Quebec’s Les Furies Roller Derby Comedy Celebrates Women in Sports

The Quebec-made comedy film Les Furies premiered last week in Montreal, celebrating women in sports through the lens of roller derby. The film, which showcases a group of women channeling their anger into forming a roller derby team, features prominent local female athletes, including Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey, who attended the event alongside players from the women’s soccer team, the Montreal Roses.

Gabrielle Côté, the film’s writer and star, believes that the increasing visibility of women in sports enhances the film’s relevance. “It’s like the film is profiting from this good timing, but is also contributing to this good timing for women’s sports,” Côté stated in a recent interview. She emphasized that Les Furies aligns with the growing recognition of female athletes, marking a significant moment for women’s sports in Quebec and beyond.

The film draws comparisons to the classic Quebec comedy series Les Boys, which focused on a men’s garage-league hockey team. Côté welcomes this comparison, noting the universal appeal of sports comedies: “There’s a real structure we all know. People who shouldn’t really be together get together, we know they’re going to train together, there’s going to be moments of desperation, and we know there’s going to be a big victory at the end.”

Set in the small town of Waterloo in the Eastern Townships, Les Furies tells the story of women in anger-management sessions who decide to transform their frustrations into a roller derby team after being displaced by a semi-professional men’s hockey team. The cast includes notable talents like Anne-Élisabeth Bossé, Juliette Gosselin, Debbie Lynch-White, Sandrine Bisson, and France Castel, all contributing to the film’s comedic and empowering narrative.

Côté’s journey to creating Les Furies began several years ago when she was studying at École nationale de l’humour. Initially focused on a screenplay about a women’s hockey team, her interest shifted after watching the 2009 film Whip It, starring Drew Barrymore, which centers around roller derby. Inspired by the sport’s vibrant community, Côté joined a roller derby team and reimagined her screenplay to reflect this dynamic setting.

“Roller derby is a sport that’s so rich visually,” Côté explained. “It attracts all types of women, all types of body types. It attracts women who’ve been told all their lives they’re not good enough to play sports. Inclusiveness and diversity are part of the core values of this sport.” This fresh perspective allows the film to utilize a familiar comedic formula while introducing audiences to a sport that remains relatively unknown.

The film is screening with English subtitles at the Cineplex Forum under the title The Furies. Audiences can expect a blend of humor and empowerment, as the film aims to highlight the strength and camaraderie found within women’s sports. Côté’s vision for Les Furies is clear: to entertain while simultaneously contributing to the ongoing conversation about gender equity in athletics.

As the film continues to roll out across various cinemas, it stands as a testament to the evolving landscape of sports representation in media and the growing appreciation for women’s achievements in athletics.