TORONTO — “The Cost of Heaven” is an invitation for audiences to think about what our society values and how far we’d go to secure it, says Montreal writer-director Mathieu Denis.

He turned the question over in his mind for years before he made the film, watching the capitalism machine demand ever-more growth.

It premieres on Tuesday at the Toronto International Film Festival, despite a moment in May of 2020, right after he finally started writing the script, when he thought maybe it was no longer relevant.

He was cycling a lot in those days to stay active while the gyms were closed, and he would frequently ride up Mount Royal, stopping at the top to rest and look out over the mountain.

“I had never seen so far in the distance from the top of the mountain. Never,” he said.

“And the re

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