Cinémania 2020: Three highlights to discover before the festival ends on Nov. 22
The transition of film festivals to the online world remains a good opportunity to discov er exclusive auteur cinema and offers a change from the usual Netflix suggestions. It also, however, comes with its own challenges. For instance, there are often too many films to choose from, and they are often only available for a limited time.
I therefore embarked on a Cinémania marathon these last few days to help you choose some of the best francophone films the festival has to offer, and maybe save you some time as the festival approaches its end on Nov. 22!
Louis Bélanger: A retrospective
Louis Bélanger is one of Quebec’s most prolific directors, but he, unfortunately, remains unknown to young audiences. Though he made some of his most acclaimed works in the 1990s and early 2000s, he remains active today, exploring many different themes and genres.
Cinémania is presenting a special retrospective of the director’s career, including his most celebrated fiction films; his lesser known, but still interesting, documentaries; and a special masterclass by Bélanger himself.
The festival has also produced its own documentary about the filmmaker. Directed by Kalina Bertin (Manic, 2017), Louis Bélanger : Portrait du cinéaste québécois traces the director’s journey from making experimental short films in the 1990s to directing big-budget comedy features more recently. It is available online for free, on the festival’s website.
Additionally, Post Mortem (1999) might just be Bélanger’s best film. Blending magical realism and a typical Québécois family drama setting, it tells the poetic story of a single mother’s resurrection in the most unusual circumstances. While the film only had one online showing last week at Cinémania, it remains available on various streaming platforms, and is a must-watch to understand Québécois cinema of the 1990s.
However, other interesting Bélanger films are still up for grabs on Cinémania’s website. I particularly recommend Lauzon Lauzonne (2001), a documentary about filmmaker Jean-Claude Lauzon (Léolo, 1992), and Les 14 définitions de la pluie (1992), a beautiful short film about two men who embark on an existential journey in the Quebec wilderness.
Si le vent tombe, by Nora Martirosyan (Feature Image)
Si le vent tombe is Martirosyan’s first short film, but it exudes great wisdom and finesse, most notably through its impeccable cinematography. It depicts the life-changing trip of Alain (Grégoire Colin), an engineer, who travels to Nagorno-Karabakh, a small self-proclaimed republic in Caucasus, to help reopen their airport.
As a France-Belgium-Armenia co-production that was selected at the latest Cannes festival, Si le vent tombe is a beautiful gateway to discover international contemporary francophone cinema.
Été 85 by François Ozon
Été 85 is not the most believable story, and sometimes resorts to clichés, but remains a compelling coming-of-age film. It could even be argued that Ozon assumes and accepts his clichés and plays with a classic rom-com narrative and 80s queer aesthetics to enhance his storytelling.
Depicting a tragic story of grief and jealousy, Été 85 remains a fun way to become acquainted by Ozon’s style, and to discover what makes him one of the most popular French directors today.
The entire programming is available here. It costs $8 per individual film, or $65 for the entire online selection.
Also make sure to consult Cinémania’s online schedule, as most films are only available within specific 48 hour time slots.
À travers les murs, by Larissa Corriveau (Canada), is one of the short films selected at Cinémania this year.
The francophone film festival will be held entirely online and available across Canada
Against all odds, this year’s edition of Cinémania is set to begin with great optimism. From Nov. 4 to 22, Canada’s largest film festival dedicated to francophone cinema is presenting its most ambitious programming to date — entirely online — proudly adding new features such as a short film program and homemade documentaries.
“We were simply ready,” said Guilhem Caillard, the festival’s managing director, about having to face social distancing measures in the second wave of the pandemic. “The most important aspect is that our public has access to our films, and honestly, in terms of programming, this year is the richest of the 25-year history of the festival.”
Along with other institutions in the film and performing arts industries, Cinémania was put under tremendous stress recently. Until last week, they hadn’t been able to confirm whether they would be able to show their films in theatres. When the provincial government announced that red zone restrictions would remain in effect until Nov. 23, the festival already had an online platform ready to go — one they had been working on since last April.
In total, only eight films (out of 130) could not be moved online as their distributors didn’t allow it, but Caillard has promised that when it’s permitted, these films will come to theatres in Montreal.
Among those removed from the festival was the opening film, Aline. Directed by and starring renowned French actress Valérie Lemercier, Aline is a fictional film heavily inspired by the life of Céline Dion. The most anticipated feature of the festival, its release on both sides of the Atlantic has been postponed to an unknown later date.
Cinémania is now bigger than ever, adding short films and homemade documentaries this year.
“Opening to short films allows the festival to open up even more to emerging filmmakers, to diversity, and to more francophone countries,” said Anne de Marchis, the director of marketing and communications at Cinémania.
This year the festival adds short films to its programming for the first time ever, including more than 30 films encompassing many different genres. Most of them are from Québec, as Cinémania will also present films that were set to be shown at Regard, a short film festival in Saguenay, which was cancelled on its first day, in March, due to social distancing measures.
Another addition this year are two documentaries produced by the festival itself: a short documentary about Louis Bélanger, this year’s festival’s guest of honour, directed by Kalina Bertin (Manic, 2017), and another by Gauthier Aboudaram on the film La nuit des rois, Ivory Coast’s 2020 Oscar submission, which is also featured at the festival.
A diverse programming to discover francophone cultures worldwide.
Once again, Cinémania proves to be an eloquent testament to francophone cinema’s diversity; encompassing many genres, approaches, and themes.
“This year we observed a strong presence of Quebecois cinema, stronger than ever at the festival,” said Caillard. A good example that might interest Concordians, according to Caillard, is Maryanne Zéhil’s La face cachée du baklava, a comedy about how Lebanese people are perceived in Quebec. Also, for every ticket sold, a dollar will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross for reconstruction in Beirut.
L’État Sauvage, a feminist western and a France-Quebec coproduction, is another of Caillard’s favorites this year, “which brings out the western side of the Quebec landscapes,” he said, and depicts a French family in the midst of the American civil war.
Caillard also noted that many of his films this year — more than ever — centre around LGBTQ+ issues, allowing his audience to discover how they can be seen and portrayed around the world. Among those are A good man by Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar, which tells the unconventional story of a transgender man’s pregnancy, or Deux, by Filippo Meneghetti about the beautiful lesbian love story of octogenarians.
Cinémania also presents itself as a good opportunity to see some high-profile directors’ work, including films that were part of the official competition at Cannes this year, and new anticipated features such as François Ozon’s Été 85, or Cédric Klapisch’s latest, Deux moi.
The entire programming is available here. It costs $8 per individual film, or $65 for the entire online selection.
Some Cinemania films worth checking out, and a Q & A with Thomas Cailley, director of Love at first fight (Les Combattants)
With an extended program of 55 films and special guests, the 20th edition of the Cinemania francophone film festival is an opportunity to discover big names or rising stars of the French and Belgian cinema.
You do not even need to understand French in order to appreciate the festival, since all movies will be screened with English subtitles. Cinemania Creator Maidy Teitelbaum’s goal was to launch the first French-language film festival with english subtitles—she had Montreal’s many english speakers in mind.
If you plan on seeing as many of the films as possible, passports are available, allowing you access to the entire festival. If you do not have time to see every film, here are a few of our recommendations.
Price of Fame (La Rançon de la Gloire) Xavier Beauvois’ latest movie is a pleasant surprise in this festival. The filmmaker of Des hommes et des dieux (2011) and Le petit lieutenant (2007) offers a sublime homage to Charlie Chaplin. The ‘dramedy’ literally makes Chaplin turn in his grave—the movie recounts the story of Chaplin’s coffin being stolen.
In a ‘70s small town on Lac Léman in Switzerland, Eddy Ricaart (Benoît Poelvoorde), fresh out of prison, is welcomed by an old buddy, Osman Bricha (Roschy Zem). Money is scarce for Osman to take care of his seven-year-old daughter and his hospitalized wife, Eddy hatches a wild idea: kidnap Chaplin’s coffin who just died in a neighbouring town and ask for a ransom.
From a real minor item news, (Chaplin’s coffin really was stolen from its grave), Beauvois made a tender comedy around a family, with a touch of love and suspense, and two superb actors. The granddaughter of Chaplin, Dolores, is also part of the cast.
SK1 (L’Affaire SK1) If you are a fan of thrillers, or even just a movie person overall, you should definitely go see this crime film, which dives into the 36, quai des Orfèvres—the criminal investigation division of French police in Paris. While presenting the real circumstances that lead to the revision of justice in France in the ‘90s, you will face a gut-wrenching story.
We directly jump into a sordid investigation with the newly-recruited police detective Franck Magné (Raphaël Personnaz). He researched and cross-referenced proof of a long-term serial killer perpetrating horrific crimes in the East of Paris.
From performance to staging, all is strongly done to make this a tenacious and efficient movie based on the real 10-year tracking of Guy George (Adama Niane).
Saint Laurent To get a taste of the ‘70s and of high-end French fashion, you should try watching Bertrand Bonello’s Yves Saint Laurent biopic. Gaspard Ulliel successfully personifies the famous couturier and his tumultuous life.
The story is built around Saint Laurent’s schizoid personality. He goes from spending his days surrounded by luxury and creativity—supported by Pierre Berger (Jérémie Régnier)—to darkness following his love at first sight, Jacques de Bascher (Louis Garrel).
The dichotomy of Saint Laurent’s life is apparent from the first scene. Filmed from behind with a voice-over, the film opens with Saint Laurent arriving in a hotel as Mr. Swann, and thus immediately displays an unexpected facet of this well-known figure of international fashion’s persona.
The ambiance is clearly aesthetically pleasing, sometimes disturbing, but definitely ‘70s-inspired, with incredible actors and a lot of talent to display.
The 20th Cinemania film festival will be taking place until Nov. 16 at the Imperial Cinema, Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Parc. For more information, visit festivalcinemania.com.
Love at first fight (Les Combattants) will be the subject of an important gala evening on Nov. 11 that the film team will be attending. A second screening is planned for Nov. 12.
Love at the first fight (Les Combattants) will premiere in theatres from November 14.
Originality is the best word to describe Thomas Cailley’s first feature. The film was showcased at the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes and features Adèle Haenel who won a César for “best supporting actress” in Suzanne (2013). Humor is one important aspect of the dialogue and accordingly balances itself well with the rest of the movie. The stormy weather and other elements of nature following the the two traveling lovers, Madeleine (Adèle Haenel) and Arnaud (Kévin Azaïs), add a sense of complexity and a little je ne sais quoi to the movie. The unusual beauty of this film comes from the setting of the deeply-forested French Gironde region. Arnaud, completely smitten for Madeleine, chases after her.
Director Thomas Cailley spoke to The Concordian about his first full-length movie.
The Concordian (C): In a few words, how do you sum up the story of Love at first fight (Les Combattants)?
Thomas Cailley (TC): It is a love and survival story with a girl waiting for the end of the world and a boy who will offer her the beginning of a world.
C: How did you choose this duo?
TC: I like the duo figure and I immediately wanted antagonistic characters. Antagonistic characters are often very complementary. They have two different life supports. Arnaud struggles for the conservation of his world while Madeleine is a war person, waiting for a fight that does not arrive. While he toughens up, she opens herself to the world; the story is a journey to [each] other. What I like about having antagonistic characters is that it creates conflicting viewpoints; he looks at her, tries to understand her. Eventually they contaminate each other. I do not think the two characters cure each others from this combination. Arnaud speaks like her at the end and Madeleine becomes aware of the necessity to have a partner.
C: How did you choose Madeleine’s character? She is a bit atypical of the image of women in cinema.
TC: The problem comes from the representation of the woman in cinema, moreover in romantic comedies. I am not interested in representing something I do not see in real life. I know a lot of girls like Madeleine. I find her quite realistic and contemporary. And more as an observation, I took my inspiration from Bear Grylls, creator of the U.K. television series Man vs. Wild, to create Madeleine. He puts survival as a top condition of life. Surviving is not living less, but living more intensely.
C: What about the choice of the military background? Is it not in contradiction with the way of living intensely?
TC: Yes, it does not work for her. She goes to the army to find concrete things for her but the army just offers values. This confrontation becomes funny. She is in a such selfish approach, the army could not be hard enough in relation to her self-discipline.
C: The link between natural elements and character development is quite strong. How did you build on this? Is nature a character in itself?
TC: I do not see nature as a character but as an extension of the characters. Roughly, there are three parts in the movie; first, there is Arnaud’s world being an area quite flat in Aquitaine. There is no horizon, there is always something to cut and hide it wherever you place yourself It’s precisely Arnaud’s problem, who can not project himself in the future, thus his absence of “horizon.” Then comes the disrupted world of the army with mountains and assault courses, something with a bit more texture. Finally, with these two worlds resulting in failure for the two characters, they decide to create their own. At first the characters realize that if the world surrounding them does not pleased them, they can create their own with the power of imagination. Then, the further they go into this fictive idea, catastrophes starts to to happen. Those events happen because of Madelaine; you try to help her, you get a storm; you take the train with her, you see fiery tornadoes through the windows; if you go into the forest with her, the forest burns. I like this idea of confusion between the characters and the environment around them.
Love at the first fight (Les Combattants) will premiere in theatres from November 14.
This Q&A has been condensed and reordered for readability. The interview was translated from French.
Niels Arestrup and André Dussollier in Diplomatie, Volker Schlöndorff’s presented at this year at the Cinemania festival.
The francophone film festival will be screening the best of what France and Belgium have to offer
Cinemania, the francophone film festival, is back and celebrates its 20th edition with an extended program of 55 films, all with English subtitles, and special guests.
Screenings will include 33 premieres that the chief programmer Guilhem Caillard defined as “the best of French and Belgian cinema,” at the festival’s press conference on Oct. 28. His goal is to screen films with big names as well as rising stars. Each film will display different aspects of the vibrant French-language film industry.
Niels Arestrup and André Dussollier in Diplomatie, Volker Schlöndorff’s presented at this year at the Cinemania festival.
Seven of the films that will be screened at the festival were featured at the Cannes Film Festival this year and three were in the running for an award: Bertrand Bonello’s Saint-Laurent, a profile of the famed fashion designer starring Gaspard Ulliel in the title role; Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne’s Deux jours, une nuit, a drama with Marion Cotillard as a factory worker trying to save her job; and Olivier Assayas’ Clouds of Sils Maria, an account of the relationship between an aging actress (Juliette Binoche) and her assistant (Kristen Stewart).
One of the highlights in the lineup is Volker Schlöndorff’s masterpiece, Diplomatie. For its Canadian premiere, Diplomatie will enjoy a special presentation on Sunday to honour the performance of the actors. The film recounts the 1944 historic duel between General Dietrich von Choltitz (Niels Arestrup), who prepares to execute Hitler’s direct orders to destroy Paris, and Swedish consul Raoul Nordling (André Dussollier).
Gemma Bovery will open the festival on Thursday. This modern version of Gustave Flaubert’s novel Madame Bovary, starring Fabrice Luchini, will be presented by director Anne Fontaine (Coco avant Chanel) at the Opening Gala at the Imperial Cinema.
Other guests will be present, such as Adèle Haenel, for the gala screening of Les Combattants – Love at first fight next week. Aged 25, the French actress gained an instant iconic reputation and a César award, the highest film honour in France, for Suzanne in 2013. Her career will be celebrated at the Cinémathèque québécoise with two movies, Naissance des pieuvres (2007) and Les Diables (2002).
Party Girl, winner of Caméra d’Or and the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes 2014, will close the festival on Nov. 16. Angélique Litzenburger performs in a semi-autobiographical role of her life of entertaining men in a seedy bar near the French-German border. She will be in attendance with Samuel Theis, who is one of the co-directors as well as her son, in real life and on the screen.
Cinemania’s guest of honour will be Lambert Wilson. A special tribute will celebrate his career with a retrospective of nine films, including Five Days One Summer (1982), co-starring Sean Connery, at the Cinémathèque québécoise. His international career was prolific and as a reflection of his altruistic and compassionate nature, Des hommes et des dieux (2010) and Hiver 54, l’abbé Pierre (1989) are two must-see French movies.
The 20th Cinemania film festival will take place Nov. 6 to 16 at the Imperial Cinema, Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Parc. For tickets and information, visit festivalcinemania.com.
