After the Axe
After the Axe is a 1982 Canadian drama film about executive firings directed by Sturla Gunnarsson. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The film explores the experiences of managers getting fired and the emergence of a new industry specialized in handling such terminations. Despite its Oscar nomination in the documentary category, "After the Axe" is closer to a docufiction film, made with the cooperation of members of the Canadian business community, which provided locations and helped script scenes during filming. The film's protagonist, D.R. "Biff" Wilson, is a composite character based  on the filmmakers' conversations with fired executives, while the other Canadian executives play themselves. Premise. Wilson, a senior marketing executive, is laid off from a food company after fifteen years of good service. Losing his status and security, he is relegated to the role of dependent house husband, resented by his children and shunned by former colleagues. Reaction. Writing in "Cinema Canada", Gary Lamphier stated that Gunnarsson and Lucas "establish Biff's decline and subsequent resurrection with economy and a sense of style."