Curse of Aurore (2020) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film takes place in rural Quebec, Canada, primarily in the historic town of Fortierville and surrounding countryside. Key locations include a family cottage, a local church, and an old graveyard, all central to the local legends surrounding Aurore Gagnon. The remote, snowy landscape creates an isolated, claustrophobic atmosphere that amplifies the story's dread.

Foreshadowing: The isolated Quebec countryside and its small-town dynamics establish the perfect backdrop for a story about secrets lingering from the past.

• quebec
• fortierville
• setting
• rural
• location

The movie draws inspiration from the real-life 1920 tragedy of Aurore Gagnon, a child murder case from Quebec's history. This historical event remains deeply embedded in local memory and folklore, shaping how the community responds to outsiders and fueling the supernatural elements in the film. The 1920s tragedy informs local beliefs, rituals, and fears that persist into the present day.

Foreshadowing: The historical tragedy of Aurore Gagnon from the 1920s serves as the dark foundation upon which the film's present-day horror unfolds.

• aurore gagnon
• 1920s
• real case
• history
• quebec

The main narrative unfolds in present day / 2020s, following a group of American filmmakers investigating the historical case. The story interweaves this modern investigation with flashbacks and references to the 1920s tragedy, creating a tension between contemporary reality and historical horror.

Foreshadowing: The modern-day investigation serves as a bridge between the 1920s tragedy and the supernatural events that follow.

• present day
• 2020s
• time period
• modern

The film explores paranormal themes through haunted atmospheres and unexplained phenomena that challenge the characters' perceptions. As the filmmakers uncover disturbing footage, eerie occurrences intensify, doors slam, objects move, and the boundary between reality and the supernatural blurs. The characters attempt to contact Aurore's spirit, leading to increasingly dangerous supernatural encounters.

Foreshadowing: The unexplained phenomena escalate as the investigation deepens, suggesting a malignant presence tied to Aurore's tragic history.

• paranormal
• haunting
• supernatural
• spirits

The obsession theme examines how the drive to uncover a sensational truth consumes the filmmakers, often at the expense of safety and ethics. Personal tensions and creative disputes escalate as the project continues, revealing how ambition can override prudence. Kevin's aggressive pursuit of a gripping story and his decision to steal an occult book heighten the danger, showing how the pursuit of a sellable story erodes trust and judgment among the group.

Foreshadowing: The characters' obsessive pursuit of the truth becomes the catalyst for their descent into danger.

• obsession
• ambition
• truth
• documentary
• filmmakers

The legacy theme explores how Aurore Gagnon's 1920s tragedy casts a long shadow over the present, shaping local rituals, superstition, and community beliefs. The past is invoked as folklore, influencing how townspeople react to outsiders and the investigators. The film demonstrates how historical wounds persist in a community's collective memory, creating an environment where ancient fears and modern intrusion collide.

Foreshadowing: The legacy of the 1920s tragedy creates a town where past horrors continue to influence present-day actions and beliefs.

• legacy
• past
• history
• tradition
• community
• folklore

Mr. Gagnon (Michael Smith) is Aurore's French-speaking uncle who serves as the guardian of her memory. He maintains a firm, protective stance toward Aurore's legacy and distrusts outsiders investigating the case. He insists on keeping Aurore's room sealed with relics, signaling a wary defense of tradition. His stern demeanor masks a deeper fear of what the past might unleash if disturbed, embodying the conflict between ancestral reverence and modern intrusion.

Foreshadowing: Mr. Gagnon's protective nature over Aurore's memory hints at deeper secrets tied to the tragedy.

• mr gagnon
• michael smith
• uncle
• guardian

Lena (Llana Barron) serves as the local guide who anchors the group to Fortierville's lore and history. She has a deep connection to the place and is drawn to Aurore's tragic story. As the haunting intensifies, Lena experiences visions that blur reality and myth, making her both a guide and a vessel for supernatural phenomena. She navigates the tension between her companions and the town's secrets with warmth and resolve.

Foreshadowing: Lena's connection to Fortierville and her visions position her as a bridge between the living and the supernatural.

• lena
• llana barron
• local guide
• medium
• visions

Blanche (Roxane Delisle) is a spiritualist who arrives with occult knowledge and a wary presence. Her tarot readings foreshadow danger and hint at deeper powers at play. She becomes pivotal in the group's exploration of the supernatural, guiding them through rituals while unsettling them with her warnings. Blanche embodies the town's mystic traditions and represents the unpredictable nature of arcane forces working against the investigators.

Foreshadowing: Blanche's tarot readings and occult knowledge serve as warnings of the danger that lies ahead.

• blanche
• roxane delisle
• spiritualist
• tarot
• occult

Casey Nolan is a YouTube creator who frames the events as a documentary, narrating the investigation and sharing it with a wide audience. He treats the footage as evidence while balancing the tension between sensationalism and responsibility. His perspective creates the film's reality-to-fiction tension, and he ultimately faces the decision of whether to hand over the case to authorities, representing the ethical dilemmas of true crime content creation.

Foreshadowing: Casey's role as documentarian sets up the moral question of how far one should go for a story.

• casey nolan
• youtube
• documentarian
• creator

Yes, the film employs a found footage structure, presented through the lens of documentary filmmakers investigating a mystery. This style creates an intimate, raw atmosphere that intensifies the horror as the supernatural events unfold in real time. The footage discovered on a 'Dark Web' thumb drive serves as the catalyst for the investigation, blending the line between recorded evidence and supernatural documentation.

Foreshadowing: The found footage format blurs the boundary between what is captured on film and what exists beyond the camera's eye.

• found footage
• documentary
• style
• format