Paula

Her name is Paula. As day breaks over the waking city, she's already at work – looking for clients as she walks a stretch of sidewalk in front of the corner grocery store. She likes handing out dog treats and joining in kids’ games. The grocer's son sees Paula as a reassuring mother figure, and he feels emptiness whenever she is away.

Inspired by a real-life news item, director Dominic Etienne Simard paints a pulsating portrait of a mixed-use, working-class neighbourhood where young families cross paths with prostitutes, their interactions leaving unpredictable ripples in the motley fabric of urban life.