Restore the image of Quebec cinema

If the movies confessions and December 23 have been successful in 2022, the fact remains that a good number of Quebec films have recently hit the screens, going too unnoticed. State of play.

Recently, Patrick Huard expressed his disappointment that the image of Quebec cinema needs to be restored again. Luc Picard was sorry for his part that no young person recognized him in a convenience store while his film, confessionswas a box office millionaire.

The biggest success of the year will have finally been December 23which has grossed over $2.1 million at the box office so far, surpassing The perfect family guide (2021) and approaching the recipes of Liarlaunched in the summer of 2019.

Patrick Roy, founder of distribution company Immina Films, had “more cautious expectations” for December 23, given that audiences were still down in the fall compared to pre-pandemic years. He is very happy with the influence enjoyed by the romantic comedy, especially since it is the first film officially released by Immina Films.

Patrick Roy has worked in Quebec cinema for over 30 years. Until last year, he was president of Seville Films, a subsidiary of Entertainment One, which decided to stop distributing films in theaters. He made his debut at Alliance Atlantis Vivafilm, which distributed in the 2000s – before merging with Seville – four of the five greatest successes of Quebec cinema, including the most profitable Quebec film in history, Good Cop, Bad Copwhich grossed over $10 million at the box office.

The film starred Patrick Huard, now a member of the board of directors of Québec Cinéma. Recently, Patrick Huard said in an interview with The Press regret that Quebec cinema has a reputation to rebuild.

By the mid-2000s, its market share had peaked at 18.2%. In 2022, they were 7.3%. “There is a lack of popular films on our screens,” argues Patrick Roy.

When he looks at the receipts of Quebec films in 2022, he does not see any “underperformance” for all that. But it is difficult to explain why Vanishing lines, whose distribution he orchestrated during the transition from Sevilla to Immina, fared no better. “I will admit that I am disappointed,” he said. His hypothesis: the theme of eco-anxiety may have put some people off.

Miryam Bouchard directed both December 23 and Vanishing lines. She is delighted with the reception her Christmas choir film, written by India Desjardins, has received. “I usually try to detach myself from the box office, because the release of a film depends on many things over which we have no control. But here, I can’t. »

Like many of her colleagues in the film industry, she regrets that certain Quebec films, including Vanishing lines“pass through the butter” despite visibility in the media.

Of course, Quebec films in theaters must compete with Top Gun and all content on the platforms. “There are fewer and fewer reasons to go to the cinema and it’s scary,” says Miryam Bouchard.

Where is the audience?

“We have great films that have not been seen enough, agrees Sylvie Quenneville, general manager of Quebec Cinema. We produce a lot of films in Quebec and it’s very impressive. But you have to reach the public and lead a real reflection to know who the films are for. »

Last summer, Luc Picard did a test, says Christian Larouche, who is both producer (Christal Films) and distributor (Les Films Opale). Whereas confessions was indoors, he surveyed young people in a convenience store. Result: “We did not recognize him. »

“How do we reach them, young people? “says Christian Larouche, who is preparing the distribution of the film for teens slush heart in June 2023.

Christian Larouche worked in 2022 on the distribution of confessions, but also of You will remember me, Arlette and Viking. Last December, he said he was satisfied with their life in theaters, but he stressed that it is the type of feature film that is struggling in the cinema. “Home movies and big American movies work well. But for the rest, it’s not going as well and it’s a global phenomenon. »

Beyond the box office

Looking at the annual results of Cinéac, an agency that compiles receipts from films screened in Quebec, we notice that white dogby Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, and vikingby Stéphane Lafleur, only raised around $250,000 each in theaters across the province.

“Yes, there is the success of films at the box office, but there is also their influence and international sales,” underlines Louise Lantagne, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Société de développement des entreprises culturelle ( SODEC).

In 2022, several works shined in festivals, including Baby sitterby Monia Chokri (at Sundance), Falcon Lakeby Charlotte Le Bon (in Cannes), and A summer like thisby Denis Côté (in Berlin). viking earned a place in Canada’s Top Ten selection at the Toronto International Film Festival, it won several awards at festivals and will be distributed in France.

More event films?

On March 10, 2020, just before the pandemic, the provincial budget allowed SODEC to subsidize a film up to $4 million whereas the maximum was previously $2 million. “The idea was to give greater value to certain films,” explains Louise Lantagne.

However, during the pandemic, Telefilm Canada had “disbursement” problems and SODEC made up for the “shortfall” of more than 15 productions in difficulty, including Goodbye happiness.

Result: SODEC could not fully see the impact of its new financial leeway. “We want to bring it back to the essence of giving more resources to certain films,” says its president.

“We would like more projects for young people,” she adds. We must not forget that SODEC makes choices among the projects that are submitted. »