FIFA 2018: L'Homme de l'isle

L'HOMME DE L'ISLE

Documentary

Official Competition Art FIFA 2018

Director: BRUNO BOULIANNE

72 minutes | Québec, Canada | 2017

RELEASE date in Quebec City and Montreal - March 23, 2018.

With this film, Bruno Boulianne brings into focus St. Lawrence River, specifically its Isle aux Oies and Isle aux Grues, which are actually two ends of the same long and narrow island in the middle of the river. He presents a skilled hunter Gilles Gagné, a living incarnation of the place where he lives and where he practices his hunting guide profession in close connection with the elements, history and the islands' memory.

For thirty years, Gilles Gagné had guided the world renown Quebec painter Jean-Paul Riopelle (October 7, 1923 – March 12, 2002) to the most spectacular goose hunts. More than an accomplice of hunting, he became an ally to some of Riopelle's artistic creations, being a witness of the passing time. Now, in the film, he hunts on similar trails with another French Canadian visual artist Marc Séguin.

Marc Séguin and Gilles Gagné (right) 

The film elaborates how the geese hunting trips of Gilles Gagné with Jean-Paul Riopelle had contributed to the artist's imagery. The brutal act of shooting, the geese blood and death had especially found an expression in the Reopelle's monumental work Tribute to Rosa Luxemburg, a legacy piece, which he began in his studio on Île-aux-Oies in November 1992 after learning of the death in Paris of his former close companion, the American painter Joan Mitchel. The work was displayed in full at the MNBAQ (Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec - Quebec Museum of Fine Art) exhibition between January 29, 2014 - January 3, 2016.

Gilles Gagné in front of Riopelle's Tribute to Rosa Luxemburg

In addition to artistic allusions and art connections, the film presents Quebec regional nature and also an ethnographic study of the life on the island, featuring even a local Pierrot costume festival. The island's  inhabitants French also differs from the standard or Montreal French, not only in pronunciation but also in some vocabulary. For the Anglophone viewers, even those who speak French, future English subtitles would be helpful.

The photography aspect of the film is quite stunning. The orchestration of the nature camera shots, sounds, and the dance-like movement of the birds and branches form a visual and auditory symphony that is hypnotic and induces an almost meditative state.

Click on images to enlarge them.

The film might be of great interest to hunters and could be promoted in hunting clubs across the continent. On the other hand, it might create too great an interest, many wanting to coming to hunt on the island where the geese population is drastically diminishing and is no longer plentiful even for the local hunters.

CREATIVE TEAM

Les Films du 3 mars

With participation of GILLES GAGNÉ, MARC SÉGUIN, GINA VÉZINA

Editing: VINCENT GUIGNARD

Photography: ALEX MARGINEANU, FRANÇOIS VINCELETTE

Sound: STÉPHANE BARSALOU, MÉLANIE GAUTHIER

Sound Director MARTIN ALLARD, SIMON GERVAIS

Audio mixing: SERGE BOIVIN

Director, Script and Producer BRUNO BOULIANNE

FILM TRAILER on Vimeo

https://vimeo.com/252349740

For more information and FIFA film festival and scheduling, visit the Art FIFA website.

Gilles Gagné hunting

RENDEZ-VOUS QUÉBEC CINÉMA 2018

 

RENDEZ-VOUS QUÉBEC CINÉMA
36th Edition

February 21 - March 3, 2018

The Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma announced yesterday its program for 2018. This 36th edition has more than 300 films, including 90 premieres, as well as more than 30 free events. 

The festival’s screenings and activities will take place at the Cinémathèque québécoise, Cinéplex Odeon Quartier Latin, the Auditorium de la Grande Bibliothèque (BAnQ), the Salon orange at Centre Pierre-Péladeau and Cinéma Impérial.

The Bistro SAQ, located in Norman McLaren Hall at the Cinémathèque 
québécoise, returns as the festival’s hotspot for happy hours, fun evenings and great parties late into the  night.

Espace Rendez-vous, now located in the heart of the Cinémathèque québécoise, will be home to the festival’s interactive section and an exclusive exhibition.

LES SOIRÉES TAPIS BLEU

Presented by Bell, the festival’s SOIRÉES TAPIS BLEU are a series of gala premieres, open to all, with the filmmakers present and available to meet the public.

The world premiere of Bernard Émond’s Pour vivre ici opens the festival on February 21. The film stars Élise Guilbault, Sophie Desmarais, Amena Ahmad, Danny Gilmore and Marie Bernier. The gala opening night, co-presented by MELS, will be held at Cinéma Impérial.

The Soirées Tapis bleu include two more world premieres:

- Isla Blanca, directed by Jeanne Leblanc
- Ce silence qui qui tue, a documentary by Kim O’Bomsawin
- Grand Cru by David Eng.
- Chien de garde, directed by Sophie Dupuis, will close the 36th Rendez-vous on March 3 at Cinéma Impérial, part of the closing festivities co-presented by Cinéplex. The film stars Jean-Simon Leduc, Théodore Pellerin, Maude Guérin, Claude Laberge, Paul Ahmarani and well-known singer Marjo.

FICTIONAL FEATURES

This year, the Rendez-vous will present a total of 46 FICTIONAL FEATURES, presented by Hydro-Québec. More than ever, the year’s new films run the full gamut of genres, appealing to moviegoers of every stripe.

4 SPECIAL SCREENINGS presented by La Presse + will include a restored print of Au clair de la lune, directed by André Forcier, in celebration of the film’s 35th anniversary. Blade Runner 2049, by Denis Villeneuve, and Chuck by Philippe Falardeau will also be screened. 

As part of Black History Month, the Momentum collective will present a special program exploring an afro-centric vision of Quebec cinema.

With the aim of reaching every audience and in response to the enthusiasm for the screenings in this new section, the RVQC presents screenings for new immigrants, using film as a bridge to foster acculturation and
integration.

Another much appreciated annual activity is a special screening hosted by La Maison du Père; this year’s film is De père en flic 2, to be screened with director Émile Gaudreault as well as actors Patrice Robitaille and Mathieu Quesnel present; he will meet some of the institution’s clients.

DOCUMENTARIES 

The 36th Rendez-vous includes 25 DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES – short, medium and feature length – presented by Télé-Québec.

Women directors are particularly prominent this year, with several films by women having world premieres:

- 1999 by Samara Grace Chadwick, Ce silence qui tue by Kim O’Bomsawin,
- Exil au Far West by Sophie Fortier
- La Maison des Syriens by Nadine Beaudet and Christian Mathieu Fournier.
- Louis! Louis! Louis! by Philippe Frenette-Roy will also have its world premiere.

Quebec and Canadian premieres include

- A Great Day in Paris by the late Michka Saäl (Canadian premiere)
- Comme un caillou dans la botte by Hélène Choquette (Quebec premiere)
- Modifié by Aube Giroux (Quebec premiere)
- Noshommes dans l’Ouest by Renée Blanchar (Quebec premiere).

The RVQC will also provide excellent opportunities to catch big-screen showings of documentaries that made their mark in 2017, including Esprit de cantine by Nicolas Paquet, Destierros by Hubert Caron-Guay, Combat
au bout de la nuit by Sylvain l’Espérance, and tLabrecque: une caméra pour la mémoire by Michel La Veaux.

SHORTS

With 215 films, including 73 premieres, 54 films in competition and 24 programs in every genre presented by Unis TV, the RVQC is the world’s biggest showcase of Quebec’s short films.

THE 2018 RVQC AWARDS

A total of 11 awards will be presented on February 28, for films in official competition at the Rendez-vous, including the prestigious Prix
Gilles-Carle for Best first or second fictional feature, presented by Bell, and the Prix Pierre et YolandePerrault for Best first or second documentary feature, presented by Hydro-Québec. The jury for 2018 is made up of 15 professionals from the cultural industry in Quebec and francophone communities across Canada, including 11 women active in the film industry.

VIRTUAL REALITY AND INTERACTIVE WORKS

The program features the latest practices and presents 7 works
available for free from February 22 to March 3 in the Espace Rendez-vous. 

FREE EXHIBITION

While visiting the Espace Rendez-vous, the public will see the exclusive storyboard exhibition Les Affamés: décomposition en images, and learn all about the stunning new film by Robin Aubert. The storyboards are by illustrator Jean-Philippe Marcotte, an artist who has also worked with Denis Arcand and Xavier Dolan.

THE RENDEZ-VOUS IN YOUR HOME

From February 21 to March 3, Les Rendez-vous chez vous will allow audiences everywhere in Quebec to enjoya selection of films from this year’s festival on their computer or TV. Several fictional features will be available on-demand through Bell Fibe TV, including, among others, Les Affamés, Et au pire, on se mariera, Pieds nus dans l’aube, Le problème d’infiltration and Les rois mongols. A fine selection of shorts will also be available for free on ICI TOU.TV. Movie lovers can also catch several RVQC events, live or delayed, through Québec Cinéma’s Facebook page. It’s a chance to experience the festival anywhere, any time on your platform of choice!

HAPPY HOURS – THE PLACE TO MEET OUR FILMMAKERS

As it does every year, the festival will start each evening on a high note with a 5 p.m. rendezvous at the Bistro SAQ in the Cinémathèque québécoise, for a series of get-togethers, discussions and chats with artists and industry professionals.

PRIX COLLÉGIAL DU CINÉMA QUÉBÉCOIS (PCCQ) and Cegep
students from across Quebec.

The event, emceed by Marie-Louise Arsenault, will be live-streamed on Québec Cinéma’s Facebook page so that students from all 54 participating cegeps can join in the discussion wherever they are. 

TICKETS 

Tickets for the 36th annual Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma are now on sale, without service charges, at quebeccinema.ca!

Cinephiles can also purchase tickets from lavitrine.com.

Festival goers can view the 2018 program online and in hard copy at the Cinémathèque québécoise. It is possible to create a custom schedule on the RVQC website by creating an account or by signing in with Facebook.

For more information and programming, visit the RVQC festival website.

RIDM 2017 Award Winners

Award winners of the 20^th Montreal International Documentary Festival
(RIDM)

November 18, 2017 

Regardless of the Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) ending on November EATURE19, 2017 the award winners for this 20^th annual RIDM were announced  the day before, on November 18, 2017, during the closing ceremony at Concordia University’s Alumni Auditorium (H110).

GRAND PRIZE FOR BEST INTERNATIONAL F

The grand prize for best international feature, presented by Bell Media, went to Room for a Man by Anthony Chidiac. “The film opens doors and windows to an inner world that contains an entire private universe of deep meaning, broaching serious issues with wry humour and an irresistible rebellious spirit.”

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE – INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

“For its bold artistic vision that seeks ways to involve film in social and political realities, its original creative approach and its exploration of the dark corners of exile”, the special jury prize went to Taste of Cement by Ziad Kalthoum.

The jury for the international feature competition was composed of Daniel Kasman, Damien Detcheberry, Leena Pasanen, Marie-Ève Juste and Neil Young.

GRAND PRIZE FOR BEST CANADIAN FEATURE

Citing “the fluid and original structure the filmmaker created for his portrait of a complex protagonist,” the Canadian feature jury named Taming the Horse by Tao Gu as best Canadian feature.

The jury also awarded a special mention to Primas by Laura Bari.

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE – CANADIAN FEATURE

The special jury prize went to Jean-François Lesage for La rivière cachée, “for making a natural phenomenon a protagonist, and for the precision and elegance with which the film describes even ordinary existential issues.”

BEST NEW TALENT FROM QUÉBEC / CANADA

Presented by Post-Moderne, the award for best new talent from Quebec/Canada is presented to the maker of the best first Canadian documentary in the official selection. This year’s award went to Emilie B. Guérette for L’autre Rio. “The filmmaker ventured into the interstices of a major international event, where she achieved remarkable proximity to her protagonists.”

The Canadian feature competition jury was composed of Emilie Bujès, Pablo Alvarez Mesa and Robert Gray.

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT OR MEDIUM-LENGTH FILM

The jury selected Ico Costa’s Nyo Vweta Nafta as this year’s best international short or medium-length film. “This magnificent film, shot in 16mm, is grounded in the political and economic realities of Mozambique. Its artistic vision serves its contemplation of the world and helps us understand important issues.”

BEST CANADIAN SHORT OR MEDIUM-LENGTH FILM

The award for best Canadian short or medium-length film was presented to Jacquelyn Mills for In the Waves. The film “is a touching meditation that transcends the personal, elegantly steering a course from the banal to the deeply philosophical, without ever losing sight of the materiality of everyday routine.”

The jury for the Canadian and international short and medium-length competitions was composed of Adam Cook, Amandine Gay and Lisa Jackson.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

Presented by TV5, this award recognizes festivalgoers’ favourite film in the official competition and Panorama sections. This year’s audience pick was Amandine Gay for Ouvrir La Voix.

MAGNUS ISACSSON AWARD

The Magnus Isacsson award was created in honour of the late, much-loved Montreal documentary filmmaker Magnus Isacsson. It is presented to an up-and-coming Canadian director who demonstrates social conscience. Presented by the ARRQ, Cinema Politica, DOC Québec and Main Film, this year’s award went to Jason O’Hara for State of Exception, “a film that reveals its director’s exceptional commitment. An activist, passionate, necessary film, made entirely independently over many years.”

The jury for the Magnus Isacsson Award was composed of Jocelyne Clarke, Ezra Winton (Cinema Politica), Richard Brouillette (Main Film), Sophie Bissonnette (ARRQ) and Steve Patry (DOC Québec).

STUDENT AWARD

This award recognizes a documentary selected by the student jury from among the films in the Canadian competition. It is part of the RIDM’s youth outreach and awareness program and is presented with the support of the CSN and Telefilm Canada. This year’s student award was presented to Tasha Hubbard for Birth of a Family, a film notable for “the urgency and authenticity of its subject, majestic landscapes that echo the intense emotions the film inspires, and its frank documentation of the alienation of a people. It is a clear reminder that we are on unceded indigenous land.”

The jury for the student award was composed of Florence Côté-Lagacé (Cégep Édouard-Montpetit), Antoine Harvey (Collège Montmorency), Charles-Édouard Martel-Marquis (Cégep de Saint-Laurent), Sarah Mederos Bernia (Cégep André-Laurendeau), Adriana Paquette, (Cégep Marie-Victorin), Chloé Simard (Collège de Maisonneuve).

WOMEN INMATES’ AWARD

The women inmates’ jury is composed of five inmates of the Joliette Institution. They chose a winner from a selection of eight films from the official competition and Panorama. Daisy, Mélanie, Jackie, Roxanne and Julie named Bagages by Paul Tom for “its original approach that opens a window on the other and introduces us to young people who reveal themselves frankly and unreservedly, and because we believe this is a touching and necessary film.” This initiative is carried out in partnership with Telefilm Canada, the Quebec chapter of the Elizabeth Fry Society and the Entente sur le développement culturel de Montréal. The project is supported by the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications and the Ville de Montréal.

Information: www.ridm.ca / info@ridm.ca

RIDM 2017: Opening Film

Montreal International Documentary Film Festival (RIDM)

20^th Edition
November 9 - 19, 2017

Opening Film

24 Davids
WORLD PREMIERE

CANADA-QUEBEC / 2017 / 133 min. / French, English, Spanish, Twi / S.T. English and French

This film is an essay by Céline Baril filmed on three continents. It will have its world premiere on Thursday, November 9, during the Opening night of the RIDM festival, in the Alumni Auditorium (H-110) at Concordia University (by invitation only). The filmmaker will be in attendance, following a public screening during the festival’s first weekend.

For more than two decades, Céline Baril has been one of the original voices in Quebec’s film industry. The cinematic essay is her favoured medium. She has travelled the world and met members of many different cultures in her quest to create a humane, critical portrait of the world today.

24 Davids is a road movie that travels to three continents for 24 inspiring encounters. All 24 men the audience meet are very different from one another except that they all have the same name David. They also all reflect on major issues facing the world, and express their desire to work for a change. 

All Davids in the film are young men who are either concerned how the universe is made or are struggling to make this world better. There is a constant juxtaposition between the theoretical discussion of cosmology issues in a prestigious academic environment as opposed to the realities in less affluent and the third world countries, their real day-to-day struggles, the awareness that the world has to be made a better place for people and the solutions they offer. The film renders a strange perspective of a major disconnect between those two totally different worlds, the theoretical academic and the real one. 

24 Davids is produced by Colette Loumède at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). Its cinema release is slated for February 2, 2018.

FILM TRAILER on Vimeo
https://vimeo.com/224206494

For more information, visit the Montreal International Documentary Film Festival (RIDM) website.

FNC 2017: Award Winners

AWARD WINNERS

Prizes were awarded on October 14, 2017

INTERNATIONAL Competition - Best Feature Film

Jury: Sophie Cadieux, Alexandre Domingue andLyse Lafontaine.

Louve d’Or presented by Québecor ($15,000 cash from Québecor)

AVA by LÉA MYSIUS (France)

Daniel Langlois Innovation Award

To recognizes an International Competition film for its daring aesthetics, creative use of new technologies and/ or groundbreaking treatment of a sensitive subject matter.

TÉHÉRAN TABOU by ALI SOOZANDEH (Austria, Germany)

Best Actor or Actress Award

Best actor or actress in a feature film in the International Competition.

DARYA ZHOVNAR in CLOSENESS by KANTEMIR BALAGOV (Russia)

FOCUS QUÉBEC/CANADA – Feature Films

Jury: Luciano Barisone, Nina Rodriguez and Jan Naszewski.

Canada Award  presented byPost-Moderne ($3,000 cash and $12,000 in post production services).

LES FAUX TATOUAGES by PASCAL PLANTE (Québec/Canada)

INTERNATIONAL PANORAM – Feature Films

Jury Cinema Politica: Pierre Luc Junet, Michelle Latimer, Zahra Moloo, Svetla Turnin and Ezra Winton.

Cinema Politica Award - Best feature film in the Panorama competition.

LIFE AND NOTHING MORE by ANTONIO MENDEZ ESPARZA (Spain)

Cinema Politica Special Mention 

THE NOTHING FACTORY by PEDRO PINHO (Portugal)

Peace Award presented by the Family Brian Bronfman Fondation

To Recognizes a work in the Panorama Competition that stands out for its contribution to the development of peace ($2,000 cash from the Family Brian Bronfman Fondation).

GHOST HUNTING by RAED ANDONI (Palestine, France, Switzerland, Qatar)

NEW  ALCHIMISTES – Feature Films

Jury of l’AQCC (New Alchemists - Les nouveaux alchimistes): Maxime Labrecque, Sylvain Lavallée and Zoé Protat.

AQCC Award and experimentation Award presented by Mubi

Best feature film in the Les nouveaux alchimistes competition (exclusive broadcast on the Mubi platform).

LES GARÇONS SAUVAGES by BERTRAND MANDICO (France)

TEMPS Ø – LONGS MÉTRAGES

Temps Ø Public’s Choice Award

Meilleur long métrage issu de la section Temps Ø / Best feature film in the Temps Ø section.

LES AFFAMÉS de Robin Aubert (Québec/Canada)

INTERNATIONAL Competition – SHORT FILMS

Jury: Natasha Kanapé Fontaine, Magalie Lépine-Blondeau et Véronique Barbe.

Loup argenté - Best short film in the International Competition.

COPA-LOCA by CHRISTOS MASSALAS (Greece)

Jury's Special mention

TESLA : LUMIÈRE MONDIALE by MATTHEW RANKIN (Québec/Canada)

FOCUS QUÉBEC/CANADA – Short Films

Jury: Wouter Jansen, Sanne Jehoul and Samya Papasoff.

Focus Québec/Canada  Grand Prix– Short Film presented by CineGround

Best short film in the Focus Québec/Canada competition ($15,000 in camera and/or post-production services awarded by CineGround).

MILK by HEATHER YOUNG (Nova Scotia, Canada)

Short film Focus Québec/Canada - People’s Choice Award presented by Unis TV

Best short film in french language in the Focus Québec/Canada competition ($2,000 cash from Unis TV).

CRÈME DE MENTHE by JEAN-MARC E. ROY et PHILIPPE DAVID GAGNÉ (Québec/Canada)

NEW ALCHEMISTES – SHORT FILMS

Jury:  Pierre Hébert, Delphine Jeanneret et Guillaume Lafleur.

Dada Award presented by Main Film and Mubi experimentation Award presented by Mubi

Best short film in the Les nouveaux alchimistes compétition ($1,000 cash from Main Film and exclusive broadcast on the Mubi platform).

PAINTING WITH HISTORY IN A ROOM FILLED WITH PEOPLE WITH FUNNY NAMES by KORAKRIT ARUNANONDCHAI (Thaïland/USA)

Special Mention

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE MOUNTAIN by CHRISTIN TURNER (USA)

RENCONTRES PANCANADIENNES DU CINÉMA ÉTUDIANT – STUDENT FILM PAN-CANADIAN ENCOUNTERS

Jury: Sofia Bohdanowicz, Alexandre Dostie and Gabrielle Lautru.

Pan-Canadian Student Film Encounters Award presented by Ulule

 ($1,500 to start a funding campaign on Ulule with personalized pre-campaign support).

PRENDS MA MAIN by ALEXANDRE LEFEBVRE (Québec/Canada)

Sound Design Special Mention

TOER by JASMIJN CEDÉE and SAM MONGEAU (Belgium)

P’tits loups Award - Small Wolfs Award

Jury: Camélia Laure Belzile, Fatima Bertin, Julien Bouchard, Clara Fonfrède and Jules Péloquin.

Best short film in the P’tits Loups section.

LA MAISON DU HÉRISSON by EVA CVIJANOVIC (Québec/Canada)

Special Mention

BIRDLIME by EVAN DERUSHIE (Québec/Canada)

FNC EXPLORE – INTERACTIVE PROJECTS and VIRTUAL TRALITY

Jury: Paola Gazzani Marinelli, Michael Kronish, Sandra Rodriguez, Liz Rosenthal and Jenna Seydon.

Innovation Award presented by Prim

The most innovative work for new platforms ($10,000 in production expenses and artist residency from PRIM).

VR_I by GILLES JOBIN & ARTANIM (Switzerland)

Immersion Award presented by Geneva International Film Festival

Best immersive work in the FNC EXPLORE.

NOTHING HAPPENS by MICHELLE & URI KRANOT (Danemark, France)

FNC EXPLORE Performances/Installations – Virtual reality

Public’s Choice Award presented by Viveport (HTC) 

$2,500 US cash from Viveport (HTC)

VR_I by GILLES JOBIN & ARTANIM (Switzerland)

FNC EXPLORE Films Public's Choice Award 

presented by Viveport (HTC) 

$1,500 US cash from Viveport (HTC)

PLANET ∞ by MOMOKO SETO, BARNEROUSE FILMS (France)

Best French Work Award presented by uniFrance 

€1,000 cash from UniFrance

ALTERATION  by JÉRÔME BLANQUET, OKIO STUDIO (France)

Award for the best presentatio of a VR project in development 

$1,000 US cash from Viveport (HTC)

CINEMATOGRAFI  by BOMBINA BOMBAST (Sweden)