Just For Laughs goes to AFRICA!

From left to right: Gilles Morin, Bruce Hills, Moyikwa Sisulu, Gilbert Rozon & Rabin Harduth.
Photo © Lena Ghio, 2017

A glimpse of Durban

On this gorgeous morning in Montreal I had breakfast at the Just For Laughs conference that revealed the international brand is taking root in the glorious city of Durban with the collaboration of a South-African based conglomerate.

This will be a great opportunity to develop local talents, bring international talents to Durban and create more media content. Gilles Morin Director Europe JFL, Bruce Hills COO JFL & Gilbert Rozon the Founder of JFL, were all in accord expressing their love of Africa. The video they showed us of the coastal city of Durban was spectacular! Moyikwa Sisulu, director for Just For Laughs Africa said: “The opportunity to bring the experience of the Just For Laughs team to developing African comedy was one we just couldn’t turn down.” Rabin Harduth, producer and actor, is also a director for JFL Africa who is set to open in July 2018!

 

Here is a sample of South African Humor.

Details of the Just For Laughs Africa launch event will be released as they become 

available – keep an eye on www.justforlaughsafrica.com for news or follow 

@JFLAfrica on Instagram and Twitter.

-LENA GHIO

Denys Arcand & Le Triomphe de l'Argent

Parmi les comédiens du nouveau film de Denys Arcand Triomphe de l'argent: Alexandre Landry, Pierre Curzi, Rémy Girard, Louis Morissette, Patrick Abellard, Eddy King et Maripier Morin de l'émission Hockey Wives qui y fera ses débuts cinématographiques. Photo © Lena Ghio, 2017

Lors des rencontres de presse avec Denys Arcand et son équipe, l'humour est toujours à la portée. Cette fois-ci, nous sommes réunis pour rencontrer la distribution de son nouveau projet qui venait de lire le scénario ensemble pour la première fois. Tous étaient très heureux de faire partie de l'aventure de création que sera cette étude de moeurs qui découle des réflexions récentes de Denys Arcand tant qu'aux valeurs contemporaines. Selon ses observations, l'argent est devenue la seule valeur globale de l'humanité. Il ne veut pas pontifier mais plutôt s'en servir comme leitmotiv pour ses personnages.

De la façon dont les blagues voltigeaient d'une répartie de Benoît Brière à une maladresse comique de Rémy Girard, on peut deviner que non seulement ils auront un film très drôle à nous offrir en 2018 mais ils auront aussi un plaisir fou à le réaliser.

C'est l'histoire d'un homme qui, quoiqu'il possède un doctorat en philosophie, gagne sa vie comme livreur. C'est en livrant un colis qu'il se retrouve au mauvais endroit au mauvais moment! Il récupère deux sacs remplis de billets de banque et succombe à la tentation de les emporter sans se soucier des conséquences de son choix.

J'ai bien hâte de voir ça!

-LENA GHIO

FANTASIA UPDATE • ROBERT PATTINSON

Robert Pattinson in Good Time

There are still places available for the July 27th presentation of Good Time where Robert Pattinson will be in the house! If you have always loved this actor, now is a great chance to see him up close. This movie focuses on the lives of two brothers whose lives unravel when one of them lands in jail. Directors Ben and Josh Safdie will also be present to address the crowd.

 http://www.fantasiafestival.com/festival/en/2017/films-schedule/films/903

-LENA GHIO

FANTASIA FESTIVAL • Most Beautiful Island

Writer, director & star Ana Asensio 

I just came back from a brief but enlightening interview with writer, director & star of the movie Most Beautiful Island Ana Asensio with Larry Fessenden, who also wears many hats for this production including playing Rudy the doorman, and Jenn Wexler also a producer. I had just seen a screener of the movie that will open later today, SOLD OUT, and will have a showing on the 24th at 3:15 PM.
We must tiptoe around the elements of the plot so as to not rob you of the many surprising turns in the intrigue.

The story is inspired by true events, so I was curious to know more.

Ana Asensio / Luciana - " The character in the story is in a vulnerable situation because she is undocumented and there was a time in my life that I was in that situation. I also met many women like me. So the kinds of things that happen to the main character during the story were very similar situations, some of them were exactly the same, as what happened to me. So that was a source of inspiration. And the main event that happens in the last part of the film, in which Luciana ends up going somewhere that she is not expecting to go and how she makes the decisions to gather what she needs to get there and so on, that is also something that happened to me. There was a person who told me about a job. She lied to me. I ended up going somewhere else and being in a strange place. And the place was an illegal place and the fear, the illegality of what was going to happen to me, that was the core of the inspiration of the story."

me -" It seems to me that the story line exploits phobias.  Can you elaborate on the phobia element of the movie?"

Larry Fessenden / Rudy -" When you are in such a vulnerable situation you are just open to all the possibilities of what can go wrong. When she looses the child she is babysitting that of course reminds her of the central loss of the film that happens off camera, before the movie begins, where she lost her own child. I think she is in a very vulnerable place. So she has no safety net, no papers, she is not legitimately here and of course in our current situation in America, this is how the politics have placed a number of people in this vulnerable situation. It wasn't needed. I think that is one of the reasons the movie resonates with things that change in the real world. To be in that position is very scary."

Jenn Wexler - " In New York city you can be surrounded by millions of people and be completely all alone."

me - " The thing that creates the revulsion factor in the movie is quite surprising and most women cannot even stand the sight of it. How were you inspired to use that thing?"

Ana Asensio - " Many men have expressed more disgust than women in the theatre!" We all laugh.
" There is not just one fear inspiration for me. I knew that I wanted to do something extremely scary, that I haven't seen before in any other films, or even heard of. I just wanted the film to combine something that was going to be terrifying for almost anybody but with some beauty. I did not want to use weapons, or any blood and gore."

me - " It is very ingenious. That was the word that came to my mind. The movie is subtle and ingenious. "

Ana Asensio - " I guess in a way, thinking about it afterwards, I was reminded of the ancient Roman practice of feeding the Christians to the lions as a spectacle for the crowds. It was the excitement and the rush of the confrontation between the beast and the human. In my country (Spain) we have the bullfights where the public is far away so they will not get splashed with blood. It is that kind of idea where we get excited by the possibility of seeing someone get hurt."

It is a movie that is very close to reality. Jenn Wexler explained: "It is important to note that it was shot with Super-16mm-lenses and inspired by the look of European action movies of the 70s." Added Asensio: "I feel closer to the New York 70s movies where the city feels dangerous and the extras looked like real people, real New Yorkers. We go to these dangerous locations."

The movie kept me on my toes me all the way. The locations are indeed ominous and dreadful. I enjoyed the final denouement for the character Luciana.
The movie won a Grand Jury Award in the narrative competition at SXSW this year.

 4 LENAs for ingenuity!

-LENA GHIO                                                          

FANTASIA Update / Nouvelles

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets / • Valérian et la Cité des mille planètes

Cara Delevingne, Laureline, & Dane DeHaan, Valerian 

FRANÇAIS •

MÜL

The screen opens with  Major Tom by David Bowie and actual footage from the beginning of space travel in the 60s. From there,  the hand shaking between mission commanders of different nations grows to include beings from outer space. My heart chakra was vibrating as I remembered that these were the dreams we had for mankind, that we could greet each other with openness joined by a similar quest for knowledge and evolution. We are then transported to Mül, a gorgeous planet where we see pearl divers beginning their day. The 3D is sublime and I could have stayed in Mül for hours but...

I have never seen anything so beautiful and so well executed! The two lead actors, Cara Delevingne as Laureline and Dane DeHaan as Valerian are light, modern and vibrant. A slew of cinema's great actors appear throughout: Rutger Hauer, Clive Owen, John Goodman, Ethan Hawke; music stars: Rihanna, Herbie Hancock,  and Canadian dancer Emilie Livingston to name but a few. then we are knocked off our seats by the stunning augmented performance by Rihanna. The script is a straightforward chase and action plot, but the visual style and the soundtrack pleased me immensely. Luc Besson, the writer, director and producer of this jewel, even received high praises from Director and Producer Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings fame! Even more fun news, he has already written the sequel! I cannot wait!

Rihanna

• L'écran ouvre avec  Major Tom de David Bowie et des vraies séquences des débuts de l'exploration spatiale par les humains dans les années 60. De là,  les serrements des mains entre les commandants de mission de nations différentes grandissent pour inclure des êtres de l'espace. Mon chakra du coeur vibrait quand je me suis rappelée que ces scènes étaient les rêves que nous avions pour l'humanité, que nous pourrions nous saluer avec ouverture, units par une recherche semblable de la connaissance et l'évolution. Nous sommes alors transportés à Mül, une planète magnifique où nous voyons des pêcheurs de perles commencer leur journée. Le 3D est sublime et j'aurais pu rester dans Mül pendant des heures, mais...

Je n'ai jamais vu rien de si beau et de si bien exécuté! Les deux acteurs principaux, Cara Delevingne comme Laureline et Dane DeHaan comme Valériane, sont légers, modernes et vibrants. Une quantité des grands acteurs de cinéma apparaît:  Rutger Hauer, Clive Owen, John Goodman, Ethan Hawke; des vedettes musicales: Rihanna, Herbie Hancock,  ainsi que la danseuse canadienne Emilie Livingston pour n'en nommer que quelques-uns. Ensuite nous sommes frappés hors de nos sièges par la performance augmentée stupéfiante par Rihanna. Le scénario est un cas direct de complot d'action et de combat, mais le style visuel et la piste sonore m'ont plu immensément. Luc Besson, l'auteur, le directeur et le producteur de ce bijou, a même reçu de hauts éloges du directeur et producteur Peter Jackson du succès phénoménal Le Seigneur des Anneaux! Encore plus de nouvelles amusantes, il a déjà écrit la suite! Je ne peux pas attendre!

TRAILER / BANDE ANNONCE

This is a 5 LENA! / Ceci est un 5 LENA!

-LENA GHIO 

NOUVELLES • NEWS 14.07.2017

Campus MIL, 6700 Avenue Durocher, Outremont

ENGLISH •

CHERCHEZ-VOUS UN PARTY? / • ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A PARTY?

MONT RÉEL !

Un nouveau lieu de rassemblement ouvert au public

INAUGURATION

SAMEDI 15 JUILLET À 17 h

                                        •    A New Gathering Place Open to the Public

INAUGURATION

SATURDAY, JULY 15 AT 5 PM.

Campus MIL, 6700 Avenue Durocher, Outremont

17 h 30 : performance participative “Faire résonner la montagne”

• 5:30 pm: Participative Performance “Sounding the Mountain”

18 h 30 – 21 h : pique-nique collectif et BBQ:

Apportez votre pique-nique et vos grillades. Le Mont Réel vous attend avec une belle vue pour accompagner votre repas!

• 6:30 – 9 PM: Collective Picnic and BBQ:

Bring your own picnic dinner or food to barbecue: Either way, Mont Réel awaits you with nice summit views to go with your meal!

Activités en continu de 17 h à 21 h / • Ongoing Activities between 5 – 9 PM
 Et + / • & More!

Get ready to be blown away by Florence Pugh in a devilish and sexy performance as LADY MACBETH. Her illicit lover played by Cosmo Jarvis is just as delicious. Sex & Murder have never been so intriguing. Directed by William Oldroyd. Opening in Montreal July 15 2017.

UNDRESS ME is a short film by Amelia Moses you can catch this week-end @Fantasia Festival. A young girl must deal with strange symptoms after a short fling at a frat party.

BONNE FIN DE SEMAINE À TOUS / • HAVE A GREAT WEEK-END EVERYBODY!

-LENA GHIO

@FantasiaFest A GHOST STORY

Trailer Soundtrack Dark Room performing I get Overwhelmed  for all info on soundtrack

A Ghost Story is a complex story of time, love and life presented in stark simplicity. It is written and directed by David Lowery and stars Casey Affleck (C) and Rooney Mara (M). We are drawn into the intimacy of an ordinary couple in a country cottage. The story moves at the pace of many contemporary art video installations where the object is to assimilate a different level of information than the verbal or gestural narrative. In the first twenty minutes this irritated me but I stuck with the artistic message and it reached my core. In our ordinary daily life it appears like we have forever as we take care of our homes, work, laugh, love, but, in reality, we are all going to be snuffed out in one swift instant. To make this point, the filmmaker shakes us out of the apparent episodes of slow progress with a bang.

This is a visual art and musical film where the atmospheres transpierce our hearts with memories and feelings for all those we have loved and lost. The fact that the ghost is presented in the white sheet archetype adds a delicious mystery to the character, he no longer has what we in life call an identity. He has become like a cloud floating slowly from scene to scene, back and forth in time. He is clinging to his life and his girl but of course both are swept away.

This Friday at Fantasia Festival 7:15 PM INFO & TICKETS

I give this film 4 LENAs

-LENA GHIO

FESTIVAL FANTASIA • Les Fantastiques Week-ends du Cinéma Québécois

Les Fantastiques Week-ends du Cinéma Québécois vous propose 15 LONGS MÉTRAGES QUÉBÉCOIS en plus de délicieux courts métrages!

RADIUS, nouveau film de Caroline Labrèche et Steve Léonard, réalisateurs de SANS DESSEIN (2009), dans lequel un homme se rend compte que tout organisme vivant l’approchant à un rayon de 50 pieds meurt sur-le-champ.

ORIGAMI de Patrick Demers, qui met en scène un artiste visuel (François Arnaud) croyant avoir la capacité de plier le temps qui tente de changer le cours des choses suite a un terrible drame familial.

PUNK FU ZOMBIE hommage au cinéma nanar dans lequel ninjas, punks et hommes-rats tentent de survivre dans un futur post-apocalyptique envahi par des zombies.

GAME OF DEATH, de Sébastien Landry et Laurence Baz Morais, présenté en première mondiale lors du dernier SXSW, promet une bonne dose de folie. Un groupe de jeunes se voit propulsé dans un sanglant jeu de la mort. 

ABU (Arshad Khan), documentaire touchant sur la relation entre le réalisateur homosexuel et son père, un musulman pieux.

GEEK GIRLS (Gina Hara) en première nord-américaine, documentaire donnant une tribune à plusieurs femmes qui se sont taillées une place dans la culture geek.

LET THERE BE LIGHT science fiction de Mila Aung-Thwin et Van Royko; TOKYO IDOLS (Kyoko Miyake), documentaire suivant une star de la pop japonaise présenté en première québécoise ; et la websérie (T)ERREUR 404 (Sébastien Diaz) présentée pour la première fois sous forme de long-métrage.

Et les classiques du cinéma Québécois qui seront revisités: L’ANGE ET LA FEMME (1977), film poétique et sensuel de Gilles Carles projeté en présence de l’actrice Carole Laure et du compositeur Lewis Furey ; THE BLUE MAN, un étrange film tourné à Montréal en 1985 par George Mihalka autour du thème des voyages astraux ; une copie restaurée par Éléphant - mémoire du cinéma québécois de RAFALES, le suspense réalisé en 1990 par le regretté André Melançon ; et SIMON LES NUAGES (1990), qui sera présenté en copie 35 mm en présence de Roger Cantin.

-LENA GHIO

MANIFESTO by Julian Rosefeldt

MANIFESTO is a movie by Julian Rosefeldt featuring Cate Blanchett acting out 13 distinct characters discussing all forms of contemporary art practices from DADA to FLUXUS to Conceptual Art, and more. Julian Rosefeldt is a well established German filmmaker and artist who resumes the current status of art brilliantly and succinctly through the chameleon like performance of the exquisite Cate Blanchett. In one scene I found hilarious, her real life husband, Andrew Upton, plays her husband in a scene where the character she plays forces her children and husband to recite their "values" before they can eat. The three boys and the husband allow her to recite a vast array of art that she likes and hopes would manifest as they yawn, fall asleep, stare at the food sadly.

I enjoyed it so much, I will listen to it more than once because it makes me feel sane in the madness of the current contemporary art scene that, albeit producing some gems like the work of David Altmejd for example, produces way too much bullshit!

You can now enjoy, and trust me YOU WILL ENJOY,  the movie at Cinéma du Parc.

This movie gets 5 LENAs

-LENA GHIO 

FANTASIA • Everything is possible! 13.07 > 02.08.2017

For ALL information / Pour TOUTES les informations

Once again it is the time of year to suspend reason and delve into the depths of the world's mysteries and those of the human psyche. Another selection of movies about super powers, action and death that will blow your mind. Here are a few highlights:

GOOD TIMES • July 27th 9:15 PM hosted by Directors Ben & Josh Safdie

Get ready to unleash your emotions in this gut wrenching story about two brothers that was an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival. It stars Robert Pattison, Ben Safdie, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Taliah Webster and Barkhad Abdi.

SPOOR • July 30th 9:00 PM & August 1 2:45 PM Directed by Agnieszka Hollanda & Kasia Adamik

A polish murder mystery that addresses issues of animal rights.                                  



ATOMIC BLONDE • July 25th 9:30 PM Directed by David Leitch 

You will be blown away by Charlize Theron as the MI6's most lethal assassin Agent Lorraine Broughton who is sent to Berlin circa 1989 to deliver a dossier BUT... A great cast, great action scenes!



VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS • July 19th 6:45 PM Directed by Luc Besson

A special screening before the official opening. Follow the above link to see if there are still tickets available. It is SPECTACULAR!

An intriguing short that confronts beliefs with facts
Home Education

I will keep you updated often but for now here is what you can do to check out which films are yours and buy your tickets or passes in advance. First go onto the site: www.fantasiafestival.com from there you will notice a link that will take you to the movie trailers that interest you. It is really easy!

MEOW!


-LENA GHIO

R^VEURS DÉFINITFS un voyage dans l'irréel = MAGIE PURE / PURE MAGIC

Gracieuseté de /• Courtesy of  Théâtre du Rond-Point La traversée des apparences avec / • with Éric Antoine & Calista Sinclair

ENGLISH •

Inspiré par le surréalisme d'André Breton, le titre nous annonce clairement que nous serons dans un univers de tous les possibles. Le spectacle commence en douceur avec une performance de danse qui nous donne l'impression d'être dans un rêve. Ingrid Estarque bouge comme un strobe light gracieusement, en transe puis elle flotte; Éric Antoine fait apparaître des colombes mais quand la troisième lui donne du fil à retorde il fait recours à un geste très surprenant, les enfants ont adoré cette vignette et ont ri aux éclats. Ce qui est merveilleux c'est la simplicité et l'humour qui rend la ligne entre réel et surréel encore plus mince. Yann Frisch est aux prises avec une cruche, un verre, de l'eau et des boules rouges qui font bien ce qu'elles veulent; l'Entracte, avec Yann Frisch et Éric Antoine,  combine le stand-up qui interagit avec les gens, un peu d'insolence et des surprises amusantes et audacieuses. Et si cela n'était pas tout, il y a les performances qui intègrent les nouvelles technologies comme la photo plus haut qui nous laissent bouche bée. Léonie St-Onge a interprété la vignette Le sommeil de la raison dans laquelle elle dompte, ou pas, une créature mystérieuse qui vole partout dans le théâtre.

Patrick Watson est l'invité musical.

Un MAGNIFIQUE spectacle pour toute la famille! Infos et Billets ICI

• A magnificent show that takes you on a surrealistic journey inspired by the writings of André Breton. The artists are superlative! The children truly enjoyed the humor of the performers. Ingrid Estarque moves like a strobe light as she dances the opening number until she simply floats; Éric Antoine makes doves appear until he has trouble with the third one and comes up with a very surprising solution. Yann Frisch is hilarious as a guy who is just trying to have a glass of water when reality suddenly becomes unreliable. Later he is joined by Éric Antoine for a very different intermission. The vignettes with new technologies are incredible! The line between dream and reality is seamless and makes it even more wonderful. The other excellent cast members are Léonie St-Onge and Calista Sinclair.

Patrick Watson is the musical guest.

A MAGNIFICENT show for the whole familly! Infos and tickets HERE

-LENA GHIO

NOUVELLES / NEWS 07.07.2017

Une combinaison de spectacles inusités et d'air frais SHAZAMFEST du 13 au 16 juillet

A combination of unusual shows and fresh air SHAZAMFEST from July 13 to 16 

Plus proche de nous / Closer to us ... MONT RÉEL par/by

 constructlab

En plein coeur d'un chantier à Outremenont une montagne qui va refléter la montagne comme centre de rassemblement pour la population. Artistes, public, et citoyens pourrons profiter de l'espace créativement. Je soupçonne que les enfants vont adorer courir là!

Calendrier:

Mémoires, ombres, lumières • Memories, shadows, lights @ MAC

En haut à gauche • Top left: Cheryl Sim Un Jour, One Day, 2017 / En bas gauche • Bottom left: Olafur Eliasson Big Bang Fountain, 2014 / Droite • Right Leonard Cohen

ENGLISH•

Atmosphérique, c'est comme cela que je décrirais les deux expositions en cours au Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal ainsi que l'immense hommage à Leonard Cohen qui sera déployé dès novembre 2017.

Commençons par l'oeuvre d'Olafur Eliason, un artiste islando-danois qui présente sa première exposition individuelle au Canada. J'ai vécu ses installations qui entrecroisent les couleurs, la lumière et l'eau dans des transmutations constantes qui m'ont étourdie. Beauty par exemple, sombre avec une lumière très douce et l'eau qui reflète les couleurs prismatiques tout en grésillant délicatement. On se sent dans une caverne où une petite chute capte le seul rayon de soleil qui puisse y pénétrer. L'artiste incite notre  attention, nous truque à se demander c'est quoi qui est solide? Marc Lanctôt est le conservateur de l'expo Maison des Ombres Multiples 21 juin au 9 octobre 2017.

 • Atmospheric is how I would describe the two latest exhibitions at the Montreal Museum of contemporary art as well as the immense homage to Leonard Cohen that will be deployed as soon as November 2017.

Let's begin with the work of Olafur Eliason, a Danish-Icelandic artist who is presenting his first solo show in Canada. I experienced his installations of color, light and water in constant transmutations that made me dizzy.  Beauty, for example, sombre with a very soft light and water that reflects prismatic colors as it drizzles delicately.  You feel like you are in a cavern where a tiny waterfall catches the only ray of sunshine that can penetrate it. The artist entices our attention, tricks us to question what is solid? Marc Lanctôt is the curator of the exhibition Multiple shadow house 21 June to 9 October 2017.

Détails d'oeuvres d'Olafur Eliasson et à droite une image du film de David K. Ross capté par un drone au parc Jean-Drapeau / • Details of works by Olafur Eliasson and an image from the drone made film of Jean-Drapeau park by David K. Ross

En quittant les 8 oeuvres d'Olafur Eliason on arrive dans l'exposition À la recherche d'Expo 67. Les deux commissaires qui ont collaboré à produire l'exposition, Lesley Johnstone et Monika Kin Gagnon, ont mis au défi les artistes contemporains Canadiens et Québécois à revisiter les archives d'Expo 67 et créer une oeuvre originale inspirée par l'événement qui a changé pour toujours le status de Montréal. Plusieurs des oeuvres sont multimédias donc l'élément d'obscurité s'étire dans cette exposition aussi. On n'y voit pas nécessairement l'authentique ambiance d'Expo 67 qui était fébrile d'innovations et d'excitations inimitables. J'ai admiré les expressions des artistes mobilisés, j'ai regardé avec intérêt les plans du pavillon des États Unis dont l'architecte était le fascinant Buckminster Fuller dont j'ai rencontré la fille Allegra Fuller Snyder au Symposium IX 2015. Quand j'ai quitté l'exposition j'étais littéralement étourdie.

• Leaving behind the 8 works of Olafur Eliason we arrive in the exhibition À la recherche d'Expo 67. The two collaborating curators,  Lesley Johnstone and Monika Kin Gagnon, gave contemporary Canadian and Quebecois artists the challenge to revisit the archives of Expo 67 to create original artworks inspired by the event that changed forever the status of Montreal. Many of the pieces are multimedia so the obscurity stretches to this exhibition also. We do not necessarily see the authentic ambience of Expo 67 that was febrile with innovations and inimitable excitation. I admired the expressions of the mobilized artists, I looked with interest at the Buckminster Fuller plans for the US pavillion whose daughter Allegra Fuller Snyder I met at  Symposium IX 2015. When I left the exhibition I was literally dizzy. 

Monika Kin Gagnon offre une série d'entretiens avec les artistes / • Monika Kin Gagnon offers a series of conversations with the artists: www.concordia.ca/tol/

Apprenez-en plus sur les artistes: http://cinemaexpo67.ca/fr/expo/

Learn more about the artists http://cinemaexpo67.ca/expo/ 

Leonard Cohen

09 11 2017 • 09 04 2018

Une brèche en toute chose / A Crack in Everything

Finalement nous avons eu un aperçu des plus émouvants sur la programmation finale du MAC pour souligner le 375e de Montréal. Le grand poète chansonnier Leonard Cohen envahira la ville comme un fantôme gigantesque. La liste d'artistes et de musiciens qui contribueront des oeuvres est immense, la recherche sur le personnage par les commissaires John Zeppetelli et Victor Shiffman est monumentale car il a investi tant de chants de recherches. Par exemple je n'avais jamais su qu'il avait eu des épisodes de détresses importantes, qu'il avait étudié les philosophies orientales. 

• Finally, we have had a glimpse at the very moving programming for the MAC's finale to underline the 375th of Montreal. The great poet and singer Leonard Cohen will invade the city like a giant ghost. The list of artists and musicians that will contribute works is immense, the research into the personality by co-curators John Zeppetelli and Victor Shiffman is monumental because he invested himself in so many fields of research. For example, I never knew he had lived through some very dark episodes or that he had studied oriental philosophies.

C'était un homme de son temps et il s'y est étiré dans tous les sens. En écoutant les noms des artistes:
• He was a man of his time and he stretched himself out in every sense. As I listened to the names of the artists:

Kara Blake (Canada)
Candice Breitz (Afrique du Sud)
Daily tous les jours (Mouna Andraos et Melissa Mongiat) (Canada)
Janet Cardiff et George Bures Miller (Canada)
Chassol (France)
Tacita Dean (Royaume-Uni)
Thomas Demand (Allemagne)
Kota Ezawa (Allemagne)
George Fok (Hong-Kong)
Ari Folman (Israël)
Clara Furey (Canada)
Jenny Holzer (États-Unis)
Jon Rafman (Canada)
Michael Rakowitz (États-Unis)
Zach Richter (États-Unis)
The Sanchez Brothers (Canada)
Taryn Simon (États-Unis)

et en voyant des échantillons de leurs propositions, je vivais toutes les émotions imaginables. De même pour les musiciens qui participeront à l'installation Listening to Leonard:
• and seeing samples of their propositions, I was experiencing every imaginable emotions. The same with the musiciens who will participate to the installation Listening to Leonard:

Ariane Moffatt (Canada) accompagnée par l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal
Aurora (Norvège)
Basia Bulat (Canada)
Chilly Gonzales (Canada) et Jarvis Cocker (Royaume-Uni) with The Kaiser Quartett
Dear Criminals (Canada)
Douglas Dare (Royaume-Uni)
Jean Leloup (Canada)
Julia Holter (États-Unis)
Little Scream (United States)
Lou Doillon (France)
Mélanie De Biasio (Belgique)
Moby (États-Unis)
The National (United States) avec Sufjan Stevens and other guests
Socalled (Canada)

 Plus d'infos ICI / • More informations HERE

-LENA GHIO

JUST FOR LAUGHS getting bigger everyday!

 JUST FOR LAUGHS REVEALS MORE ADDITIONS TO STAR-STUDDED LINEUP
Tony-award winning actress, singer, and comedic actress of NBC’s 30 Rock and Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Jane Krakowski will be making her Just For

Jane Krakowski 

Laughs debut as the host of The Jane Krakowski Gala.

NBC’s Saturday Night Live stars Colin Jost and Michael Che co-host The Colin Jost & Michael Che Gala.
Chart-topping podcast, The Bodega Boys Live! Featuring Desus Nice & The Kid Mero will be performing at the festival.
In addition to hosting The Nasty Show, Ari Shaffir will be hosting his one-of-a-kind storytelling technique show, with Ari Shaffir’s Renamed Storytelling Show.

Variety’s 10 Comics To Watch Showcase full lineup is announced.

Comedian Paul Provenza brings his show The Green Room with Paul Provenza to the Just For Laughs stage.

Another performance added for Vir Das after selling out three so far!
Comic Todd Barry will be hosting The Masters as part of our OFF-JFL series.

The lineup for the The Montreal Show is announced.

Just For Laughs is presented by Videotron, in association with Loto-Québec.
Videotron presents OFF-JFL & Zoofest in collaboration with Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Tickets on sale today at 12:00 pm

For tickets by phone, online or in person:

The Just For Laughs Box Office, 514-845-2322, hahaha.com presented by Videotron