An initiatory story against a backdrop of inter-ethnic conflicts, a bloody story of a contract killer and a road movie tinged with an explosive separation… The coming months of Quebec cinema promise to be very emotional, even quite dark. This eclectic winter cuvée also features several premieres, including the first major role in the cinema of Henry Picard or the first feature film by Miriam Charles.
Onur Karamanwhich will start the ball rolling with Breathe, is about his fourth feature film, but he remains little known to the general public. This film could remedy the situation. Winner of the prize for best film in the Quebec competition of Cinemania, it is an initiatory tale in which the destinies of a 15-year-old Moroccan teenager and a 27-year-old Quebecer recently laid off collide, in a neighborhood popular in Montreal. January 27.
A week later, the director Joelle Desjardins Paquette will present Rodeoa road movie award-winning at the Whistler Film Festival. A Quebec trucker (Maxime Le Flaguais) drags his young daughter on a three-day trip to Alberta to watch a legendary heavy-truck competition. The trailer portends beautiful images of the western plains, as well as intense confrontations. February 3.
Opening film of the next Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma, The plunger is presented as the big cinematic event of the winter. It is also in this adaptation of the best-selling novel by Stephane Larue that Henry Picard, son of Luc, will hold his first big role in the cinema. This movie of Francis Leclerc (Barefoot in the dawn, The time grabber) recounts the tribulations of a student in debt who lands a job in a fancy restaurant, which will not leave him unscathed. February 24.
Surprises
Well-established filmmakers could also surprise with these unusual works. Note, first, Twilight for a killera crime drama Raymond St-Jean (Louise Lecavalier: on his fire horse), freely inspired by the life of hitman Donald Lavoie (Eric Bruneau). A week later, Francois Bouvier (The Bolduc), who seems to have taken a liking to period films, will present an ambitious but promising adaptation of the novel the cobbler (Pauline Gil). March 10 and 17 respectively.
The new auteur cinema is not to be outdone this winter, however. We will finally be able to discover, on March 24, the coyoteof Katherine Jerkovic(Roads in February). Winner of the Best Canadian Film award at Whistler, it also charmed critics during its presentation at TIFF. Emmanuel Tardif (Submissions) will come back with In broad daylightin April. Guy Edoina regular at major international festivals, will deliver Bordersthe 3 of March.
The only comedy in our selection will appear in April. It is Bungalowthe second feature film by Lawrence Cote-Collins. The trailer for the film, which recounts the nightmare of a couple who buys a house to renovate, suggests a neat and contrasting staging, as well as tasty dialogues. April 7.
Documentaries
This housethe first feature film by Miriam Charles, which premiered at the Berlinale and won multiple awards at festivals, blurs the lines between documentary and fiction. Conceived as an “imaginary biography” inspired by the tragic – and very real – murder of his young cousin, the film offers a new look at Quebec society, that of the Haitian diaspora of the post-referendum era, in an innovative staging. February 3.
In all likelihood, the month of February will be rich in high quality documentaries, since a week later, damselsof Fanie Pelletier, will be shown in Quebec. The film addresses female adolescence and its challenges in our hyperconnected era. Combining three embedded stories as well as images gleaned from the Web of young women from all over the world, it surprises with the originality of its treatment of the subject. February 10.
Fundamentally political documentaries will also take part. Resourcesof Hubert Caron Guayis interested in the impacts of industrial meat production, both on the environment and on workers. 2012/In the heartof Rodrigue Jean and Arnaud Valade, meanwhile, plunges back into Maple Spring, reusing found images to address police brutality. 27 January and 31 March respectively.
For the whole family
2023 marks the return of Tales for All, a franchise much loved by Quebecers behind classics such as The tuque war and Bach and ankle boot. The new installment in the series, Coco Farmof Sebastien Gagne, tells the story of a 12-year-old entrepreneur who starts a laying hen farm with a young youtuber. February 24.
School break will also be an opportunity to discover Katak, the brave beluga. This animated film Christine Dallaire-Dupont and Nicola Lemay follows a charming beluga in his quest for true love, with the voices of Ginette Reno, yves jacques, Ludivine Reding, Martin Drainvilleand Guylaine Tremblayamong others.
Correction: An early version of this text stated that the film Bungalow was Lawrence Côté-Collins’ feature debut. It was rather his second.