After finding The Decline (2020-also reviewed) a fun,slick Thriller,I decided to let it snow,and check other films from Canada I've had for ages,but have yet to play. Intrigued from learning about the impact this title had,I got set to meet my love Q-Bec.
Note:Some spoilers in review.
View on the film:
Causing the 1974 Canadian Film Awards to be cancelled after the 1973 event was protested against by fellow film makers angry about the Ontario Censor Board demanding explicit content in this title to be cut, leading to the 1973 Film Awards event being slimmed down to just a press conference where the winners names were read, writer/director Jean Pierre Lefebvre & cinematographer set off a whirlwind of surrealist dark Comedy spun in French New Wave-inspired stylisation, all wrapped up in Quebec nationalism.
Split into various disconnected sketches, Lefebvre smoothly blends different comedic styles together to express the belief of Quebec being a country, from personifications of (Uncle) Sam "Washington" and Peter "Ottawa" barking orders at Q-Bec like cartoon generals as they move toy guns and tanks over Q-Bec's naked body, (the toys making a mockery of Washington's macho mumbling)and discussions of posters of Canadian politicians lining the wall, which is sliced down to satirical maps making it look like all the areas surrounding Quebec are adversary.
Opening with cryptic voice over against credits and phrases put together by lettering from newspapers,Lefebvre launches an anarchic Punk atmosphere of FNW- style whip-pans, jump-cuts and stark, surrealist hard cuts to Q-Bec (played by a enticing Anne Lauriault in her lone film credit) being a starkly naked and free Q-Bec.
