#TIFF25: “OUT STANDING” REVIEW

Review by Amanda Gilmore

Director and Co-Writer Mélanie Charbonneau brings the inspiring story of Sandra Perron, Canada’s first woman infantry officer, to the big screen.

Based on Perron’s acclaimed memoir, Charbonneau crafts a Film as fearless as its subject. It depicts a system that simultaneously changed while remaining a hostile environment for women. The script is told through two timelines. One while Perron is at the training facility, and one following her resignation. When she returns home, she learns a controversial photo has surfaced of her from a prisoner exercise during her training.

Charbonneau throws the audience into the rigorous training Perron underwent to gain the title of infantry officer. She matches the intense physical training with the vicious, misogynistic mental abuse Perron and her fellow female trainees endured by their male counterparts. The darker cinematography and lighting create a gritty atmosphere for the Film, one that mirrors the atmosphere created by the system. 

Even with the success of all the above, Out Standing stands on the shoulders of its lead, Nina Kiri. She has a remarkable presence on camera and delivers a powerful performance as Perron. Kiri masters the emotional depth of Perron’s journey, taking the audience with her.

Out Standing screens at TIFF ’25:

Tues, Sept 9 at 5:30 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

Thur, Sept 11 at 11:00 AM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto