It’s been two decades since an epic fantasy film made history at the Oscars, winning every category in which it was nominated, and three women set new records. There weren’t many surprises at the 76th Academy Awards, but there were some memorable moments. Billy Crystal hosted for his eighth time on February 29, 2004. Read on for Gold Derby’s Oscars flashback 20 years ago to 2004.
It was finally Peter Jackson‘s time as the third installment of his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy earned him a trio of awards. Despite numerous nominations, the first two films failed to make big showings; however, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” not only claimed Best Picture, but won all 11 categories in which it was nominated. It tied with “Ben-Hur” (1960) and “Titanic” (1998) for most wins in one ceremony, and holds the record for biggest sweep. It was the 10th film...
It was finally Peter Jackson‘s time as the third installment of his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy earned him a trio of awards. Despite numerous nominations, the first two films failed to make big showings; however, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” not only claimed Best Picture, but won all 11 categories in which it was nominated. It tied with “Ben-Hur” (1960) and “Titanic” (1998) for most wins in one ceremony, and holds the record for biggest sweep. It was the 10th film...
- 3/3/2024
- by Susan Pennington
- Gold Derby
Maxim Roy, who recurs on the Freeform series Shadowhunters, has been cast in Denys Arcand's upcoming thriller Le triomphe de l’argent (The Triumph of Money). Set to begin production in September, the film is inspired by the shooting at the Flawnego boutique in Old Montreal in March 2010. Arcand wrote and directed Les Invasions Barbares (Barbarian Invasions), which earned a Best Foreign Language Oscar in 2014. His longtime producing partner Denise Robert is producing the…...
- 7/26/2017
- Deadline
Exclusive: Film starring Xavier Dolan collaborator Antoine Olivier Pilon has just opened in French-speaking Canada to strong reviews and box office.
TF1 Studio (previously TF1 International) has acquired world sales rights for Canadian actor and director Yan England’s bullying drama 1:54.
It is the debut feature film of England who was nominated for an Oscar in 2013 in the best live action short film category for Henry.
Canadian actor Antoine Olivier Pilon, best known internationally for his performance in Xavier Dolan’s Mommy, plays 16-year-old Tim, a shy, young man gifted with a natural athletic ability for running.
His time at school has been difficult, however, due to the bullying behaviour of some of his team mates on the school athletics team lead by Jeff and his followers. Sick of feeling like a loser, Tim decides to stand up to Jeff and dethrone him in the 800-metre race, a track event in which Jeff has always championed...
TF1 Studio (previously TF1 International) has acquired world sales rights for Canadian actor and director Yan England’s bullying drama 1:54.
It is the debut feature film of England who was nominated for an Oscar in 2013 in the best live action short film category for Henry.
Canadian actor Antoine Olivier Pilon, best known internationally for his performance in Xavier Dolan’s Mommy, plays 16-year-old Tim, a shy, young man gifted with a natural athletic ability for running.
His time at school has been difficult, however, due to the bullying behaviour of some of his team mates on the school athletics team lead by Jeff and his followers. Sick of feeling like a loser, Tim decides to stand up to Jeff and dethrone him in the 800-metre race, a track event in which Jeff has always championed...
- 10/19/2016
- ScreenDaily
Fledgling eOne subsidiary Séville International has picked up international sales on Denys Arcand’s An Eye For Beauty (Le Règne De La Beauté).
Séville vp of international sales Anick Poirier will screen the film to buyers on the Croisette and the company will distribute directly in Québec and Canada on May 15.
Arcand also wrote the screenplay to the story of a talented young architect with remarkable talent whose idyllic life is turned upside-down after he meets a mysterious woman in Toronto.
Cinémaginaire’s Denise Robert is producing and the film stars Éric Bruneau, Mélanie Thierry, Melanie Merkosky and Marie‐Josée Croze.
“I fell in love with this film for its beauty and for its accurate portrayal of the 30-something generation,” said Poirier. “I am very much looking forward to working with such an amazing director and with Denise Robert and Daniel Louis.
“Denys Arcand is renowned worldwide for his talent and I am thrilled to have him...
Séville vp of international sales Anick Poirier will screen the film to buyers on the Croisette and the company will distribute directly in Québec and Canada on May 15.
Arcand also wrote the screenplay to the story of a talented young architect with remarkable talent whose idyllic life is turned upside-down after he meets a mysterious woman in Toronto.
Cinémaginaire’s Denise Robert is producing and the film stars Éric Bruneau, Mélanie Thierry, Melanie Merkosky and Marie‐Josée Croze.
“I fell in love with this film for its beauty and for its accurate portrayal of the 30-something generation,” said Poirier. “I am very much looking forward to working with such an amazing director and with Denise Robert and Daniel Louis.
“Denys Arcand is renowned worldwide for his talent and I am thrilled to have him...
- 5/13/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Fledgling eOne subsidiary Séville International has picked up international sales on Denys Arcand’s An Eye For Beauty (Le Règne De La Beauté).
Séville vp of international sales Anick Poirier will screen the film to buyers on the Croisette and the company will distribute directly in Québec and Canada on May 15.
Arcand also wrote the screenplay to the story of a talented young architect with remarkable talent whose idyllic life is turned upside-down after he meets a mysterious woman in Toronto.
Cinémaginaire’s Denise Robert is producing and the film stars Éric Bruneau, Mélanie Thierry, Melanie Merkosky and Marie‐Josée Croze.
“I fell in love with this film for its beauty and for its accurate portrayal of the 30-something generation,” said Poirier. “I am very much looking forward to working with such an amazing director and with Denise Robert and Daniel Louis.
“Denys Arcand is renowned worldwide for his talent and I am thrilled to have him...
Séville vp of international sales Anick Poirier will screen the film to buyers on the Croisette and the company will distribute directly in Québec and Canada on May 15.
Arcand also wrote the screenplay to the story of a talented young architect with remarkable talent whose idyllic life is turned upside-down after he meets a mysterious woman in Toronto.
Cinémaginaire’s Denise Robert is producing and the film stars Éric Bruneau, Mélanie Thierry, Melanie Merkosky and Marie‐Josée Croze.
“I fell in love with this film for its beauty and for its accurate portrayal of the 30-something generation,” said Poirier. “I am very much looking forward to working with such an amazing director and with Denise Robert and Daniel Louis.
“Denys Arcand is renowned worldwide for his talent and I am thrilled to have him...
- 5/13/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Echo of the Mountain also scoops a top prize at the film festival in Mexico.Scroll down for full list of winners
Matias Lucchesi’s debut feature Natural Sciences (Ciencias naturales) scooped a top prize, the Golden Mayahuel and €14,700 ($20,000) in cash, in the Ibero-American competition of the 29th Guadalajara Film Festival (Ficg), March 21-30.
The Argentinian production follows an adolescent girl’s quest to reconnect with her estranged father and was launched last month at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Generation Kplus Grand Prix.
Sold by Urban Distribution, it beat competition from 18 other titles to take the top prize and also received the best screenplay award and the Feisal (Latin American Film Schools) trophy.
Lead stars Paula Herzog and Paola Barrientos shared the best actress prize.
Echo of the Mountain (Eco de la Montana), a documentary directed by veteran Nicolas Echevarria, won the prize for best Mexican film, which included...
Matias Lucchesi’s debut feature Natural Sciences (Ciencias naturales) scooped a top prize, the Golden Mayahuel and €14,700 ($20,000) in cash, in the Ibero-American competition of the 29th Guadalajara Film Festival (Ficg), March 21-30.
The Argentinian production follows an adolescent girl’s quest to reconnect with her estranged father and was launched last month at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Generation Kplus Grand Prix.
Sold by Urban Distribution, it beat competition from 18 other titles to take the top prize and also received the best screenplay award and the Feisal (Latin American Film Schools) trophy.
Lead stars Paula Herzog and Paola Barrientos shared the best actress prize.
Echo of the Mountain (Eco de la Montana), a documentary directed by veteran Nicolas Echevarria, won the prize for best Mexican film, which included...
- 3/30/2014
- by alexisgrivas@yahoo.com (Alexis Grivas)
- ScreenDaily
The Guadalajara International Film Festival (also known as FICG29 or Festival International of Cine in Guadalajara) is on my regular beat, but this year my work with the Talents will include an introduction to the book I am writing on Iberoamerican Film Financing.
The festival's inception occurred in 1986 during Mexican cinema's worst crisis in terms of production (only 12 features were made that year), and it was held with the help of the University of Guadalajara. This small showcase was curated by filmmaker Jaime Humberto Hermosillo and researcher/professor Emilio García Riera. It consisted of 5 features, 7 shorts, 2 documentaries, and a selection of Jaime Humberto Hermosillo's work. During this edition a young Guillermo del Toro stood out as one of the most outstanding volunteers.
A few years after in 1992, the festival premiered Alfonso Cuaron's Love in the Time of Hysteria (Solo con tu pareja), the film that launched his Hollywood career, this year he won the Academy Award as Best Director for his film Gravity. The next year, Guillermo del Toro presented his feature debut Cronos, which would go on to be selected for the Critic's Week at the Cannes Film Festival. From the beginning this film showcase became a required stop for Mexican filmmakers and programmers from various international film festivals.
In 1999 a selection of Iberoamerican films was added to the program and a section highlighting Canadian cinema was included, from the 7-selection 3 were from Quebec (Streetheart by Charles Binamé; The Red Violin by François Girard and 2 Seconds by Manon Briand). During the 23rd edition of the festival a selection of 7 features and 7 shorts was presented. Added to this Patrick Bouchard held a workshop on animation at the University of Guadalajara. This year the festival will have the pleasure to present the latest works from Léa Pool, Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, and of course, Patrick Bouchard.The results of the 2008 workshop are visible in the constant production of animation in Guadalajara.
Starting in its 15th edition, in 2000, the showcase became a competitive contest for Mexican films. Two years after all iberoamerican films began taking part in the competition. From that year on, the impact of the Guadalajara program reached the entire iberoamerican region and became the premier meeting point for the region's cinema. In 2003 the initiative know as Iberoamerican Market (Mercano Iberoamericano) was launched bringing together over 170 industry professionals dedicated to selling, buying, and distributing films internationally.
In 2005 the showcase became the Guadalajara International Film Festival (Ficg) with the clear goal of having a space for Mexican and Latin American films, as well as a to expose the public and the industry professionals to international works. In 2013 the festival screened 254 films, 102 of which were in competition. The festival received over 800 journalist, and 817 companies in the industry section. Throughout the years the festival has honored artists such as Pedro Almodóvar, the Taviani brothers, Patricio Guzmán, Theo Angelopoulos, Álex de la Iglesia, Agnès Varda, and more recently Werner Herzog and Mike Leigh, among many other great filmmakers. In terms of actors John Malkovich, Marisa Paredes, Andy Garcia and Ángela Molina have also been recognized at the Ficg.
The festival is divided in 3 competitive sections: Iberoamerican Dramatic Features, Iberoamerican Documentaries, and Iberoamerican Shorts. In total Ficg hands out 16 Official Awards and 5 parallel others though different sections.
Among the array of awards the one dedicated to the Best Mexican Film stands out -The Mezcal Award (Premio Mezcal)
This year the third edition of the Maguey Award (Read more Here) will take place. It brings together, promotes, and recognizes cinema focused on sexual diversity around the world
In total there are more than 200 works programmed and there will be over 500 screenings in Guadalajara and the surroundings areas. Throughout the last 29 years Mexican cinema has changed deeply. From the crisis it suffered in 1986 to its current state there is a notable contrast. From 12 films a year, the average number of films produced currently a year is 120. During the 20 years the Mexican Cinema Showcase and the Ficg have been protagonists in the promotion of Mexican cinema, specially in the last decade.
It is also revelatory to see how influential has Mexican cinema been in the emergence of other film industries in the region such as in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Paraguay, as well as the great period that the cinema of of Chile, Colombia, and Uruguay are experiencing.
Withing the Ficg there are also other sections dedicated to international cinema, which are not competitive, but allow for the festival to be a meeting point for many cinematic voices.
Industry and Market
In order to encourage a productive agenda for filmmakers, producers, distributors, and sales agents during the festival, the Market oriented department will hold the following events:
IX Iberoamerican Conference of Iberoamerican Co-productions
the 7ª edition of the "Guadalajara Builds" program
Bilateral Conference: Quebec-Mexico
Over 800 film-related companies will be in attendance
Organization
During the last edition of the Ficg, the different events taking place at the festival were the product of strenuous labors by the organizers. They included the 5th edition of Talents Guadalajara, an experience in which 70 filmmakers from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean participated, as well as the the 5th edition of the Doculab where several Iberoamerican documentaries in post-production were evaluated. Aiming to take advantage of the important figures present, the festival also hosted the 9th Creators Conference on Writing with Light.
Relationships with International Festivals
Throughout its development the Ficg has formed working relationships of support with many of the most important festival in the world. With the Marché du Film at Cannes the two festivals have developed the Guadalajara Film Market Producers Network, which is a window for the exchange of knowledge and ideas among professionals interested in the Iberoamerican cinematic spectrum. Talents Guadalajara is organized with the collaboration of the Berlinale Talents from the Berlin Film Festival, which supports filmmakers from the region. In addition with the help of the San Sebastian Film Festival, Ficg presents the program known as New European Trends : San Sebastian-Guadalajara, allowing for the discovery of new European directors. It is important to mention that Ficg has a close relationship with the Montreal World Film Festival, which allows for films of the region to screen at the Canadian event.
Special Guest
Since 2001 the festival hascdesignated a country or region to be the guest of honor
Germany, 16, 2001
Switzerland, 17, 2002
Chile, 18, 2003
Italy, 19, 2004
Greece, 20, 2005
Spain, 21, 2006
Brazil, 22, 2007
Argentina, 23, 2008
Colombia, 24, 2009
France, 25, 2010
Israel, 26, 2011
U.K., 27, 2012
Scandinavia : Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, 28. 2013
Besides screening a selection of films from the selected nation, the Ficg always tries to have some of their most notable filmmakers present at the festival. After a decade of its inception the Special Guest section has become one of the most anticipated ones. It allows attendees the opportunity to see the most recent works from that national cinema as well as to have a direct conversation with the filmmakers, actors, and other representatives of that country's film industry.
Quebec 2014
The selection of films was made possible thanks to the support of the Quebecois Delegation in Mexico, the Sodec, the International Documentary Conference in Montreal, the Onf, among other institutions, companies, and filmmakers. This offers the possibility to be confronted with visions that explore the world and its conflicts, it's cinema without borders.On the other hand this can also be a very intimate cinema that captures the multicultural richness of contemporary Quebec with its diverse contradictions. This selection also represents the audiovisual expression of several generations, there are films from filmmakers with a careers that expand over 4 decades who interact with directors who have just finished their debut features.
The selection of films is divided into 4 sections
Narrative Features
Conformed of 16 features completed between 2012 and 2013. Each one of these films has had acclaimed international exposure and have played at festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, San Sebastian, among others. Together these films have received more than 23 international awards and 30 awards in Canada.
Ridm - Documentaries
Counting with 15 years of experience the Montreal International Documentary Festival (Ridm) is one of the most important events for documentary filmmaking. The rigorous selection process of this festival gives validation to the 5 films that will be shown at the Ficg, which will definitely be a center piece within the Quebecois program in Guadalajara. The Ficg will also have a special screening of a very important work in the history of film, For Those Who Will Follow (Pour la suite du monde) by Michel Brault, who past away last year.
Denis Côté
Denis Côté's career as a filmmaker began in 2005. Since then, he has created a short film, 3 documentaries, and 5 narrative features. Via his intense working rhythm this artist has demonstrated his abilities, rigor, and creativity. A look into his work will easily confirm that he has a profoundly original vision that takes storytelling to its radical limits.
The Short Films
Quebecois short films show an incredible imaginative freedom. Given the fact that in recent years several shorts, including animation, have been produced in Guadalajara, this will be an enriching exchange of perspectives.
Women in Film and TV Quebec-Mexico
Finally, aiming to strengthen the friendship that exists between the associations for Women in Film and TV both in Quebec and Mexico, the Ficg will host a second panel, which will be paired with a selection of documentaries that deal with the contemporary female experience.
David K. Ross
David K. Ross (1966, Canada) works in various mediums including film, video, photography, and art installations. Ross' formal training in architecture and great experience in photography of large scale and film have resulted in a great variety of projects in which he investigates the history of optical technology and geodesic practices, as well as many urban structures. His work has been exhibited in the most important institutions in the Americas and Europe, they also form part of many public and private collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Contemporary Art Museum of Montreal and the Canadian Center for Architecture. The artist will be present at the Ficg screening his work to expose the audience to his particular style.
Quebecois Presence in the Different Juries
Prominent members of the Quebecois film industry will be part of the diverse juries which will evaluate the films in competition.
Narrative Feature: Denise Robert's experience as a producer expands over 51 projects including narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and television.
Documentary: Roxanne Sayegh, who has worked with Ambulante, the most ambitious project to promote documentary distribution in Mexico. She is currently the Executive Director of the Ridm.
Short Films: Danièle Cauchard, Executive Director of the Montreal World Film Festival.
Maguey Award to Support Sexual Diversity in Film: Katharine Setzer, in charge of programming at the Image+Nation festival, which is in its 26th edition.
Fipresci: Montreal based critic Jorge Gutman
Mezcal Award for Best Mexican Film: Alisi Telengut, a student from Concordia University, whose film Tears of Inge was honored at the World Film Festival.
For more information on Ficg 29 and its different sections visit Here...
The festival's inception occurred in 1986 during Mexican cinema's worst crisis in terms of production (only 12 features were made that year), and it was held with the help of the University of Guadalajara. This small showcase was curated by filmmaker Jaime Humberto Hermosillo and researcher/professor Emilio García Riera. It consisted of 5 features, 7 shorts, 2 documentaries, and a selection of Jaime Humberto Hermosillo's work. During this edition a young Guillermo del Toro stood out as one of the most outstanding volunteers.
A few years after in 1992, the festival premiered Alfonso Cuaron's Love in the Time of Hysteria (Solo con tu pareja), the film that launched his Hollywood career, this year he won the Academy Award as Best Director for his film Gravity. The next year, Guillermo del Toro presented his feature debut Cronos, which would go on to be selected for the Critic's Week at the Cannes Film Festival. From the beginning this film showcase became a required stop for Mexican filmmakers and programmers from various international film festivals.
In 1999 a selection of Iberoamerican films was added to the program and a section highlighting Canadian cinema was included, from the 7-selection 3 were from Quebec (Streetheart by Charles Binamé; The Red Violin by François Girard and 2 Seconds by Manon Briand). During the 23rd edition of the festival a selection of 7 features and 7 shorts was presented. Added to this Patrick Bouchard held a workshop on animation at the University of Guadalajara. This year the festival will have the pleasure to present the latest works from Léa Pool, Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, and of course, Patrick Bouchard.The results of the 2008 workshop are visible in the constant production of animation in Guadalajara.
Starting in its 15th edition, in 2000, the showcase became a competitive contest for Mexican films. Two years after all iberoamerican films began taking part in the competition. From that year on, the impact of the Guadalajara program reached the entire iberoamerican region and became the premier meeting point for the region's cinema. In 2003 the initiative know as Iberoamerican Market (Mercano Iberoamericano) was launched bringing together over 170 industry professionals dedicated to selling, buying, and distributing films internationally.
In 2005 the showcase became the Guadalajara International Film Festival (Ficg) with the clear goal of having a space for Mexican and Latin American films, as well as a to expose the public and the industry professionals to international works. In 2013 the festival screened 254 films, 102 of which were in competition. The festival received over 800 journalist, and 817 companies in the industry section. Throughout the years the festival has honored artists such as Pedro Almodóvar, the Taviani brothers, Patricio Guzmán, Theo Angelopoulos, Álex de la Iglesia, Agnès Varda, and more recently Werner Herzog and Mike Leigh, among many other great filmmakers. In terms of actors John Malkovich, Marisa Paredes, Andy Garcia and Ángela Molina have also been recognized at the Ficg.
The festival is divided in 3 competitive sections: Iberoamerican Dramatic Features, Iberoamerican Documentaries, and Iberoamerican Shorts. In total Ficg hands out 16 Official Awards and 5 parallel others though different sections.
Among the array of awards the one dedicated to the Best Mexican Film stands out -The Mezcal Award (Premio Mezcal)
This year the third edition of the Maguey Award (Read more Here) will take place. It brings together, promotes, and recognizes cinema focused on sexual diversity around the world
In total there are more than 200 works programmed and there will be over 500 screenings in Guadalajara and the surroundings areas. Throughout the last 29 years Mexican cinema has changed deeply. From the crisis it suffered in 1986 to its current state there is a notable contrast. From 12 films a year, the average number of films produced currently a year is 120. During the 20 years the Mexican Cinema Showcase and the Ficg have been protagonists in the promotion of Mexican cinema, specially in the last decade.
It is also revelatory to see how influential has Mexican cinema been in the emergence of other film industries in the region such as in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Paraguay, as well as the great period that the cinema of of Chile, Colombia, and Uruguay are experiencing.
Withing the Ficg there are also other sections dedicated to international cinema, which are not competitive, but allow for the festival to be a meeting point for many cinematic voices.
Industry and Market
In order to encourage a productive agenda for filmmakers, producers, distributors, and sales agents during the festival, the Market oriented department will hold the following events:
IX Iberoamerican Conference of Iberoamerican Co-productions
the 7ª edition of the "Guadalajara Builds" program
Bilateral Conference: Quebec-Mexico
Over 800 film-related companies will be in attendance
Organization
During the last edition of the Ficg, the different events taking place at the festival were the product of strenuous labors by the organizers. They included the 5th edition of Talents Guadalajara, an experience in which 70 filmmakers from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean participated, as well as the the 5th edition of the Doculab where several Iberoamerican documentaries in post-production were evaluated. Aiming to take advantage of the important figures present, the festival also hosted the 9th Creators Conference on Writing with Light.
Relationships with International Festivals
Throughout its development the Ficg has formed working relationships of support with many of the most important festival in the world. With the Marché du Film at Cannes the two festivals have developed the Guadalajara Film Market Producers Network, which is a window for the exchange of knowledge and ideas among professionals interested in the Iberoamerican cinematic spectrum. Talents Guadalajara is organized with the collaboration of the Berlinale Talents from the Berlin Film Festival, which supports filmmakers from the region. In addition with the help of the San Sebastian Film Festival, Ficg presents the program known as New European Trends : San Sebastian-Guadalajara, allowing for the discovery of new European directors. It is important to mention that Ficg has a close relationship with the Montreal World Film Festival, which allows for films of the region to screen at the Canadian event.
Special Guest
Since 2001 the festival hascdesignated a country or region to be the guest of honor
Germany, 16, 2001
Switzerland, 17, 2002
Chile, 18, 2003
Italy, 19, 2004
Greece, 20, 2005
Spain, 21, 2006
Brazil, 22, 2007
Argentina, 23, 2008
Colombia, 24, 2009
France, 25, 2010
Israel, 26, 2011
U.K., 27, 2012
Scandinavia : Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, 28. 2013
Besides screening a selection of films from the selected nation, the Ficg always tries to have some of their most notable filmmakers present at the festival. After a decade of its inception the Special Guest section has become one of the most anticipated ones. It allows attendees the opportunity to see the most recent works from that national cinema as well as to have a direct conversation with the filmmakers, actors, and other representatives of that country's film industry.
Quebec 2014
The selection of films was made possible thanks to the support of the Quebecois Delegation in Mexico, the Sodec, the International Documentary Conference in Montreal, the Onf, among other institutions, companies, and filmmakers. This offers the possibility to be confronted with visions that explore the world and its conflicts, it's cinema without borders.On the other hand this can also be a very intimate cinema that captures the multicultural richness of contemporary Quebec with its diverse contradictions. This selection also represents the audiovisual expression of several generations, there are films from filmmakers with a careers that expand over 4 decades who interact with directors who have just finished their debut features.
The selection of films is divided into 4 sections
Narrative Features
Conformed of 16 features completed between 2012 and 2013. Each one of these films has had acclaimed international exposure and have played at festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, San Sebastian, among others. Together these films have received more than 23 international awards and 30 awards in Canada.
Ridm - Documentaries
Counting with 15 years of experience the Montreal International Documentary Festival (Ridm) is one of the most important events for documentary filmmaking. The rigorous selection process of this festival gives validation to the 5 films that will be shown at the Ficg, which will definitely be a center piece within the Quebecois program in Guadalajara. The Ficg will also have a special screening of a very important work in the history of film, For Those Who Will Follow (Pour la suite du monde) by Michel Brault, who past away last year.
Denis Côté
Denis Côté's career as a filmmaker began in 2005. Since then, he has created a short film, 3 documentaries, and 5 narrative features. Via his intense working rhythm this artist has demonstrated his abilities, rigor, and creativity. A look into his work will easily confirm that he has a profoundly original vision that takes storytelling to its radical limits.
The Short Films
Quebecois short films show an incredible imaginative freedom. Given the fact that in recent years several shorts, including animation, have been produced in Guadalajara, this will be an enriching exchange of perspectives.
Women in Film and TV Quebec-Mexico
Finally, aiming to strengthen the friendship that exists between the associations for Women in Film and TV both in Quebec and Mexico, the Ficg will host a second panel, which will be paired with a selection of documentaries that deal with the contemporary female experience.
David K. Ross
David K. Ross (1966, Canada) works in various mediums including film, video, photography, and art installations. Ross' formal training in architecture and great experience in photography of large scale and film have resulted in a great variety of projects in which he investigates the history of optical technology and geodesic practices, as well as many urban structures. His work has been exhibited in the most important institutions in the Americas and Europe, they also form part of many public and private collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Contemporary Art Museum of Montreal and the Canadian Center for Architecture. The artist will be present at the Ficg screening his work to expose the audience to his particular style.
Quebecois Presence in the Different Juries
Prominent members of the Quebecois film industry will be part of the diverse juries which will evaluate the films in competition.
Narrative Feature: Denise Robert's experience as a producer expands over 51 projects including narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and television.
Documentary: Roxanne Sayegh, who has worked with Ambulante, the most ambitious project to promote documentary distribution in Mexico. She is currently the Executive Director of the Ridm.
Short Films: Danièle Cauchard, Executive Director of the Montreal World Film Festival.
Maguey Award to Support Sexual Diversity in Film: Katharine Setzer, in charge of programming at the Image+Nation festival, which is in its 26th edition.
Fipresci: Montreal based critic Jorge Gutman
Mezcal Award for Best Mexican Film: Alisi Telengut, a student from Concordia University, whose film Tears of Inge was honored at the World Film Festival.
For more information on Ficg 29 and its different sections visit Here...
- 3/21/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Scribe Peter Craig ("The Town") is set to pen "Fathers and Guns", the Hollywood remake of French-Canadian 2009 drama "De Pere en Flic", for Sony Pictures reports the trades.
Sony acquired the rights a year ago to the story of two feuding cops who are also father and son. The pair are soon forced together for an assignment to investigate an outdoors group for fathers and sons.
Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Denise Robert and Émile Gaudreault are producing.
Sony acquired the rights a year ago to the story of two feuding cops who are also father and son. The pair are soon forced together for an assignment to investigate an outdoors group for fathers and sons.
Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Denise Robert and Émile Gaudreault are producing.
- 12/1/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Fathers and Guns, the French-Canadian blockbuster is set to be adapted for U.S. audiences by Peter Craig for Sony Pictures. Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures announced the news of this project today. Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall are developing and producing this project along with Denise Robert and Emile Gaudreault, producer and writer-director, respectively, of the original film.
De Père en flic is the highest-grossing French-language film ever released in Quebec and Canada. The film opened during the Summer of 2009 and was #1 at the box office. It dominated the box office for the entire summer and raked in two-thirds of the summer's ticket sales for local films in Quebec. In addition, it out-grossed Hollywood like Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by at least 50%.
The film is an action-comedy about two father and son cops who can't stand each other and are assigned to an investigation to infiltrate...
- 11/30/2010
- by Tiberius
- GeekTyrant
Sony has hired screenwriter Peter Craig to adapt the French-Canadian hit "Fathers and Guns" for Columbia Pictures. According to Variety, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall will develop and produce the remake along with the original film's producer Denise Robert and writer/director Emile Gaudreault.The comedy focuses on a father-and-son cop team who can't stand each other and are assigned to infiltrate an outdoor adventure group/therapy camp for fathers and sons. The original was released in Quebec during the summer of 2009 and earned over $11 million at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing French language film in Canadian history.Craig shared co-screenwriting credit on "The Town" with Ben Affleck and Aaron Stockard, and is currently working on the script for Sony's "Bad...
- 11/30/2010
- by Adnan Tezer
- Monsters and Critics
Peter Craig will adapt the French-Canadian blockbuster “Fathers and Guns” (“De père en flic”) for Sony Pictures. The announcement was made Tuesday by Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures.
Craig made his screenwriting debut on Ben Affleck's "The Town," which has brought in about $90 million domestically since its release in September by Warner Bros.
"Fathers and Guns" is being developed and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall along with Denise Robert and Emile Gaudreault, producer and writer-director, respectively, of the original. It is an action-comedy about two cops, father and son, who can't stand each other. They are assigned to an investigation to infiltrate an outdoor adventure group-therapy camp for fathers and sons.
Craig made his screenwriting debut on Ben Affleck's "The Town," which has brought in about $90 million domestically since its release in September by Warner Bros.
"Fathers and Guns" is being developed and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall along with Denise Robert and Emile Gaudreault, producer and writer-director, respectively, of the original. It is an action-comedy about two cops, father and son, who can't stand each other. They are assigned to an investigation to infiltrate an outdoor adventure group-therapy camp for fathers and sons.
- 11/30/2010
- Moving Pictures Magazine
"The Town" screenwriter Peter Craig will adapt the French-Canadian blockbuster "Fathers and Guns" for Sony Pictures, the studio announced on Tuesday. Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall will develop and produce the film, along with the original's writer-director Emile Gaudreault and producer Denise Robert. The 2009 action-comedy (released in Quebec as "De Pere en floc") follows two cops -- a father and son -- who can't stand each other. They're assigned to an investigation that finds them infiltrating an outdoor adventure group-therapy camp for fathers and sons. Adam Yoelin will oversee "Fathers and Guns"...
- 11/30/2010
- The Wrap
Peter Craig has been tapped to adapt the French-Canadian blockbuster Fathers and Guns for Sony Pictures, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures. The film is being developed and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall along with Denise Robert and Emile Gaudreault, producer and writer-director, respectively, of the original film. Released in Quebec in summer 2009 as De Père en flic , the film opened to #1 at the box office in the province beating out such high-profile titles as Bruno . It stayed popular throughout the summer, not only capturing two-thirds of this summer's ticket sales for local films in Quebec, but out-grossing by at least 50% such Hollywood hits as Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince . With more than 1 in 5 Qubecers...
- 11/30/2010
- Comingsoon.net
Alliance Vivafilm, a film distributor, announced ([1] and [2]) that L'enfant prodige (aka André Mathieu - Le dernier des romantiques) will have a world premiere on May 9 in Shanghai during the Expo 2010 Shanghai. Afterwards, L'enfant prodige will hit theatres in Quebec on May 28, 2010.
The biopic about Canadian pianist André Mathieu (1929-1968) was produced with a budget of $6 million by Daniel Louis (Les invasions barbares) and Denise Robert (Maurice Richard). It was directed and written by Luc Dionne.
The story follows André Mathieu (Guillaume Lebon plays the child and Patrick Drolet, the adult), a Montreal-born pianist who was described as the "Canadian Mozart" during his childhood. Because of his talent, he will travel in Europe in order to study piano with different great teachers like Arthur Honneger (Marc Béland) and Jacques de la Presle (Patrice Coquereau) just to name a few. Moreover, André Mathieu will also come across Russian pianist Sergei Rachmaninov (Itzhak Finzi...
The biopic about Canadian pianist André Mathieu (1929-1968) was produced with a budget of $6 million by Daniel Louis (Les invasions barbares) and Denise Robert (Maurice Richard). It was directed and written by Luc Dionne.
The story follows André Mathieu (Guillaume Lebon plays the child and Patrick Drolet, the adult), a Montreal-born pianist who was described as the "Canadian Mozart" during his childhood. Because of his talent, he will travel in Europe in order to study piano with different great teachers like Arthur Honneger (Marc Béland) and Jacques de la Presle (Patrice Coquereau) just to name a few. Moreover, André Mathieu will also come across Russian pianist Sergei Rachmaninov (Itzhak Finzi...
- 3/31/2010
- by anhkhoido@hotmail.com (Anh Khoi Do)
- The Cultural Post
Sony Pictures recently acquired remake rights to French-Canadian action feature "Fathers and Guns" ("De Pere en flic"), filmed in Quebec, following a father and son cop team assigned to infiltrate an outdoor adventure group-therapy camp.
The adaptation is in development with Spielberg associates, producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall with the original movie's producer Denise Robert and writer/director Emile Gaudreault.
("De Pere en flic" earned two-thirds of the past summer's ticket sales for French-language films in Quebec, to become the highest-grossing French-language film ever released in Quebec and Canada...
Sneak Peek "De Pere en flic"...
The adaptation is in development with Spielberg associates, producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall with the original movie's producer Denise Robert and writer/director Emile Gaudreault.
("De Pere en flic" earned two-thirds of the past summer's ticket sales for French-language films in Quebec, to become the highest-grossing French-language film ever released in Quebec and Canada...
Sneak Peek "De Pere en flic"...
- 12/6/2009
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Two days ago, Telefilm Canada had announced that 10 of 27 upcoming films will be in French. What follow is the list of these films.
L’appât – Comedy, Quebec-France co-production, directed by Yves Simoneau and written by Yves Simoneau and William Reymond. Poirier is a particularly inept detective, none of whose colleagues want to work with him. However, the French police, in concert with the Sureté du Québec, assign a very unusual officer, Marc Ventura, to work alongside Poirier... (Producers: Josée Vallée and Jean-Pierre Guérin; distributor: Alliance Vivafilm). The project is also receiving Telefilm support through the performance envelope.
Café de Flore – Drama, Quebec-France co-production, written and directed by Jean-Marc Vallée. This is first and foremost an incredibly beautiful love story between a man and a woman, as well as that between a mother and her son. (Producers: Pierre Even and Jean-Marc Vallée; distributor: Alliance Vivafilm).
En terrains connus – Drama written and directed by Stéphane Lafleur.
L’appât – Comedy, Quebec-France co-production, directed by Yves Simoneau and written by Yves Simoneau and William Reymond. Poirier is a particularly inept detective, none of whose colleagues want to work with him. However, the French police, in concert with the Sureté du Québec, assign a very unusual officer, Marc Ventura, to work alongside Poirier... (Producers: Josée Vallée and Jean-Pierre Guérin; distributor: Alliance Vivafilm). The project is also receiving Telefilm support through the performance envelope.
Café de Flore – Drama, Quebec-France co-production, written and directed by Jean-Marc Vallée. This is first and foremost an incredibly beautiful love story between a man and a woman, as well as that between a mother and her son. (Producers: Pierre Even and Jean-Marc Vallée; distributor: Alliance Vivafilm).
En terrains connus – Drama written and directed by Stéphane Lafleur.
- 12/5/2009
- by anhkhoido@hotmail.com (Anh Khoi Do)
- The Cultural Post
The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Sony has picked up the rights to remake “Fathers And Guns”, the French-Canadian hit action/comedy film The project is being developed and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall. Emile Gaudreault, the writer and director of the original, as well as Denise Robert, the original’s producer, are also onboard to produce. “Fathers And Guns” is about a father and son who both are cops, but cannot stand each other. Unfortunatley, in the action-comedy, the two end up assigned to infiltrate an outdoor father and son-oriented group therapy camp. Stay tuned for more on “Fathers And Guns” right here at Shockya.com. By Costa Koutsoutis (Source: The Hollywood [...]...
- 11/12/2009
- by Costa Koutsoutis
- ShockYa
Sony Pictures has acquired the remake rights to the French-Canadian box office hit "Fathers and Guns."According to Variety, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall will develop and produce the remake along with the original film's producers Denise Robert and Emile Gaudreault. Gaudreault wrote and directed the original film, and Robert produced.The comedy focuses on a father-and-son cop team who can't stand each other. They are assigned to an investigation to infiltrate an outdoor adventure group/therapy camp for fathers and sons and grow closer.
- 11/11/2009
- by Adnan Tezer
- Monsters and Critics
When you've got a father and a son who can't stand each other plus a firearm, you've got a Marvin Gaye situation on your hands, or Heath Ledger's fate in Monster's Ball, or at the very least a really, really tense Thanksgiving. Apparently, though, it can all turn out Ok, as it does in Fathers and Guns, the French-Canadian action-comedy that's about to get an English-language remake at Sony. According to Variety, Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy will produce the remake alongside the original film's producers Denise Robert and Emile Gaudreault. The film is about a father-and-son cop team who are assigned to investigate an outdoor camp for fathers and sons to grow closer together through adventure therapy. You can probably see where this is going. With the right pair of actors-- please, please do not hire John Travolta, Robin Williams, or anyone associated with Wild Hogs-- this...
- 11/11/2009
- cinemablend.com
Sony Pictures has acquired remake rights to the French-Canadian box office hit "Fathers and Guns." Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall are set to produce a redo alongside the original film's Denise Robert and Emile Gaudreault. The action-comedy tells a father-and-son team of cops who can't stand each other. They are assigned to infiltrate an outdoor adventure group/therapy camp for fathers and sons. Gaudreault wrote and directed the original film which was produced by Robert. The film opened in Quebec in July as "De Pere en flic" and starred Michel Cote and Louis-Jose Houde.
- 11/11/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Sony Pictures has acquired remake rights to the French-Canadian action feature Fathers and Guns (De Pere en flic), following a father/son cop team assigned to infiltrate an outdoor adventure group-therapy camp. The adaptation will be developed/produced by Spielberg associates Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall with the original film's producer Denise Robert and writer/director Emile Gaudreault, also producing. The film reportedly scored two-thirds of the past summer's ticket sales of all French-language films in Quebec, to become the highest-grossing French-language film ever released in Quebec and Canada. Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek De Pere en flic...
- 11/11/2009
- HollywoodNorthReport.com
By the Hollywood Reporter
Sony Pictures has picked up the remake rights to the French-Canadian hit "Fathers and Guns" for an adaptation to be developed and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall.
Denise Robert and Emile Gaudreault, producer and writer-director, respectively, of the original film, will also produce.
"Guns" is an action-comedy about two cops, father and son, who can't stand each other. They are assigned to an investigation to infiltrate an outdoor adventure group-therapy camp for fathers and sons.
Read more at the Hollywood Reporter. </stron...
Sony Pictures has picked up the remake rights to the French-Canadian hit "Fathers and Guns" for an adaptation to be developed and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall.
Denise Robert and Emile Gaudreault, producer and writer-director, respectively, of the original film, will also produce.
"Guns" is an action-comedy about two cops, father and son, who can't stand each other. They are assigned to an investigation to infiltrate an outdoor adventure group-therapy camp for fathers and sons.
Read more at the Hollywood Reporter. </stron...
- 11/10/2009
- by Brent Lang
- The Wrap
Sony Pictures has picked up the remake rights to the French-Canadian hit "Fathers and Guns" for an adaptation to be developed and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall.
Denise Robert and Emile Gaudreault, producer and writer-director, respectively, of the original film, will also produce.
"Guns" is an action-comedy about two cops, father and son, who can't stand each other. They are assigned to an investigation to infiltrate an outdoor adventure group-therapy camp for fathers and sons.
Released in Quebec this past summer as "De Pere en flic," the film gave Hollywood productions a run for their money. It beat out "Bruno" on opening weekend, took in two-thirds of the summer's ticket sales in French-language films in Quebec and out-grossed Hollywood fare by more than a 50% margin. It is now the highest-grossing French-language film ever released in Quebec and Canada.
" 'Fathers and Guns' is a fantastically funny film, and we're...
Denise Robert and Emile Gaudreault, producer and writer-director, respectively, of the original film, will also produce.
"Guns" is an action-comedy about two cops, father and son, who can't stand each other. They are assigned to an investigation to infiltrate an outdoor adventure group-therapy camp for fathers and sons.
Released in Quebec this past summer as "De Pere en flic," the film gave Hollywood productions a run for their money. It beat out "Bruno" on opening weekend, took in two-thirds of the summer's ticket sales in French-language films in Quebec and out-grossed Hollywood fare by more than a 50% margin. It is now the highest-grossing French-language film ever released in Quebec and Canada.
" 'Fathers and Guns' is a fantastically funny film, and we're...
- 11/10/2009
- by By Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television have announced the nominees for the 28th annual Genie Awards and leading the pack with 12 noms each is David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises and Roger Spottiswoode's Shake Hands with the Devil. The real applause goes to films like Away From Her (7 noms), The Tracey Fragments (6 noms) and Continental, a Film without Guns (5 noms). Two highly promising films that fizzled this year are veteran directors François Girard's Silk (it garnered many technical noms) and Denys Arcand's Days of Darkness who got some sympathy votes. Interesting side note: Ellen Page is going up against Julie Christie not with Juno but with Canadian made Bruce McDonald's The Tracey Fragments. Awards will be handed out just after the Oscars on March 3rd. Best Motion Picturedays Of Darkness - Denise Robert, Daniel LouisAWAY From Her - Daniel Iron, Simone Urdl, Jennifer WeissCONTINENTAL, A
- 1/29/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
Canada sends Arcand's 'Darkness' to Oscars
TORONTO -- "L'Age des tenebres" (Days of Darkness), Oscar-winning director Denys Arcand's latest film, will represent Canada in the foreign-language film competition at the upcoming Academy Awards.
The Quebec film completes a trilogy by Arcand that began with "Decline of the American Empire" and includes "Les Invasions barbares" (The Barbarian Invasions), which won the Oscar for best foreign-language film in 2005.
Produced by Denise Robert, "L'Age des tenebres", a portrait of a Walter Mitty-like everyman who uses fantasy to endure life, bowed In Competition at Cannes and recently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The film was selected to represent Canada at the Oscars by a committee headed up by Telefilm Canada, the federal government's film financier.
In 2006, Deepa Mehta's "Water" was nominated in the foreign-language film category at the Oscars, but lost out to Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's "The Lives of Others".
The Quebec film completes a trilogy by Arcand that began with "Decline of the American Empire" and includes "Les Invasions barbares" (The Barbarian Invasions), which won the Oscar for best foreign-language film in 2005.
Produced by Denise Robert, "L'Age des tenebres", a portrait of a Walter Mitty-like everyman who uses fantasy to endure life, bowed In Competition at Cannes and recently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The film was selected to represent Canada at the Oscars by a committee headed up by Telefilm Canada, the federal government's film financier.
In 2006, Deepa Mehta's "Water" was nominated in the foreign-language film category at the Oscars, but lost out to Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's "The Lives of Others".
- 9/20/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Palm nets domestic 'Rocket' rights
NEW YORK -- Palm Pictures scored all domestic rights for the hockey biopic The Rocket: The Legend of Rocket Richard, winner of nine Canadian Genie awards including best director and best actor.
Charles Biname's film follows the life of Maurice "The Rocket" Richard (Roy Dupuis), a Quebec factory worker who broke through discrimination against French Canadians in the 1940s and '50s to rise to the top of the National Hockey League. The film, written by Ken Scott and produced by Daniel Louis and Denise Robert, features many violent sports scenes in its recreation of an era before helmets were used.
Rocket earned the Canadian equivalent of the Oscar this year for Biname, Dupuis, Julie LeBreton (as Richard's wife) and Stephen McHattie (as Richard's coach). It will be released in U.S. theaters late this fall, followed by a DVD release this winter.
Palm head of theatrical distribution Ed Arentz negotiated the deal with Emmanuelle Dessureault of Montreal-based FunFilm Distribution.
Charles Biname's film follows the life of Maurice "The Rocket" Richard (Roy Dupuis), a Quebec factory worker who broke through discrimination against French Canadians in the 1940s and '50s to rise to the top of the National Hockey League. The film, written by Ken Scott and produced by Daniel Louis and Denise Robert, features many violent sports scenes in its recreation of an era before helmets were used.
Rocket earned the Canadian equivalent of the Oscar this year for Biname, Dupuis, Julie LeBreton (as Richard's wife) and Stephen McHattie (as Richard's coach). It will be released in U.S. theaters late this fall, followed by a DVD release this winter.
Palm head of theatrical distribution Ed Arentz negotiated the deal with Emmanuelle Dessureault of Montreal-based FunFilm Distribution.
- 8/22/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Zidi tapped as jury head for Montreal fest
OTTAWA -- French filmmaker Claude Zidi on Thursday was named head of the eight-member international jury for the 28th Montreal World Film Festival, set to run Aug. 26-Sept. 6. Zidi will be joined on the jury by U.S. director Jerry Schatzberg, Czech animator Bretislav Pojar, Quebec producer Denise Robert, Indian director Goutam Ghose, Mexican actress Diana Bracho, Italian star Anita Caprioli and Spanish director Jaime Camino.
- 7/23/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Genies give in to Arcand's 'Invasions' with 6 awards
TORONTO -- Denys Arcand's "The Barbarian Invasions" was the big winner Saturday night at the Genies, Canada's film awards, picking up six trophies, including best picture, director and original screenplay. Arcand's Genies success followed "Invasions'" awards at Cannes, Toronto and the recent Oscars, where it won for best foreign-language film. "We have a serious problem at home with enforcing the structure of our mantelpiece. We're working on this right now," Arcand told reporters backstage, accompanied by his wife and "Barbarian Invasions" producer Denise Robert. Arcand's success worked against another Quebec film, Jean-Francois Pouliot's "La grande seduction" (Seducing Doctor Lewis), which came into the juried competition with 11 nominations and walked away with only one trophy: the best cinematography prize for Allen Smith.
- 5/2/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Mambo Italiano
Screened
Toronto International Film Festival
Ethnic and sexual stereotypes receive equally clumsy treatment in this Canadian comedy, which depicts the misadventures of a young Italian man's attempting to come out in the face of societal and family pressures. "Mambo Italiano" is in release from Samuel Goldwyn/IDP, which No Doubt hopes to duplicate the success of another recent comedy featuring an ethnic group in the title.
The film depicts the travails of mild-mannered Angelo (Luke Kirby), who still lives at home in Montreal with his working-class Italian parents, Maria (Ginette Reno) and Gino (Paul Sorvino). The latter are characteristically aghast when Angelo decides that he wants to move into a place of his own -- a distinct break from Italian tradition -- but their concerns are somewhat alleviated when Angelo's former childhood friend Nino (Peter Miller), now a cop, moves in with him as his "roommate."
What they don't know is that the pair are lovers, a fact that Angelo and the well-closeted Nino take great pains to conceal. But the deception is short-lived, and the revelation results in inevitable and highly predictable complications and hysterically emotional repercussions, with Angelo's parents and Nino's strong-willed mother desperately trying to rescue their children even while at each other's throats.
Based all too obviously on a play by co-screenwriter Steve Galluccio, the film's broad humor and stereotypical characterizations probably played much more effectively onstage. Here, under the heavy-handed direction of Emile Gaudreault, the material lacks both credibility and emotional resonance, though admittedly the comedy -- not so far removed in style from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" -- could well connect with less discerning audiences. Particularly bizarre are the segments in which Angelo attempts, none too successfully, to counsel callers to a suicide hot line.
The performers vary in effectiveness, with Kirby appealing in the central role despite the character's many inconsistencies. Miller is suitably stalwart as the buffed Nino, and Claudia Ferri garners both laughs and sympathy as Angelo's aggrieved sister. The rest of the performers go through their predictable paces with professionalism, though Sorvino displays evidence of having played this sort of blustery Italian patriarch far too often.
Mambo Italiano
Samuel Goldwyn Films/IDP Distribution
Cinemaginaire
Credits:
Director: Emile Gaudreault
Screenwriter: Emile Gaudreault, Steve Galluccio
Producers: Denise Robert, Daniel Louis
Director of photography: Serge Ladouceur
Editor: Richard Comeau
Production designer: Patricia Christie
Composer: FM Le Sieur
Cast:
Angelo Barberini: Luke Kirby
Gino Barberini: Paul Sorvino
Maria Barberini: Ginette Reno
Maria: Stephanie Vecchio
Anna Barberini: Claudia Ferri
Nino Paventi: Peter Miller
Lina Paventi: Mary Walsh
Running time -- 88 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Toronto International Film Festival
Ethnic and sexual stereotypes receive equally clumsy treatment in this Canadian comedy, which depicts the misadventures of a young Italian man's attempting to come out in the face of societal and family pressures. "Mambo Italiano" is in release from Samuel Goldwyn/IDP, which No Doubt hopes to duplicate the success of another recent comedy featuring an ethnic group in the title.
The film depicts the travails of mild-mannered Angelo (Luke Kirby), who still lives at home in Montreal with his working-class Italian parents, Maria (Ginette Reno) and Gino (Paul Sorvino). The latter are characteristically aghast when Angelo decides that he wants to move into a place of his own -- a distinct break from Italian tradition -- but their concerns are somewhat alleviated when Angelo's former childhood friend Nino (Peter Miller), now a cop, moves in with him as his "roommate."
What they don't know is that the pair are lovers, a fact that Angelo and the well-closeted Nino take great pains to conceal. But the deception is short-lived, and the revelation results in inevitable and highly predictable complications and hysterically emotional repercussions, with Angelo's parents and Nino's strong-willed mother desperately trying to rescue their children even while at each other's throats.
Based all too obviously on a play by co-screenwriter Steve Galluccio, the film's broad humor and stereotypical characterizations probably played much more effectively onstage. Here, under the heavy-handed direction of Emile Gaudreault, the material lacks both credibility and emotional resonance, though admittedly the comedy -- not so far removed in style from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" -- could well connect with less discerning audiences. Particularly bizarre are the segments in which Angelo attempts, none too successfully, to counsel callers to a suicide hot line.
The performers vary in effectiveness, with Kirby appealing in the central role despite the character's many inconsistencies. Miller is suitably stalwart as the buffed Nino, and Claudia Ferri garners both laughs and sympathy as Angelo's aggrieved sister. The rest of the performers go through their predictable paces with professionalism, though Sorvino displays evidence of having played this sort of blustery Italian patriarch far too often.
Mambo Italiano
Samuel Goldwyn Films/IDP Distribution
Cinemaginaire
Credits:
Director: Emile Gaudreault
Screenwriter: Emile Gaudreault, Steve Galluccio
Producers: Denise Robert, Daniel Louis
Director of photography: Serge Ladouceur
Editor: Richard Comeau
Production designer: Patricia Christie
Composer: FM Le Sieur
Cast:
Angelo Barberini: Luke Kirby
Gino Barberini: Paul Sorvino
Maria Barberini: Ginette Reno
Maria: Stephanie Vecchio
Anna Barberini: Claudia Ferri
Nino Paventi: Peter Miller
Lina Paventi: Mary Walsh
Running time -- 88 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 9/19/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Miramax stems 'Invasions'
Miramax Films turned out to be a step ahead of the game when it acquired U.S. distribution rights to The Barbarian Invasions, one of the films In Competition at the Cannes Film Festival. The French-language picture went on to win the screenplay award for writer-director Denys Arcand and the best actress prize for Marie-Josee Croze, who stars as a young junkie. Also starring in the tale of a man who spends his last days making peace with his life are Remy Girard, Stephane Rousseau and Louise Portal. "Denys Arcand is a great filmmaker whose work stood out high above the rest of the films at this year's Cannes Film Festival," Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein said. "The film is full of humanity and shows a fascinating perspective on friendship and family." Produced by Denise Robert and Daniel Louis from Cinemaginaire, Invasions was acquired from Flach Pyramide International. "We are pleased to have been able to acquire such a wonderful film, which the entire acquisitions team loved, from the renowned company FPI," said Agnes Mentre, executive vp acquisitions and co-productions at Miramax. "It is so rare to find a movie that balances emotion and comedy and also contains profound statements about the important subjects of our lives."...
- 5/27/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Les Invasions Barbares/The Barbarian Invasions (Cannes)
In Competition
Seventeen years after firmly establishing his filmmaking reputation with the internationally acclaimed "The Decline of the American Empire," Canada's Denys Arcand has reunited the film's cast for "Les Invasions Barbares"("The Barbarian Invasions") with richly rewarding results.
Last in Cannes in 2000 with the festival closer "Stardom", a strained satire about the cult of celebrity that took pot shots at an easy target, Arcand returns in top form.
While "Les Invasions Barbares" retains much of the astutely observed acerbic wit that was a hallmark of his 1986 survey of male-female sexual mores, the new film finds the writer-director with quite a bit more on his plate.
An eloquent, achingly reflective taking of stock, the picture is unmistakably Arcand's most personal to date and, coming near the end of a Cannes run that has been woefully lacking substance, it would have to be considered a serious Palme d'Or contender.
Arcand wastes little time in getting to the heart of the matter: College professor Remy (Remy Girard) is lying in a hospital bed with a terminal illness and while his lothario days may finally be behind him, there are still plenty of other things that manage to get him all fired up.
Chief among them is his thorny relationship with his estranged son, Sebastien (Quebec humorist Stephane Rousseau), a very successful financial mover and shaker who has flown in from his London base to take care of his father's affairs and support his long-divorced mother (Dorothee Berryman).
Using his business savvy to cut through a mass of bureaucratic red tape, Sebastien finds that a little greasing of the right palms gets the job done when it comes to getting his father a private room and, subsequently, a regular supply of heroin to help ease his dad's pain along with someone to administer it (Marie-Josee Croze), the junkie daughter of Remy's old friend and ex-lover Diane (Louise Portal).
Meanwhile, Remy's old gang has come back to visit him, with the passage of time finding them older but not necessarily wiser in respect to getting a handle on the meaning of life.
The specter of mortality may be hanging over his characters, but this is no ponderous disease-of-the-week , weep-fest. Among the many subjects that get caught in the sharply satirical crossfire are the Catholic Church, Canada's overextended health care system, labor unions, immigration, and law and order, just to name a few.
Arcand also manages to work the matter of 9/11 into the mix, without its inclusion feeling opportunistic or forced, as has been the case with a number of other recent films.
His ensemble, meanwhile, shines ever brightly. Led by Girard, who turns in a feisty, fiery performance that is more alive than most of those played by perfectly healthy characters, the rest of the cast, including Johanne Marie Tremblay as a non-judgmental Catholic hospital nurse plus "Decline" originals Pierre Curzi, Yves Jacques and Dominique Michel, are uniformly splendid.
Behind the camera, cinematographer Guy Dufaux, production designer Francois Seguin, editor Isabelle Dedieu and composer Pierre Aviat work beautifully in unison to make Arcand's little meditation on life and death at the turn of the 21st Century as aesthetically pleasing as it is affecting.
Les Invasions Barbares
Pyramide
A Cinemaginaire and Pyramide presentation
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Denys Arcand
Producers: Denise Robert, Daniel Louis
Director of photography: Guy Dufaux
Production designer: Francois Seguin
Editor: Isabelle Dedieu
Costume designer: Denis Sperdouklis
Music: Pierre Aviat
Cast:
Remy: Remy Girard
Sebastien: Stephane Rousseau
Nathalie: Marie-Josee Croze
Gaelle: Marinia Hands
Louise: Dorothee Berryman
Soeur Constance: Johanne Marie Tremblay
Pierre: Pierre Curzi
Claude: Yves Jacques
Diane: Louise Portal
No MPAA rating
Running time -- 99 minutes...
Seventeen years after firmly establishing his filmmaking reputation with the internationally acclaimed "The Decline of the American Empire," Canada's Denys Arcand has reunited the film's cast for "Les Invasions Barbares"("The Barbarian Invasions") with richly rewarding results.
Last in Cannes in 2000 with the festival closer "Stardom", a strained satire about the cult of celebrity that took pot shots at an easy target, Arcand returns in top form.
While "Les Invasions Barbares" retains much of the astutely observed acerbic wit that was a hallmark of his 1986 survey of male-female sexual mores, the new film finds the writer-director with quite a bit more on his plate.
An eloquent, achingly reflective taking of stock, the picture is unmistakably Arcand's most personal to date and, coming near the end of a Cannes run that has been woefully lacking substance, it would have to be considered a serious Palme d'Or contender.
Arcand wastes little time in getting to the heart of the matter: College professor Remy (Remy Girard) is lying in a hospital bed with a terminal illness and while his lothario days may finally be behind him, there are still plenty of other things that manage to get him all fired up.
Chief among them is his thorny relationship with his estranged son, Sebastien (Quebec humorist Stephane Rousseau), a very successful financial mover and shaker who has flown in from his London base to take care of his father's affairs and support his long-divorced mother (Dorothee Berryman).
Using his business savvy to cut through a mass of bureaucratic red tape, Sebastien finds that a little greasing of the right palms gets the job done when it comes to getting his father a private room and, subsequently, a regular supply of heroin to help ease his dad's pain along with someone to administer it (Marie-Josee Croze), the junkie daughter of Remy's old friend and ex-lover Diane (Louise Portal).
Meanwhile, Remy's old gang has come back to visit him, with the passage of time finding them older but not necessarily wiser in respect to getting a handle on the meaning of life.
The specter of mortality may be hanging over his characters, but this is no ponderous disease-of-the-week , weep-fest. Among the many subjects that get caught in the sharply satirical crossfire are the Catholic Church, Canada's overextended health care system, labor unions, immigration, and law and order, just to name a few.
Arcand also manages to work the matter of 9/11 into the mix, without its inclusion feeling opportunistic or forced, as has been the case with a number of other recent films.
His ensemble, meanwhile, shines ever brightly. Led by Girard, who turns in a feisty, fiery performance that is more alive than most of those played by perfectly healthy characters, the rest of the cast, including Johanne Marie Tremblay as a non-judgmental Catholic hospital nurse plus "Decline" originals Pierre Curzi, Yves Jacques and Dominique Michel, are uniformly splendid.
Behind the camera, cinematographer Guy Dufaux, production designer Francois Seguin, editor Isabelle Dedieu and composer Pierre Aviat work beautifully in unison to make Arcand's little meditation on life and death at the turn of the 21st Century as aesthetically pleasing as it is affecting.
Les Invasions Barbares
Pyramide
A Cinemaginaire and Pyramide presentation
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Denys Arcand
Producers: Denise Robert, Daniel Louis
Director of photography: Guy Dufaux
Production designer: Francois Seguin
Editor: Isabelle Dedieu
Costume designer: Denis Sperdouklis
Music: Pierre Aviat
Cast:
Remy: Remy Girard
Sebastien: Stephane Rousseau
Nathalie: Marie-Josee Croze
Gaelle: Marinia Hands
Louise: Dorothee Berryman
Soeur Constance: Johanne Marie Tremblay
Pierre: Pierre Curzi
Claude: Yves Jacques
Diane: Louise Portal
No MPAA rating
Running time -- 99 minutes...
- 5/22/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Equinox sets sales for 'Mambo'
TORONTO -- Canadian distributor Equinox Films said it has sold the feature comedy Mambo Italiano to Icon Pictures for the United Kingdom and Australia, Lola Films for Spain and Italy, Splendid Films for Germany and Shani Films for Israel. Directed by Emile Gaudreault, Mambo Italiano is a coming-out comedy centering on a first-generation Canadian who tells his loving, dysfunctional Italian immigrant family that he's in love -- with a guy named Nino. It stars Paul Sorvino, Mary Walsh and Luke Kirby. Rounding out the cast are Peter Miller, Claudia Ferri and Sophie Lorain. Yves Dion, vp of distribution for Montreal-based Equinox Films, negotiated the deals after last month's American Film Market. The movie, which was shot last summer in Montreal, will screen in the Cannes market. Mambo was produced by Denise Robert and Daniel Louis of Montreal-based Cinemaginaire, and is based on the stage play by Steve Galluccio. Equinox distributed the boxoffice hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding, also a family-themed ethnic comedy, in Canada, where it brought in CAN$29 million. The company said no deal for US. distribution of Mambo Italiano has been set as yet.
- 3/13/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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