Cinemania 2016 Film Program

CINEMANIA ANNOUNCES COMPLETE 22nd EDITION FILM PROGRAM
FOCUS ON DIVERSITY OF FRANCOPHONE FILMMAKING

November 3 - 13, 2016

50 film screenings, 40 Premieres,
16 celebrity guests and many special events

The 22nd anniversary edition is dedicated to the diversity of Francophone filmmaking. It will take place at the Imperial Cinema, at the Cinémathèque québécoise and at the Cinéma du Parc. During the 11 days of the Festival, 50 films will be screened, of which 40 are either Quebec, Canada or North American premieres. This year, more than ever before, the creativity and talent of the Francophone film world will be featured in all its cultural and geographic diversity.

Director Nicole Garcia opens the Festival with FROM THE LAND OF THE MOON (Mal de pierres) starring the remarkable Marion Cotillard in one of her finest roles, that of a free-spirited yet dissatisfied woman on a quest for passionate love. Its an intensely grand romantic saga with Mme Bovary overtones, marking Nicole Garcia’s return to Montreal and to CINEMANIA’s stage for the Gala Opening Evening and film screening, on Thursday, November 3rd. She will be accompanied by Jacques Fieschi, her co-screenwriter. The presence of Nicole Garcia this year as CINEMANIA's guest of honor is made possible by Nespresso. In collaboration with CINEMANIA, the Cinémathèque québécoise will be taking advantage of Nicole Garcia’s appearance in Montreal to offer a tribute to this unique and highly talented actress in the form of eight films that celebrate Mlle Garcia’s career as both an actress and a director: PLACE VENDOME, L’ADVERSAIRE, PERIL EN LA DEMEURE, LES MOTS POUR LE DIRE, GARCON!, MON ONCLE D’AMERIQUE, LE CAVALEUR, BETTY FISHER ET D’AUTRES HISTOIRES. Mlle Garcia will introduce several of the retrospective films in person at the Cinémathèque québécoise.

CINEMANIA 2016 gives filmgoers in Montreal a rare opportunity to view (with English subtitles) the most important Francophone films of the year, featured at the most prestigious international film festivals. FROM THE LAND OF THE MOON (Mal de pierres) by Nicole Garcia, ELLE by Paul Verhoeven, (France’s entry at the Oscars 2017), SLACK BAY (Ma Loute) by Bruno Dumont, THE UNKNOWN GIRL (La fille inconnue) by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, PERSONAL SHOPPER by Olivier Assayas, STAYING VERTICAL (Rester vertical) by Alain Guiraudie and CHOUF by Karim Dridi. All the foregoing titles are from Cannes Official Selection 2016, a record-breaking program at CINEMANIA! Added to this impressive list are IN BED WITH VICTORIA (Victoria) by Justine Triet that opened Critics’ Week at Cannes, MERCENARY (Mercenaire) by Sacha Wolff from Directors’ Fortnight Cannes, as well as AFTER LOVE (L’économie du couple) by Joachim Lafosse (Critics’ Week).

CINEMANIA is also highlighting two films from “Un Certain Regard”, Cannes 2016: THE DANCER (La danseuse) by Stephanie di Giusto and STOPOVER (Voir du pays) by Delphine and Muriel Coulin, both starring SOKO, an exceptionally gifted artist and celebrity guest who will appear at CINEMANIA together with the directing duo of STOPOVER (Voir du pays).

IN BED WITH VICTORIA (Victoria), the Closing Film at CINEMANIA on November 13th, features the astonishingly versatile Franco-Belgian actress Virginie Efira and celebrates the talent of yet another female director, Justine Triet, who has so successfully re-invented French film comedy with her energy and contemporary sophistication.

CINEMANIA is also presenting a “Special Focus” on Mlle Efira’s recent film roles, towards the end of the 11-day Festival and into its final weekend, and she will be present on CINEMANIA’s stage at the Imperial Cinema to personally introduce her films that are brimming with the special brand of effervescence that has literally transformed French cinema.

Local actress Monia Chokri will introduce the Quebec premiere of HEAL THE LIVING (Réparer les vivants) by Katell Quillévéré, also featuring Quebec actress Anne Dorval – it’s a favourite “pick” of the CINEMANIA programming team. Director Thomas Lilti will personally present the second favourite “pick” of the 22nd Festival edition, IRREPLACEABLE (Médecin de campagne) starring Francois Cluzet (star of “The Intouchables”).

Among other eagerly anticipated films is Bertand Bonello’s latest, NOCTURAMA, as well as the newest film by the great director Andre Téchiné, BEING 17 (Quand on a 17 ans) (Berlinale 2016, Official Competition). Isabelle Huppert, the most prolific starring actress of French cinema 2016, will be featured not only in the thriller ELLE but in two other films: SOUVENIR by Bavo Difurne and THINGS TO COME (L’Avenir) by Mia Hansen-Løve (Berlinale 2016, Ofiicial Competition).

Historical dramas that Festival audiences particularly enjoy are well represented at CINEMANIA 2016: A WOMAN’S LIFE (Une vie) by Stéphane Brizé, adapted from a Guy de Maupassant novel, the highly-anticipated CEZANNE AND I (Cézanne et moi), an opus by Danièle Thompson starring Guillaume Canet and Guillaume Gallienne that recounts the lifelong friendship of the artist Paul Cezanne and the writer Emile Zola, CHOCOLAT by Roschdy Zem starring Omar Sy (“The Intouchables”), FANNY’S JOURNEY (Le voyage de Fanny) by Lola Doillon based on a true WWll story, another true story THE POISONING ANGEL (Fleur de tonnerre) by Stéphanie Pillonca-Kervern, and a second WWll story COME WHAT MAY (En mai fais ce qu’il te plait) by Christian Carion.

Actor Raphaël Personnaz will be introducing the North American premiere of SIBERIA (Dans les forêts de Sibérie) by Safy Nebbou, a true adventure film adapted from Sylvain Tesson’s autobiography. Debut filmmaker, director Elliott Covrigaru will personally present SNOW IN VENICE (Venise sous la neige), a gem of a film that created a sensation at its premiere at the Angouleme Film Festival in August – the film is an adaptation of Gilles Dyrek’s remarkably successful play that follows the best traditions of French “theatre de boulevard”.

Belgian actress Astrid Whettnall will introduce the latest work of Rachid Bouchareb, THE ROAD TO ISTANBUL (La route d’Istanbul), a tribute to the tenacity of a mother’s love as she searches for a daughter who has departed for Syria to join jihadists. CINEMANIA is proud to present three other exceptional films that deal with the highly topical subjects of terrorism and the radicalization of young people: HEAVEN CAN WAIT (Le ciel attendra) by Marie-Castille Mention-Shaar with Sandrine Bonnaire and Clotilde Courrau, FOREIGN BODY (Corps étranger) by Raja Amari, and, of course, NOCTURAMA by Bertrand Bonello.

A KID (Le fils de Jean) by Philippe Lioret will get its North American gala premiere in the presence of its director and film crew and distinguished Quebecois actor Gabriel Arcand. This Quebec-France co-production best represents the mission of the RCF (Rencontres de Coproduction Francophone) organized by SODEC in collaboration with CINEMANIA, which for the first time will take place in Montreal from November 8th to 11th. Nearly 150 producers will participate in Francophone coproduction workshops and conferences. In parallel, CINEMANIA’s programming this year reflects this focus on the diversity of Francophone filmmaking. Eight Belgian films are in the program, two of which are coproductions. In addition, there’s a Senegal-Mali-France co-production, the thriller WULU by Daouda Coulibaly (a kind-of
Mali “Scarface”) in which the action unfolds in the Mali capital of Bamako. The Festival will also focus one evening on a Luxembourg production, SOUVENIR by Bavo Defurne, and another on the Tunisian film FOREIGN BODY (Corps étranger) by director Raja Amari.

As it has been for many years, the GRAND PRIX MEL HOPPENHEIM will be awarded to the most popular film decided by votes cast by the audience. And, the TFO Prix du Public will be awarded to the best “first-time feature director”. CINEMANIA, alongside its 88 partners, sponsors, and numerous invited guests, and its programs dedicated to young spectators and film students (Rencontre Cinepro, Culture Lab, scholastic screenings program and free Summer “Screenings in the Park”), and its many special events, unveils a record-breaking and special 22nd edition!


For more information, visit the CINEMANIA website.