Will the Cannes Film Festival continue their love affair with Quebecois filmmakers? Last year was an specially strong year, the Director's Fortnight section loaded up, inviting a trio of titles from auteurs such as Denis Villeneuve, Denis Côté and the discovery of the section, in Xavier Dolan and his debut film I Killed My Mother. I've mentioned in my Cannes predictions that Villeneuve has a better than average chance in moving up a section with Incendies, and Xavier Dolan is most likely going to show up in the same section with his second film, Love Imagined aka Les Amours imaginaires, (for which we have some exclusive pics for) - a romantic drama featuring a bizarre love triangle. But the 2010 edition might include a couple more helmers from French Canada.
Just the other day I had a writer from Chile contact me for a piece about the probabilities for the Cannes line-up - just about every country must have a trade that are speculating on local fair making it to the fest. French newspaper Le Devoir got into the game mentioning the above two titles I mentioned, and they think that Côté might return with Curling (you can watch a clip here), Maxime Giroux, who brought his short film to Sundance a couple of years back, is hoping for Jo pour Jonathan to find a spot, agitator Robert Morin would certainly make things interesting with Journal d'un coopérant - his travelogue drama about a pedophile, and a pair of female filmmakers in Catherine Martin (Trois temps après la mort d'Anna) and Julie Hivon (Tromper le silence) are hopefuls for a spot if you go by the article.
Comments
Posted by Paul Barbeau on 2010-03-22 at 10:40:19
To the editorial departement or whom it may concern,
I am the producer of the Giroux Film, Jo pour Jonathan, which is the correct name of the film and NOT Jo comme Jonathan there was a mistake made unfortunately which has now been corrected in Le Devoir.
I was wondering if it was possible to correct the title as your page seems read by quite a few people and comes up on search engines.
I can also be contacted for more info on the film. Pictures ect... if you would like. Thank you for support this little gem which is I hope Quebec's best little secret for 2010. Paul Barbeau
Posted by Iheartsubtitles on 2010-03-24 at 13:48:37
Corrected - and if Giroux's film ends up in Cannes - you can be sure we'll be covering this "little gem".
Posted by The Indie Source on 2010-03-28 at 17:08:24
Will Cannes continue their love affair with quebecois filmmakers? ... You meant .. will Cannes continue their political affairs with quebecois filmmakers? If you weren't aware, in Quebec , there is a government organization of culture called "La Sodec". La Sodec finances films made in Quebec .. well most of them. They also have a seat in the Cannes comity .. this holds Cannes "the so called most prestigious film festival" with obligations to Quebecois films. Haven't you noticed ... there are always films from Sodec at Cannes .. oups ... Quebec films. Just a little unfair for the little filmmakers in let's say Serbia or Pakistan.
Although I do agree that Dolan,Villeneuve etc. are extremely talented filmmakers and that Quebec has no doubt some of the most promising filmmakers for the future of international cinema. But when I was made aware that a second year student along with just twelve colleagues at the Montreal film school made a feature film for about $30K but didn’t get any support from “La Sodec” to help send the film to Cannes or even get the Fortnight comity to screen it. The two comities go to Quebec every year, months before their submissions open. Is this fair? Is the talent we see at Cannes and the Fortnight really the talent that has the merit to be seen?
Some forget that Cannes was built upon filmmakers who want to change the way cinema is made. Not filmmakers with political arrangements. Let’s not ignore that they are French language films and that the filmmakers hold French names. I have nothing against Dolan, but he’s been involved in cinema since the age of eight and had $800K and an array of the most experienced Quebec techs to make his first film. Not to mention that “La Sodec” financed half of it.
Oh and did I mention that 23 year old student ? He shot his film … on FILM. Unlike the young Dolan who shot on a digital platform. For the uneducated … you can run as many takes as you want with digital and a budget of $800K. Film costs about $20 per minute … I can’t imagine how many takes those students had to run … with $30K … Unfortunately the world won’t get to see that film at Cannes or at the Fortnight this year because they’ve already selected their films from Quebec… weeks ago. So to all other talented and non-supported indie filmmakers from Quebec and the rest of the non-French world … you just don’t have a chance. Not because your film isn’t good or doesn’t have merit … simply because you weren’t affiliated with “La Sodec”.
And as far as Giroux goes, I’m sure he’ll have a fantastic film to show this year. But I feel and think that Quebec’s gem and best little secret for 2010 isn’t his film but the film made by twelve struggling students trying to get noticed.
Unfortunately I have no title, no names or no synopsis … but I’m sure you know why…
Truly
The Indie Source
Posted by Paul Barbeau on 2010-03-30 at 19:00:39
Dear Indie Source,
Giroux did not get any funding from Sodec or TeleFilm...and anyone can submit a film to Telefilm for pre- film at screenings held in early March at Telefilm, and even if a film if shot for 500$ and is in mini DV. Please check this fact.
I don't doubt that there are many other gems in Quebec I agree with you and Jo pour Jonathan is probably NOT the only gem in Quebec but it is a special film shot with almost no money and displaying Alexandre Laferrière, Sara Mishara and Maxime Giroux's great talent.
I really hope to be able to share it with the world... as for Cannes we have very little chance to get in. Let's be real here. Villeneuve and Dolan and Coté (very good filmaker who is not enough spoken about) all probably have better chances. I was just saying it best kept secret more as a saying... as actually THE best kept secret in Quebec. Yes someone in school planning the next shoot of its first feature is probably Quebec's next best secret and beleive I have met quite a few of those just by being Nufilms's owner and producer and having found some of the best directors fresh out of school so I understand what you mean. The next Gus Van sant or Villeneuve is pprobably not the next biggest suprise we agree on that. They are established filmmakers who are respected and established and are very much part of the establishment now.
But our film was NOT affiated with Sodec or Telefilm. They may want to be later on (post-production) or for marketing reasons if the film makes it into Cannes.
But for now we financed it as young, naive filmmakers hoping for a miracle.
I should know. I produced it with that intent.
Stay "Indie".
Those are the best films. Good luck!
Paul