Cinéma du Québec in Paris, film, docus and rencontres

The 9th edition of Cinéma du Québec will be held in Paris from November 23rd until the 29th. The event is being presented by l’ARP (Civil Society of Authors – Directors – Producers), in collaboration with SODEC (Société de développement des entreprises culturelles of Québec) and the Délégation Générale du Québec in Paris.
Québec cinema is now enjoying unprecedented success with the domestic box office. Québec films captured 15% of the domestic box office market in 2004 and are on route to an even more impressive share of 20% for 2005. CINÉMA DU QUÉBEC will provide an overview of this dynamic filmmaking through the screening of ten new and unseen Quebec films in France. The selection by Laurent Hébert, director of Cinéma des Cinéastes, will provide an opportunity to discover the biggest box office hits of this year.

Amongst these films, the Opening Night film, C.R.A.Z.Y. by Jean-Marc Vallée, is Quebec cinema’s success story of 2005; it has already secured numerous international distribution deals, successfully played at the Toronto and Venice Film Festivals. Some other prominent films in this strong line-up include HORLOGE BIOLOGIQUE by Ricardo Trogi, which is truly a social phenomenon in Quebec, and LA NEUVAINE by Bernard Emond, which received three awards at the Locarno Film Festival this year. CINEMA DU QUEBEC will have the pleasure of presenting the latest work of talented actress Pascal Bussières in MA VIE EN CINEMASCOPE, by Denise Filiatrault, as well as the discovery of the provinces’ latest talents through the first feature films FAMILIA by Louise Archambault and L’AUDITION, by actor Luc Picard. Also, two emerging young filmmakers will present their second feature films, MEMOIRES AFFECTIVES by Francis Leclerc and LA VIE AVEC MON PERE by Sébastien Rose.

Documentary film will be showcased with the screening of two powerful films: MÉDECINE SOUS INFLUENCE by Lina B. Moreco and L’OTAGE by Carl Leblanc. And finally, a selection of short films chosen by Michel Coulombe, programmer of www.silenceoncourt.tv will be screened: The selection include: MARDI MATIN QUELQUE PART by Hélène Bélanger Martin, LIBERTE CONDITIONNELLE by Constant Metzas, LES ADIEUX by Lisa Sfriso, BIENVENUE AU KENTUCKY by Craig Welch and DEHORS NOVEMBRE by Patrick Bouchard.

CINEMA DU QUEBEC is also presenting the 2nd edition of the Rencontres de Coproduction Francophone. Feature Film producers selected from Quebec, France, Belgium, Switzerland and Luxembourg will take part in three days of meetings and discussions designed to foster and promote international co-productions of French language feature films. Of equal note is the 1st edition of Market: When Quebec cinema talks business! Taking place in conjunction with the week’s programming, a selection of French and European buyers will be invited to screen a dozen films in the presence of the chosen film’s Quebec distributors.
Also on schedule: festive evenings with our partners: SACEM, CST, SACD and Unifrance, a France-Quebec day focusing on sound, a workshop on music composing in film, “Objectif: Cinéma” a photo exhibit showing the works of set photographers in Quebec and the Young film critics prize given out by the OFQJ.