Posted at 7:00 a.m.
You announce only one title: December 23, a Christmas comedy scripted by India Desjardins and directed by Miryam Bouchard, slated for release on November 25. Will Immina Films also recover feature films currently in production that were originally intended to be distributed by Seville Films?
For now, we are focusing on 2022. December 23 will be released in less than a month and we must prepare accordingly. However, we will soon announce which titles we will launch in 2023.
Does this agreement with Seville Films indicate a complete recovery of its impressive catalog? Can the community’s fear of the idea that our film heritage be managed by foreign interests be dismissed?
We will sub-distribute the entire Seville Films catalog. We own the rights for exploitation on all platforms and distribution methods, apart from physical media – Blu-ray and DVD – which remain with Seville. Xavier Trudel, who has been in charge of sales for the entire catalog at Seville for fifteen years, is joining our team. So everything stays in the hands of the same person. There will thus be continuity and we will ensure the best possible accessibility for Quebec films. Our territory also covers the rest of Canada.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY IMMINA FILMS
François Arnaud and Catherine Brunet are two of the headliners of December 23the first feature film to be distributed by the new company Immina Films.
You also chair the board of directors of Québec Cinéma. How do you react to the announcement of the withdrawal of Radio-Canada for the broadcast of the gala?
I find this decision deeply sad and unfortunate. I continue to follow this file, but there has been no new exchange with Radio-Canada since the announcement last week. We had already suggested to the broadcaster to create a committee to think about another formula, which would really bring renewal, but this idea was not retained at the time. According to Radio-Canada, the formula it is proposing will better serve Quebec cinema, but no one seems to believe in it in the industry. I have rarely seen such unanimity in our industry. I would like an opening on the part of Radio-Canada so that we can sit down and discuss it. The loss of this gala is extremely important because this event is also made up of everything that happens before and after. It gives our cinema extraordinary visibility.
We talk a lot about the fragility of Quebec cinema in terms of visibility and the means to be taken to win back the public after the pandemic. What do you think it is?
The pandemic has had an impact on cinema in general. We must always wonder about these questions. I really liked Émile Proulx-Cloutier’s speech at Everybody talks about it. He is right: work has to be done at all levels. We have to find a way to interest young people in our culture. To achieve this, we need to do more. This is one of the keys to keeping audiences interested in our cinematography. I am delighted with the appointment of Mathieu Lacombe to the Ministry of Culture and Communications because this former Minister for the Family will no doubt be sensitive to these issues.
Also, where does the name of your new company, Immina Films, come from?
This creation was inspired by the word “imminent”! When we talk about something imminent, we have to work, push for this thing to materialize and become reality. With a film, you apply this process not only to release it, but also to make it successful. It’s like an incentive to surpass oneself. We promise to all our partners to do everything we can to surpass ourselves!