Compulsus

A staggering two-thirds of all Canadians know a woman who has experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Compulsus asks the question: what if women took matters into their own hands?

Wally has never experienced violence from men firsthand, but has been overwhelmed by accounts from friends. A chance encounter leads her to take down a notorious creep and emboldens her, and with the help of a tip line she begins to hunt down abusive men. As Wally develops a taste for violence, and as the myth of the local avenger grows, things are further complicated by the appearance of a new love interest, the law-abiding Lou.

Tara Thorne expertly navigates the topic of gender-based violence, never showing the assaults that motivate Wally, because it isn’t about a particular case of violence against women, it’s the fact that it happens at all. A bold, provocative work by a filmmaker to watch, Compulsus is unforgettable.

Trailer...