interposing voices]
Oh, man.
Ma'am, it's all right.
We're here to help you.
It's OK.
[wailing]
You're OK.
Take a deep breath.
Who did this to you?
Nobody.
I told them already, nobody did this.
I was lost in the bush.
It must be I fell and cut myself like that.
Sometimes when you lovesomebody and they hurt you,
it just seems like part of the deal.
But it isn't.
Love isn't about being hurtor hurting someone else.
How many children do you have,Lise, out at the commune?
Baby Maria, Yvonne, and Marc.
Well, maybe you don't care about yourself.
But how do you imagine they must feel
to see their mother so hurt?
What effect do you thinkthat's going to have on them
their whole lives? - I don't know.
I don't know what to think.
Well, the hospital is goingto discharge you later today.
There's a place at the women's shelter
for you to stay, to recuperate.
Do you understand?
Yes.
Will you go there?
You need to sleep, some goodfood, time to heal, to think.
Will you go?
Yes, I'll go.
Thank you.
It was Moses who did this to you, wasn't it?
No.
Moses is a good man.
Don't say such a thing.
I'll see you tomorrow.
There you go.
Lise, I can't understand.
You're a beautiful and bright woman.
You don't deserve to be treated so badly.
I mean, he keeps you avirtual prisoner out there.
No, we are not prisoners.
We can go any time.
Marie-Claude left a week pastto her parents in St. Felicien.
Good, I'm glad to hear that.
But you understand, Lise,it's not right for one man
to control and manipulate.
Roch is not a man.
He's the prophet Moses.
No, he's-- he's just a man.
[horn honking]
Oh.
[chuckling]
How did they find you?
They are my family.
They will always find me.
Lise, Lise, what's her lastname, Marie-Claude's last name?
Gauthier.
[giggling]
So what I need from you is permission
to drive up there and meet with her
and find out what she's got to say.
- No. - What do you mean, no?
No means no around here.
Is there some ambivalence aboutthe word where you come from?
No, I do not give youpermission to go traipsing about
in Quebec, outside our jurisdiction,
to find somebody who isunlikely to talk to you anyway.
We have got cases up our yin-yang, Paula,
not enough hours in theday, not near enough money
to do our job properly.
Roch's harem isn't even a fucking case.
Where's your head?
Did you see the photographsof that woman's back?
I have seen hundreds of photographs,
hundreds in the flesh.
I don't think that there'san atrocity that you
could name that I haven't seen.
And what's more, I've managedto keep my professional wits
about me all these years.
You're too involved, Paula.
You're going to get hurt, andyou're going to hurt the people
that you most want to help.
Think about it.
Fine.
Perhaps you're unaware of the fact
that I've not taken any leavefrom this job for 22 months.
This is in flagrant disregard of my rights
as a member of the publicsector service union.
So I'm taking one week of the six owed me,
and I'm taking it out.
Then fuck off, you pretentious English--
Oh, fuck off, yourself, youignorant [inaudible] bohunk.
Bohunk.
[giggling]
Fuck off, then, and good luck.
They were a sight for soreeyes when they'd come in.
The seven-year-old, he justcrawled around on all fours,
made noises like an animal.
My granddaughter, shedidn't even know how to eat,
[inaudible].
Papa.
[non-english speech]
I'd like to kill that bastard.
[footsteps]
Hello, Marie-Claude.
I'm Paula.
Do you remember me?
[non-english speech]
She was very badly beaten,whipped by the looks of it.
And there were old scars as well as new.
Do you remember such beatings taking place?
What do you want from me?
I want you to come forwardand tell me and tell the police
what you saw at the commune.
I want you go to court and tell the judge,
tell the truth about Rochand what he did to you
and what he continues to do to the others.
No, I can't do that.
That would be the end of me.
What are you afraid of, Marie-Claude?
You're safe.
Your children are safe.
My children are not safe.
Alinne, my daughter, is still there.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I didn't know. - Didn't know.
PAULA: I can get her out.
How?
You have to press charges against Roch.
I'm afraid it's too late.
She's almost dead.
Do you understand me, Marie-Claude.
I can get her out.
I can get them all out, but you'll
have to testify in court.
OK.
OK, I'll do it.
I don't care.
If I don't get her out,that will be the end of her.
Roch's children were the privileged ones.
The others fathered by Dannyand Alphonse were the slaves.
Roch is like god, you see.
[grunting]
The slaves, they had to dowhatever the others tell them.
Suzette wanted to run away, butLynne and Magdalene told Roch,
so Roch gave them some of his beer,
and he made love with them in the kitchen.
And he asked them to beatSuzette with the chairs.
And would the children be there
when he made love to the women in the kitchen,
when he beat Suzette?
Yes, of course, thechildren were always there
so they couldn't leave.
And was there anybody else,Marie-Claude, who wanted
to leave and was punished?
Almost everyone at one time or another.
[inaudible] One time,Lise, she was making plans
to go to her grandparents.
She didn't tell anyone except Marc.
He's her oldest.
He's only seven.
So Marc went right away to Roch to tell him.
ROCH: Marc, I want you tostand in front of your mother.
Now your mother's been bad.
And you know what we do to bad people.
I want you to punish your mother now.
Now!
[slap]
Again.
[slap]
Harder.
[slap]
[punch]
Harder!
[punches]
I'm so afraid.
If I see him again, he will pull me back.
He's so strong.
He knows everything.
[police sirens]
[baby crying]
Where are we going, Mama?
[camera clicking]
Now this is very important.
You can keep your children with you if you
agree to leave the commune.
Do you understand what I'm saying?
As long as you agree to have nothing more
to do with Mr. Theriault,we will not take
the children away from you.
Lise, what are you thinking?
Name.
Suzette Gillman, Jacques,nine, Silvie, eight,
Fredrick, seven, Martin, two.
Suzette, you know you can keep them with you.
What are you thinking?
I'm thinking you have a worm's eye view, Madame.
For us, the picture is much bigger.
Moses shows us the way toGod, to our higher selves,
if you like.
You and the others, the bureaucracies
and the governments, are blinkered
by your own fear of life.That's what I'm thinking.
Name?
[inaudible],, Leah, four yearsold, Emily, seven years old.
[crashing sounds]
Take my children away from me?
[inaudible] Mother fucker!
Damn you!
Damn you.
Ah!
Mr. Theriault, I'm Rene Juneau.
These are my colleagues, Colette Plamondon.
Very nice to meet you.
Marcelle Martin.
Well, Mrs. Jackson has shown us the way here.
But we are independent assessors,
and we have nothing to do with Children's Aid.
We're here at the demand of thecourt in [inaudible] in order
to evaluate the situation.
Yes, yes, of course, I know, I know.
I understand.
Please, meet everyone.
[interposing voices]
Come, come, come.
Let's go in.
[laughter]
RENE: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
ROCH: Yeah, bravo, bravo, my friend.
Hey, tonight we willfeast on your labors, eh.
Hey, looks like it.
Oh, it's a nice one.
This is how God intended aman to live, to fish, to hunt,
to grow your own food, to beclose to nature, respected
by our women and our children, free,
not like a slave to a machine of bureaucracy,
petty office politics, eh?
Free.
Yeah.
You know, like the English,they're not bad people.
But a lot of the time theytreat us like shit, no?
They're prejudiced.
They make us out to be stupid, simple-minded.
Yes, yes, my grandmother,she had to work for Anglos.
Yeah, yeah, you see, and it'snot really different today.
They don't understand our language.
So they can't be bothered tryingto understand who we are, you
know, what we dream of, how we want to change
the world for the better.
It's a damn shame, you know.
People can't make a go of itwithout two paychecks anymore.
And even so, the governmenttakes half of it in taxes, no?
You see, I think and Godthinks that the job of a woman
is to take care of herchildren, take care of a man.
Nobody's got a proper life anymore.
There's no time.
Everybody's tired.
See, we live in an agewhere to be a good citizen,
we have to give up our rights,not like in the '60s, eh.
Oh, my, those were the days, for sure.
Paris, '68, my sister and I lived in a commune
just outside [inaudible].
Nearly 200 people, everything was possible.
Everything was allowed.
Yes, exactly as God intended.
See, you're very lucky, Marcelle.
Most people, you know, they'reafraid of what's most natural.
Ashamed of their bodies,ashamed of their thoughts even.
Yet, nature herself is sexual, the life force,
Marcelle, the life force.
Those government workers, youknow, they're like eunuchs.
They're afraid of whatthey've never experienced.
They think I'm a bad man,that I'm a monster because I
make love to so many women.
But I love my wives.
I don't lie to them.
I have the deepest respect,the deepest affection for them.
You know, not like those upstanding men,
you know, with the ties.
And they have one wifebut plenty of mistresses.
I have to hand it to you,Roch, you're not a hypocrite.
What is it-- what's it all about?
Ross Johnson, assistant therewith the deputy minister's
office in Toronto.
This has just come in fromthe independent assessors.
They are unanimous in their report.
They find that the children should
be returned to Roch andtheir mothers without delay.
[gasping]
Are they all mad?
All right, everybody, please.
I'm sorry.
I mean to cast no aspersions onthe court-appointed assessors,
but I am surprised bytheir findings, that's all.
Paula Jackson is the head ofour Children's Aid division.
Ah.
There's something else.
Would you mind repeating what you told me?
Certainly.
We have decided not to proceedwith the judicial hearing.
The children shall bereturned to their parents.
[muffled whispers]
I beg your pardon.
What did you say?
Mrs. Jackson, never has a judge overturned
a unanimous report from anindependent assessment team
in this province ever.
To proceed would be awaste of taxpayers' money.
As a matter of curiosity, haveyou watched any of the 30-some
odd hours of videotape thatwe've compiled of the children
currently in care, or read thetranscripts to Marie-Claude
Gauthier's testimony?
What would be the point?
Well, the point would be that our findings
contradict the assessor'sunanimous report.
Our unanimous findings are thatthe children from the Church
River commune were-- arevictims of systematic physical
and mental and sexual abuse.
The point would be that in washing
your hands of this particular case,
you would, in fact, bethrowing innocent children back
into the jaws of hell.
And I'm not being overly dramatic.
Mrs. Jackson.
Just one more point to make,sir, Mr. Johnson, isn't it?
Yes.
Should these children bereturned to Roch Theriault
and his followers, I guaranteethat the abuse will continue
and will eventually come to light in the press
and in the courts.
And I will see to it personallythat blame is laid where
it most belongs, on thegovernment, on the department,
on the minister, and you, both of you.
[muffled conversation]
No.
[sighs]
Mrs. Jackson, you've made a very strong case.
Therefore, the hearing will go forward.
[cheering]
The slaves, they had to dowhatever the others tell them.
Many times, they didn't get enough to eat.
Sometimes when he was drinking,he was taking two of the babies
by the legs and holding them over the fire.
The mothers, me, I was one,wept and begged him for mercy.
Did he ever drop a babyin the fire, Mrs. Gauthier?
No.
When a baby cried too much, he--
he would take them by the feetand throw them in the snowbank.
All the babies, they learnedreal fast not to cry.
Please go on.
Sometimes he was crucify the children
by hanging them in the bush withnails through their clothes.
Then he would call everyone tocome and throw stones to them
until they're dead.
And did he ever follow through?
No, nobody ever got killed, like he said.
Thank you.
Over this past week, I have,of course, read the report
of the independent assessors.
I have also read the written testimony
of the foster parents of thosechildren currently in care.
And I have watched many, many hours of videotape
of the children in question,compiled by the Children's
Aid workers in this district.
Have you by any chance watchedthese tapes yourselves?
No, your Honor.
We'll give you a taste.
[videotape loading]
[footsteps]
No, no, no!
No!
[whimpering]
LEON: No, no!
PAULA: I don't understand, Marie.
Why is it that you and Richard have
such wonderful manners, and your brother
Leon won't even sit at the table for lunch.
Leon is a slave.
PAULA: Why is that?
Why is he a slave, and you and Richard aren't?
Moses isn't his Poppy.
You just tell us in yourown words what went on.
You're a very bright, well-spoken girl.
Sometimes the adults, they'd dance
in a big circle with theirpants off around a fire.
Next, us kids would join in the dancing.
Then, a whole bunch of adults,they'd like naked on the ground
and touch each other.
What about you kids, Alinne?
Did the adults ever touch you in funny ways?
Or did they ever want you to touch them?
Poppy likes me to pull on his penis.
Everybody's doing it, including mom.
Mom and me would take turns.
And when white stuff cameout, Poppy would get up.
But Poppy likes the really little kids
to play with his penis.
He thinks I'm too old now.
He's ready.
It's time.
It is extremely rare for the court
to find against the unanimous recommendation
of an independent assessment team
that the court has itself appointed.
In this case, however, the court finds
the submission to be the mostdeplorable it has ever seen.
Their findings are bothdisconcerting and illogical.
The finding of the courtis clear and unequivocal.
Roch Theriault is a calculating dictator,
who has taken over the lives of his followers
and controls them like sheep.
There is no doubt in my mindthat the children, should they
be returned, run asubstantial risk of being
sexually molested or exploited.
And I hereby order that they be made
permanent wards of the crownwith no parental access.
The exception is Alinne Gauthier,
who shall be returned to her mother Marie-Claude
on condition that the twoaccept any form of therapy
or psychiatric care that mightbe recommended by the CAS.
Furthermore, any future childrenborn to members of the commune
will be apprehended at once and placed
into the permanent wardship of the state.
This court is adjourned.
[gavel pounded]
I just can't believe thatyou're not going to proceed.
Look, can you try to lighten up, please?
I mean, tonight we've gota-- we've got a real reason
to celebrate here.
Tomorrow's another day.
I'm such a bore.
I just, uh-- I can't helpthinking that things are going
to get worse for the women out there
now that the kids are gone.
I mean, there's over 100 documented offenses
that you could charge him with,physical, sexual, mental abuse,
abandonment, neglect, eachone worse then the next.
Look, the guy should be drawn and quartered,
as far as I'm concerned.
But that's not going to happen.
I mean, to charge Theriault would
be nothing but a nightmare.
The only adult witnesswe've got is Marie-Claude.
She's a complete basket case.
Want to drag those kidsthrough months of court dates
and contradictory evidence, huh?
I guarantee you, the only upshot is
going to be increased trauma for those kids
and nothing else, Paula.
Yeah, but it's not right.
It's not fair that Roch should go unpunished.
Of course, it's not fair.
Life isn't fair. - But?
What is it that you want?
I want the women--
I want the women safe, too, dammit.
Leave it alone, Do you hear me?
Please drop it.
You can't help peoplethat won't help themselves.
But that's what we're here for, isn't it?
Isn't it?
Hello, Lise.
Takes all of you withhim wherever he goes now.
I'm surprised you're not shackled one to another.
Where's Suzette?
Suzette?
Oh, Suzette.
She's having a littleholiday with her parents.
She's--
What the fuck more do you want from us, eh?
What?
All of you, come here.
Now!
I want you to look at this.
She's the devil's bitch herself,always looking for trouble,
always in heat, eh, Blue Eyes.
Get in the van now.
Get in the goddamn van.
Now, faster, shit.
Get in the van.
[engine starting]
[punch]
[gasping]
You stupid bitch.
Huh, you stupid bitch.
[punching]
You stupid fucking bitch, stupid bitch.
You'll be back.
You'll be back, you stupid bitch.
You'll be back.
I'm sorry, Paula, I'm sorry.
I love you so much.
I'm sorry.
[vomiting]
[moaning]
[car nearby]
[engine starting]
Please don't be frightened.
There's no one else, only me.
I just want to talk to you as a woman.
Perhaps we could have a cup of tea?
I'm here because I worry about you, all of you.
I can't stop thinking aboutthe situation you're in here.
And-- and I know something about you all
that perhaps the others don't.
I know that when you met Roch,each one of you separately,
you felt completely in love with him
because he saw who you really were.
He saw your loneliness and longing,
your lack of direction, your sorrow, anxiety.
He saw you, and he loved you because of
and in spite of who you were.
He promised to cherish youand protect you forever.
He promised to show you the way with only one
small condition, that yougive yourself over to him
completely.
You surrender yourself to hislove, his vision, his genius.
And even only on, before the physical violence,
he could look at you with such cold contempt.
It was like a knife in the heart,
always judging you for whatyou wore, a contrary opinion,
the way you put butter onthe toast in the morning.
And so the fear begins, doesn't it?
Fear that he'll stop loving you,throw you out of the safety net
that he's wrapped you in.
Fear that makes you walk on eggshells,
watching and listening for the slightest hint
of disapproval or annoyance.
Always tense, afraid that you're going
to say or do the wrong thing at the wrong time.
And the first time he actuallyhits you, oh, it's a relief.
And afterwards, he's so sorry,and his declarations of love
are so sincere that, yes,you love him more than ever.
Loving him is your life's work.
So it goes on.
The beatings get worse.
His odd sadistic pleasures, he hurts
and manipulates your children,and he turns them against you.
And he keeps you underfed andunderslept and overworked.
And some days, you don't even know your own name.
Paula, how do you know all these things?
[sighs]
Hm, I know because I've been there.
I was married to a man like Roch.
I was beaten senseless moretimes than I can remember.
And through it all, Istill thought he loves me.
He really loves me, this I know.
And then, one day, Iunderstood, he didn't love me.
He didn't know me at all.
He was just in love with my fear of him.
And without it, he was nothing, no one.
And I realized then that I'drather be dead than spend
another second with him.
I wasn't afraid anymore.
I was free.
[door opening]
[gasping]
Speak of the devil.
[heavy breathing]
You stupid bitch.
I should kill you.
You're trespassing on my property,
trying to steal my things.
These aren't things, Roch.
They're human beings.
They're not things.
I will kill you.
And nobody's ever going to find you.
Well, what's stopping you?
Go ahead.
Look, kitchen knives over there,[inaudible],, take your pick.
[chortles]
You see, I'm not afraid of him.
I'm not afraid, so he can't hurt me.
[shallow breathing]
He's not Moses.
He's not God.
He's just another fucking asshole.
Please, get out now and go, go, for us, please.
[bottle breaking]
[music playing]
[giggling]
[muffled singing]
[clapping]
[screams]
[crying]
It looks bad.
I think the arm has got to go.
It's a good thing I'm here, no?
[muttering]
[muffled conversations]
[woman screaming]
WOMAN: Oh, my god.
What happened to you?
Oh, oh!
[muffled voices]
Gayle!
Clear the way, please, clear the way, please.
Please, back up.
[woman screaming]
OK, please give her some air.
Let us deal with this.
[muffled frantic voices]
Just back away, please, back away.
[screaming]
It was Moses who did this to you, wasn't it?
Come on, Lise, you must tell me.
It was Roch, wasn't it?
Yes.
Call Vern.
[moaning]
Oh, my god, what have I done?
Let's go.
Hello?
Anybody?
Anybody in here?
Anybody home?
Hello?
It doesn't look likeanyone's been here for a week.
Police officer.
Hello?
Stove's still warm.
They can't be far.
We're going to need more men.
POLICE OFFICER: Over here.
[guns cocked]
Mr. Theriault, come out now.
Remove your belt. Remove your knife.
Let them drop.
But I'll do that, Officer,but if my pants fall off,
you'll soon learn that my eyesare not the best part of me.
You are under arrest for the aggravated--
I'm guilty.
I confess.
I'm guilty.
Guilty, guilty, guilty.
PAULA: Hi.
That looks terrible.
What is it?
I don't know.
But if I eat, theypromise to take this out.
You won't believe this.
I don't believe this.
But Roch pleaded guilty to aggravated assault
at the preliminary hearing.
He's being sentenced to 12 years in prison.
You're free now.
He can't hurt you anymore.
It's a mystery, though, why hewould forego a proper trial.
Well, I suppose we should just be
thankful and leave it at that.
At least you don't have to go tocourt and testify against him.
I've got something for you.
I'd better go.
Oh, by the way, I did manageto contact Suzette's parents.
They said they hadn't heard from her in years.
Any thoughts on where she might have gone?
Paula, is Rochy--
he's really going to jail?
Yes.
He's really gone for a long, long time.
I must tell you then.
Roch, he killed Suzette.
[muffled conversations]
We've been digging along time, but it's weird.
A lot of bones are missing.
[car approaching]
Hi.
PAULA: Hi.
We've got Lise's testimony, and we have
a dead body, what's left of it.
It'd be nice to get some corroboration.
Come on.
We found Suzette's body.
We know that Roch killed her.
We need you to come forwardand tell us what you witnessed,
what you saw that night.
[sighs]
Please.
You're free now.
Roch's in prison.
He can't hurt you anymore.
What are you frightened of?
You are my sisters, everyone.
I love you.
I'll love you always, no matter what happened.
What Moses teach us, he was wrong.
Love is not to hurt people ormake them do what you want.
This is not the will of God.
Love is a better thing than that.
Suzette was made to workvery hard with a wheelbarrow
and a shovel.
She was working so hard itwas affecting her breathing.
Roch was mad at her.
He thought she was too outspoken.
She had stomach problems for some time.
He didn't like this either.
Roch thinks nobody should be sick but him.
He asked me to prepare asolution of molasses and water.
He had a red rubber bag made for enemas.
He, erm-- he put the enema tubein and moved it in and out.
It was very rough.
After that, he cut her with a knife
and pull out some intestines.
[panting]
She never cried out, not once.
She died the day after.
We buried her.
But after, we dig her up three times.
Roch was mad.
He was crazy for missing her.
He made a necklace from her rib,so she could rest on his heart.
Some of the others made necklaces, too.
He slammed Marie-Claude on the floor when
she was six months pregnant.
He poured boiling water on Danny's back.
He shoot Magdalene on her shoulder.
He belt the Belgian workhorse to death with
a chain and made [inaudible].
[inaudible] on his arm with a broken bottle.
He cut Lena's fingeroff with the wire cutters.
[door slams]
Well, good day, my friend.
Please sit down.
I'm sorry, but I can't offer you anything,
not even a glass of water.
I'm not here for the hospitality, Roch.
I'm here to charge you withthe murder of Suzette Gillman.
Suzette?
Yeah.
Suzette was my wife, my beloved.
I wouldn't have hurt her for the world.
What kind of sick country is this when
you can fabricate lies and--
that's mine!
You want to tell me Suzette'swalking around minus a rib?
Please, please, it's all I have left of her.
Please give it to me.
Please, please, it's mine.It's mine!
It's mine! It's mine!
I loved her, you understand?
I loved her.
I tried to save her by giving her an operation.
But please, please, please, let me hold her.
Let me hold her, please.
Please.
[sobbing]
[reporters' questions]
OK, look, just try to relax, OK.
Like I said, because of the plea bargain,
you won't have to testify.
You don't have to do anything at all.
I don't know, I'm--
I'm afraid just to see him.
Tell you what, if helooks at you, just do this.
[spits]
POLICE OFFICER: Hey!
You did the right thing.
Everything's going to be all right.
Mr. Theriault, you haveanything to say to this court
before sentencing?
Ahem.
I do, your Honor, I do.
I do come before you in good faith.
I realize that the justicesystem did its duty
by placing me behind bars.
Over several years, I have madean odious character of myself,
a cruel master, undetectablycompelled by my own will,
by debauchery, by theoddities of my way of thinking
into which I mixed love, hate, religion,
alcohol, and violence.
I have inflicted on myself and others
mental wounds which haveleft invisible scars that I
will carry inside forever.
Some of these scars will remainvivid, such as the ones created
when I carried out the folly of my fury,
traumatizing, mutilating,inflicting pain and suffering
on the members of my entourageand, more specifically,
the events that led to the deathof my beloved wife, Suzette.
I have made a criminal of myself,
but please, please allow me toplead clemency for those who
may have put themselves at risk before the law
and before society by coming to live
in the slavery of that hell.
I, and I alone, was the leader of that commune,
and I take full responsibilityfor any and all misdeeds
that were committed during its existence.
With dignity and I thinka new sense of integrity,
I will serve any sentencethis court deems suitable.
This court sentences you to life in prison
with no possibility of parole for 10 years.
[gavel struck]
[wailing]
[crying]
[sobbing]
What's wrong?
Nothing is wrong, Vern.
It's all over now.
They're back in the land of the living.
[theme music]