What Is Polytechnique About?
The premise of Polytechnique in 333 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the early winter of 1989, the campus of Polytechnique Montréal hums with the focused energy of its engineering cohort. The film opens on bright lecture halls, the clatter of keyboards, and the quiet determination of a group of women who have chosen a field still dominated by men. Their studies are interwoven with everyday moments—coffee breaks, late‑night study sessions, and the subtle rituals that bind them together. The atmosphere is rendered with a spare, almost clinical aesthetic that lets the ordinary texture of university life breathe, while an undercurrent of unease hints that the world outside the classroom may not share the same respect for their ambition.
Among the students, Jean‑François navigates his own path, balancing the expectations of his peers with a lingering sense of responsibility. Valérie, disciplined and precise, carries the weight of future professional symbols, while Stéphanie brings a quiet resilience that steadies those around her. Their interactions are marked by camaraderie, gentle rivalry, and the shared hope of forging a place in a demanding discipline. The relationships they nurture feel both intimate and fragile, underscored by the subtle pressures of a society that often questions their presence in the lab.
The film’s tone is unflinching and contemplative, opting for a restrained visual language that mirrors the stark realities of its setting. Long takes linger on empty corridors and echoing lecture rooms, allowing the audience to feel the stillness that can precede disruption. A muted palette and deliberate sound design amplify the feeling that something unspoken lies just beyond the periphery of daily routine, inviting viewers to sense the tension without spelling it out.
Through its careful focus on character, environment, and the quiet moments that define student life, the story asks what it means to belong in a space that can be both empowering and precarious. It leaves the audience with a lingering impression of a world on the cusp of change, where the promise of tomorrow is shadowed by forces that are, for now, only hinted at.
What Happens in Polytechnique?
The complete story of Polytechnique, from the first scene to the last, in 359 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Valérie, Karine Vanasse, and Stéphanie, Evelyne Brochu, are engineering students at Polytechnique Montreal who find themselves caught in a sudden, devastating attack. A troubled young man, Maxim Gaudette, arrives with a Ruger Mini-14, leaves a message for his mother, and enters a classroom in the middle of a lecture. He orders the men to leave and the women to stay, then fires a shot into the ceiling to prove he is serious. He declares his hatred of feminists, and although the women deny being feminists, he shoots at them, killing some and wounding others. He moves through the building—along the halls and into the cafeteria—before continuing to target women in his path.
Jean-François, a male student who had been ordered to evacuate, defies the order and returns in a bid to intervene or assist the victims, hoping to slow the onslaught or save lives. The survivors, Valérie and Stéphanie, work to stay hidden as the threat lingers, with Valérie clinging to a fragile calm and Stéphanie hoping to outlast the danger. Stéphanie is gravely injured in the chaos, and the damage of the day becomes tragically personal for everyone involved.
The killer presses on to another classroom, where he kills a female lecturer before ending his own life, his final act leaving a smear of blood among the victims. The school awaits the aftermath in silence, and the community begins to reckon with what happened, and with the choices made in those crucial moments.
In the days and weeks that follow, the memory of the day continues to haunt those who survived. Jean-François, overwhelmed by guilt for leaving the room and for not doing more to intervene, dies by carbon monoxide poisoning, a private tragedy that underscores the film’s quiet, unflinching examination of responsibility and grief. Valérie, meanwhile, carries the weight of survival into a new phase of life—wearing the Iron Ring as a reminder of her profession and her identity—then learns she is pregnant. She contemplates her future and what she might tell her child, resolving to affirm that the world belongs to her, no matter the challenges ahead, a testament to resilience in the wake of catastrophe.
Polytechnique Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
10 key events in the order they happen, from “Preparation and message for his mother” to “Plans to tell child about the world”. 10 events name a place, across 7 locations.
- 1
Preparation and message for his mother
A young man arms himself with a Ruger Mini-14 and sets out to attack. Before departing, he leaves a message for his mother signaling his intention. The act is prepared with cold resolve and a chilling sense of finality.
When:before the attack Where:Home
- 2
Invasion of the classroom and demands
He arrives at Polytechnique Montreal during a class and interrupts the session with the Mini-14. He orders the men to leave and the women to stay, then shoots into the ceiling to prove his seriousness. He proclaims that he hates feminists, though the women deny this label; they comply to stay safe.
When:start of the attack Where:Polytechnique Montreal, classroom
- 3
Massacre spreads through corridors and cafeteria
He moves through the building, systematically targeting women across corridors and the cafeteria. The violence escalates as several female students are shot, leaving a trail of casualties and wounded survivors. The campus grows chaotic as more people seek safety and try to understand what is happening.
When:during the attack Where:Polytechnique Montreal campus
- 4
Jean-François attempts to intervene
Jean-François, a male student, had been ordered to leave but decides to return in an act of defiance or restraint. He tries to stop the killer or help the victims, risking his own safety. His actions contrast with the earlier obedience of others in the room.
When:during the attack Where:Classroom, Polytechnique Montreal
- 5
Valérie and Stéphanie survive by playing dead; Stéphanie wounded
Valérie and Stéphanie manage to hide by playing dead, hoping the killer won't return. They survive the initial onslaught, but Stéphanie dies later from her injuries, leaving Valérie to cope with the aftermath. The tension lingers as the killer's path continues through the building.
When:during the attack Where:Classroom, Polytechnique Montreal
- 6
Another classroom targeted; female lecturer killed
The killer reaches a second classroom where he murders a female lecturer. The assault widens beyond students to include staff, deepening the horror of the attack. Victims are left in shock as the assailant's violence travels further through the campus.
When:during the attack Where:Second classroom, Polytechnique Montreal
- 7
Killer commits suicide
After carrying out the attacks, the gunman takes his own life. His suicide ends the massacre, and his body lies in the final room alongside his victims. The scene marks the abrupt conclusion of the violence.
When:end of the attack Where:Final room, Polytechnique Montreal
- 8
Jean-François's guilt leads to suicide
Some time after the massacre, Jean-François, who fled earlier, is overcome by guilt and ends his life with carbon monoxide poisoning. His death adds another layer of tragedy to the event, as survivors wrestle with blame and grief. The community begins to reckon with what happened and why.
When:some time after the massacre Where:Not specified
- 9
Valérie learns she is pregnant
Valérie, wearing the Iron Ring, discovers she is pregnant, adding a glimmer of hope amid the tragedy. The news complicates her emotional response to the day’s events, and she contemplates what she will tell her child about the world. She searches for meaning and strength as she moves forward.
When:after the massacre Where:Not specified
- 10
Plans to tell child about the world
She contemplates how to tell her future son that the world can be loving but also dangerous, or that a daughter deserves to claim the world as hers. The reflection embodies resilience and empowerment in the wake of violence. The moment signals a personal vow to protect and nurture her child.
When:after the massacre Where:Not specified
Who Are the Main Characters in Polytechnique?
4 characters, among them Valérie (Karine Vanasse), Stéphanie (Evelyne Brochu) and Jean-François (Sébastien Huberdeau): who each one is and the part they play in the story. 3 of them link to the actor’s page.
- V(
Valérie (Karine Vanasse)
Played by Karine Vanasse
Valérie survives the attack and, along with others, plays dead to avoid the killer. She endures the trauma of the incident and later learns she is pregnant, a revelation that complicates her healing but also gives her a future to protect.
- 🧭 Survivor
- 💪 Resilience
- S(
Stéphanie (Evelyne Brochu)
Played by Evelyne Brochu
Stéphanie is a survivor who, with Valérie, faces the brutal assault. She dies from her injuries, becoming a symbol of the cost of violence and the memory that lingers for those who survive.
- 🕊️ Survivor
- 💔 Tragedy
- J(
Jean-François (Sébastien Huberdeau)
Played by Sébastien Huberdeau
Jean-François attempts to intervene and assist victims after being ordered to leave the classroom. He is haunted by guilt for abandoning the women, and he ultimately dies by suicide, highlighting the enduring toll of trauma and responsibility.
- 🧭 Courage
- 🩹 Guilt
- TA
The Assassin (Maxim Gaudette)
The killer is a misogynistic male student who declares his hatred of feminists and proceeds with the attack, terrorizing the campus until his suicide ends the massacre.
- ⚔️ Violence
- 🫧 Misogyny
Where and When Is Polytechnique Set?
Polytechnique is set in Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal and Canada (1989). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1989
Set in the late 1980s, the events occur on a university campus in Montreal during 1989. The period reflects social tensions around feminism and gender roles that frame the killer’s motives. The timeframe anchors the characters’ reactions and the aftermath within a specific historical moment.
Where
Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Canada
The film unfolds on the Polytechnique Montréal campus in Montreal, a major engineering school known for its technical programs. Scenes move through classrooms, the cafeteria, and campus corridors that become sites of tragedy. The setting highlights a tightly-knit academic community under sudden threat.
- 🏫 Campus
- 🎓 Education
- 🗺️ Montreal
What Are the Themes of Polytechnique?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Violence, Courage and Trauma.
-
01
Violence
A misogynistic act shatters a college campus, turning a normal class day into a deadly attack. The film shows fear, chaos, and the immediate consequences of violent hatred directed at women. It explores how survivors cope with trauma and how communities process such an event.
-
02
Courage
Jean-François defies the killer’s order in an attempt to help others, and survivors display quick thinking and solidarity. The story highlights small acts of bravery amid overwhelming danger and the moral choices people make under pressure.
-
03
Trauma
The massacre leaves lasting psychological scars on those who live through it. Guilt, grief, and memory linger as victims and witnesses recall their choices during the crisis. The film emphasizes how trauma reshapes identities and futures.
-
04
Gender and Society
Rooted in misogynistic violence inside an academic setting, the story probes gender dynamics, feminism, and accountability. It addresses how societal attitudes toward women can catalyze violence and how survivors navigate a world that bears the scars of such acts.
What Kind of Film Is Polytechnique?
Dark in tone, with fast pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Sad
A stark and harrowing dramatization of a real-life massacre that creates an atmosphere of unrelenting tension and profound sadness, exploring themes of misogyny and survival guilt.
- somber
- oppressive
- anxious
- disturbing
- grim
- tense
- mass shooting
- misogyny
- survivor guilt
- tragedy
Content notes: mass shooting, graphic violence, murder, misogynistic violence, suicide, trauma.
Quiz
How well do you remember Polytechnique? Test yourself on the story.
