Tom at the Farm

Montreal based mid-twentysomethings Tom Podowski and Guillaume Longchamp are coworkers and lovers. Upon Guillaume's death, Tom heads to the rural town where Guillaume grew up and where his mother Agathe Longchamp still lives, there where the funeral will be held. Upon Tom's arrival at the Longchamp dairy farm home, he learns that Agathe has no idea of Tom's role in Guillaume's life or that Guillaume was gay. Tom also learns that Guillaume had made up a fake girlfriend for Agathe's benefit, he using a real person in his life, his and Tom's coworker Sarah Thibault, as who he would tell his mother as being his girlfriend. As such, Tom does not divulge he and Guillaume being lovers to Agathe, who in turn is angry that Sarah is not coming for the funeral. Tom further learns that Guillaume has a thirty year old brother, Francis Longchamp, who runs the farm, knew about Guillaume's homosexual orientation and knows Tom's role in Guillaume's life. Without Agathe's knowledge, Francis lets Tom know in no uncertain terms through threats and borderline violence that he does not welcome Tom, but that Tom is to stay for the funeral to provide comfort to Agathe as a touchstone to Guillaume's Montreal life, about which she basically knows nothing beyond Sarah. Throughout Tom's stay with the Longchamps, Francis' treatment of Tom changes to one of passive-aggression. Tom, in turn, begins to get sucked into life at the farm, despite or perhaps because of Francis' violent treatment, as Tom learns more about Guillaume's past, about Agathe and most specifically about Francis.