In the Quebec countryside, on a beautiful bluff overlooking the sea, an abandoned motel has been converted into a retirement dwelling for some two dozen residents. La Belle Visite follows the inhabitants through five seasons of communal life in this secluded retreat. Time unfolds through a round of lush everyday moments and noises, the clink of silverware in the dining hall, the crunch of snow under foot, the rustling of a breeze outside a room, a murmured group prayer, an argument with an aid helping to organize a room. Unspoken, the sense of letting go, of individuals resigning themselves to coming to the end, is palpable. Yet time continues to drift by, as if echoing the lapping of the waves on the nearby shore.  ST