Director: Daniel Roby

In the late 19th century, after years of delighting crowds with astounding feats of strength, Louis Cyr was considered the strongest man in the world. Based on his true story, this charming biopic recounts the many successes, heartbreaks and obstacles — both inside and out of the athletic arena — that Louis faced on his climb from obscurity to international fame.

Louis’ best friend recounts the story to the strongman’s estranged daughter — from Louis’ poverty-stricken childhood through the ups and downs of his circus career — and shares with us the fascinating life of this Quebec hero.

The top-grossing film of the year in Quebec, Louis Cyr won two Canadian Screen Awards and nine Jutra Awards, including Best Film.

Roby’s feature film debut, La peau blanche, premiered at TIFF and went on to win the Canadian Screen Award for Best First Feature. He followed that with Funkytown and Louis Cyr, which swept the awards season. He is now working on Gut Instinct and Dans la brume.