CINÉMANIA 2022 • LE PALMARÈS • 28e édition

 

ENGLISH translation app

Un festival très glamour cette année avec tellement d'événements magnifiques! Les films étaient si bons et proposaient des sujets et des approches si innovatrices que je n'ai pas, comme d'habitude, réussi à tout les voir. Voici le palmarès:

COMPÉTITION VISAGES DE LA FRANCOPHONIE

 

Le Jury Compétition Visages de la Francophonie était co-présidé par Pascale Bussières (actrice) et Cédric Klapisch (réalisateur). Pascale Arbillot (actrice),Monique Simard (présidente du C.A. du Partenariat du Quartier des Spectacles), Ricardo Trogi (réalisateur), Nour Belkhiria (actrice) et Philippe Besson(écrivain) ont composé ce Jury. 

 

Prix du Meilleur Film TV5 Québec-Canada

 

Remis au meilleur film de la compétition

 

PLUS QUE JAMAIS de Emily Atef

 

Prix du Jury

 

Remis au coup de coeur du Jury pour souligner l’originalité d’une oeuvre

 

CLOSE de Lukas Dhont

Prix de la Meilleure Interprétation

 

Remis à un.e artiste pour souligner la qualité de sa performance de jeu dans une oeuvre

 

LE LYCÉEN de Christophe Honoré pour Paul Kircher

Mention Spéciale du Prix du Jury

 

DIVERTIMENTO de Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar

 

COMPÉTITION FILMS DU QUÉBEC

 

Le Jury Compétition Films du Québec était composé de Alexis Juncosa (directeur artistique du Luxembourg City Film Festival), Fabienne Moris (directrice du FIDLab FIDMarseille), Hector Mas (directeur général du Festival Ull Nu) et Sophie Mirouze (co-déléguée générale du Festival La Rochelle Cinéma).

 

Prix du Rayonnement Banque Nationale

 

Remis au meilleur film de la compétition

 

RESPIRE d’Onur Karaman

 

Prix de la Meilleure Interprétation d’un film québécois

 

Remis à un.e artiste pour souligner la qualité de sa performance de jeu dans une oeuvre

 

L’ORIGINE DU MAL de Sébastien Marnier pour Laure Calamy

 

Mention Spéciale du Prix du Jury

 

AU GRAND JOUR d’Emmanuel Tardif

 

COMPÉTITION DOCUMENTAIRES

 

Le jury Compétition Documentaires était composé de Giusse Dembault Lalois (productrice associée BKE), Jordan Cohen (directeur de la production Ubisoft Film et Television Europe), et d’Alicia et Anaïs Poirier N’Diaye (responsables de la distribution chez Les Films 26).

 

Prix du Meilleur Documentaire Planète+

 

Remis au meilleur film de la compétition

 

NOUS, ÉTUDIANTS! de Rafiki Fariala

 

COMPÉTITION COURTS-MÉTRAGES

 

Le jury Compétition Courts-Métrages était composé de Franck Finance-Madureira (rédacteur en chef de FrenchMania et président-fondateur de la Queer Palm du Festival de Cannes), Julie Bernier (directrice de la programmation du Carrousel international du film de Rimouski), Justine Valtier (directrice générale du Festival Regard) et de Shelagh Rowan-Legg (critique et conseillère ScreenAnarchy, membre de l’AQCC).

 

Prix de la Critique AQCC - Nespresso

 

NUIT BLONDE de Gabrielle Demers

 

Prix du Meilleur Court-Métrage Québécois Télé-Québec

 

LA MAIN GAUCHE de Maxime Robin

 

PRIX DU PUBLIC MEL HOPPENHEIM

 

Remis au film préféré du public parmi tous les titres présentés en première (exceptés les films d’ouverture et de clôture)

 

CLOSE de Lukas Dhont

LENA GHIO   

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THE COVENANT @ Segal Centre Studio until December 03 2022

Jonathan Silver as Peter with Holly Gauthier-Frankel as Hilde in The Covenant

FRANÇAIS app de traduction à gauche

The story unfolds at Terezin ghetto-camp in 1944. Peter and Hilde open the play as they talk with God, questioning why they have been plunged in the devastating waking nightmare that were concentration camps during World War II.

The NAZIs wanted to have the prisoners decorate Terezin ghetto-camp  for an official Red Cross visit that would whitewash their reputation and the growing awareness of what the Germans were really doing to millions of deportees. 

A difficult play about an ongoing threat to Jewish communities. Seats encircle a bare stage where clothes hanging in the back serve as both prop support and the continuing disappearance of ordinary Jews from the concentration camp. The NAZIs thought that sending thousands of Jews to Auschwitz Terezin would look better. 

You will see a love story. the role of art in desperate times, inexpressible loss, pure evil, death and how Jews tried to keep connected with God while traversing hell. It is a heartbreaking story about an ongoing evil that must end NOW!

The play was written by Alice Abracen, directed by Murdoch Schon and stars Holly Gauthier-Frankel, Laura Mitchell, Romi Shraiter, Jonathan Silver and Brett Watson. See here for all details and to buy tickets.

In this short video you will see the origins of antisemitism and in this one, what is happening now. 

LENA GHIO   

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Facades for the International Commission by Bedrich Fritta

This illustration by Bedrich Fritta, a prisoner at Terezín, depicts the “beautification” of the ghetto-camp undertaken by the SS before the Red Cross visit in 1944.

CREDIT:

© Thomas Fritta-Haas, long-term loan to the Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Jens Ziehe

Announcing the METAs Recipients for the 2021-22 season

OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY DURING A PANDEMIC

Quebec Drama Federation
Photo by Andrée Lanthier

Announcing the METAs Recipients for the 2021-22 season

Montreal, November 8th, 2022 - The Montreal English Theatre Awards Committee is proud to announce the recipients of the 2021-22 METAs, Montreal English theatre’s largest and most important peer-juried awards. The Annual METAs Ceremony, presented in partnership with the Conseil des arts de Montréal, was held this Sunday evening, November 6th at the Gesù.

This season continued to be unprecedented due to COVID-19 and the slow reopening of theatre venues and capacity limitations. Despite this, 27 productions were registered for the METAs during the 2021-2022 season. The METAs Jury has selected a robust 67 nominations, and has awarded 16 trophies at the Ceremony.

The Ceremony was directed by Debbie Friedmann, written by Holly Gauthier Frankel and Paul Van Dyck, hosted by Darragh Mondoux and Dakota Jamal Wellman with sound design by HeatherEllen Strain and lighting design by Chris Wardell.

This year, the METAs Committee awarded the Quebec Drama Federation with a special recognition for their sizable contribution towards the community throughout the pandemic. This special award was aptly named Outstanding Service to the Community During a Pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, the Montreal English theatre community relied on them for weekly updates and information-blasts about the newest health and safety restrictions, new grant opportunities, or virtual community hang-outs. This organization helped to keep us hopeful that we would one day be back onstage. 

And the META goes to…

(Recipients highlighted in Red Font)

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE

• Feather Gardens - Jimmy Blais, Bruce Dinsmore, Cary Lawrence, Jeremy Proulx

• Jonathan: A Seagull Parable - Prince Amponsah, Yousef Kadoura, Julie Tamiko Manning, Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli, Marilyn Perrault, Lesly Velazquez

• Legacy - Alarey Alsip, Marc Camacho, Toni Ellwand, Lisa Palmieri, Adam Recine, Vittorio Rossi, Sara Scarfo, Paul Van Dyck

• The Paper Bag Princess - Kaeleb Gartner, Maria Jimenez, Hilary Wheeler

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE - Independent Production

• Jake Cohen - Next to Normal

• Noelle Hannibal - Carrie: The Musical

• Maya Lewis - Carrie: The Musical

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE  - PACT Production

• Dominique LeBlanc - April Fools

• Jamie McRoberts - April Fools

• Richard Jutras - From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE - Independent Production

• Anana Rydvald - The Sighlence of Sky

• Mary-Francis Kobelt - Carrie: The Musical

• Mohsen El Gharbi - Omi Mouna

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE - PACT Production

• Daniel Brochu - Every Brilliant Thing

• Jenny Brizard - Pipeline

• Leni Parker - The Blonde, The Brunette, & The Vengeful Redhead

• Oliver Koomsatira - Psycho 6

OUTSTANDING EMERGING ARTIST - Performance

• Grégory Yves - Pipeline

• Jake Cohen - Next to Normal

• Maria Jimenez - The Paper Bag Princess

• Mary-Francis Kobelt - Carrie: The Musical

• Maya Lewis - Carrie: The Musical

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN

• James Lavoie - All I Want for Christmas

• Julie Fox - A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction

• Sabrina Miller - From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea

• Tiffanie Boffa & Cédric Delorme-Bouchard - Heartbeat Reverie

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN

• James Lavoie - All I Want for Christmas

• Sabrina Miller - From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea

• Sophie El Assaad - Heartbeat Reverie

• Sophie El Assaad - Jonathan: A Seagull Parable

• Sophie El Assaad - The Future is Another Country

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN

• Lucie Bazzo - Okinum

• Paul Chambers - A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction

• Tiffanie Boffa & Cédric Delorme-Bouchard - Heartbeat Reverie

• Tim Rodrigues - From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION

• Evan Stepanian (Sound Design) & Violette Kay (Composition) - From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea

• Jackie Gallant - Okinum

• Joseph Browne - Heartbeat Reverie

• Joseph Browne & Rob Denton - Camille: The Story

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THEATRE

• Aurora Torok (Technical Direction) - Heartbeat Reverie

• Oliver Koomsatira & Liz Valdez (Choreography) - Psycho 6

• Émilie Monnet (Translation) - Okinum

• Emlyn vanBruinswaardt (Stage Management) - Heartbeat Reverie

• Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli (Choreography) - Jonathan: A Seagull Parable

OUTSTANDING EMERGING ARTIST - Production

• Christine Lee (Sound Design) - Psycho 6

• Contact Theatre (Producing Company) - Next to Normal

• Debbie Friedmann (Directing) - Next to Normal

• Hailey Verbonac (Lighting and Video Design) - Feather Gardens

• Violette Kay (Composer) - From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION

• Audrey-Anne Bouchard - Camille: The Story

• Dean Patrick Fleming - Every Brilliant Thing

• Émilie Monnet, Emma Tibaldo & Sarah Williams - Okinum

• Jeremy Michael Segal & Véa - Heartbeat Reverie

• Zach Fraser - The Sighlence of Sky

OUTSTANDING NEW TEXT

• Anana Rydvald - The Sighlence of Sky

• Jimmy Blais - Feather Gardens

• Gabe Maharjan - From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea

• Oliver Koomsatira - Psycho 6

• Vittorio Rossi - Legacy

OUTSTANDING INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

• Camille: The Story - Audrey-Anne Bouchard

• Legacy - Magjusjen Entertainment

• The Sighlence of Sky - Level 4 Theatre

OUTSTANDING PACT PRODUCTION

• Every Brilliant Thing - Hudson Village Theatre & The Segal Centre for Performing Arts

• Feather Gardens - Hudson Village Theatre

• From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea - Geordie Theatre

• Heartbeat Reverie - Youtheatre

• Okinum - Imago Theatre & Onishka

Strange Similarities : President Donald Trump & Emperor Nero

Nero by Peter Paul Ruben

FRANÇAIS app de traduction à gauche

I have been a student of astrology for decades. I don't study the stars just from astrology books but also by studying the lives of famous people. This gives me insights into how people use the energy that comes at them as opposed to simply project a definition. 

As I was getting ready to share what I found out about how the stars gave similar traits to both Nero and Donald Trump, I discovered that Nancy Pelosi had already compared the two leaders who somehow had no qualms about letting the people they were responsible for suffer in a March 29, 2020 article.

The difference is that I will now point to an astrological signature that the two men share. Mercury house 11, semi-square the Midheaven. The semi-square brings frustrations in a person's life. Certainly the two men have had their obstacles, the question is How did they handle it?

Donald Trump

Historians now say that Nero did not really play the fiddle while Rome was burning from Jul 18, 64 AD to Jul 23, 64 AD. When it comes to Donald Trump, many testimonies confirm that he was watching Fox news with glee on January 6 2021. What we know for sure about the two men and the two tragic events is that they used them for political propaganda. 

"According to a well-known expression, Rome's emperor at the time, the decadent and unpopular Nero, “fiddled while Rome burned.” The expression has a double meaning: Not only did Nero play music while his people suffered, but he was an ineffectual leader in a time of crisis." From History 

Nero facing political disaster escaped Rome and "tried" to commit suicide by goading the few loyalists that remained to kill him. I don't expect such drama to happen to Donald Trump but we have observed through the years how he is often his own worst enemy. In the end of their rise to power and their bizarre neglectful rulership, they were both hounded by the lawmen of their countries. They both have unreliable friends, but then they are treacherous themselves.

Astrologically, there is another strange similarity: Nero has Sun, Mercury and Pluto at 23' Sagittarius Sabian symbol while Donald Trump has Sun 23' Gemini Sabian symbol exactly opposite Nero's Sun; Donald Trump's Full Moon in Sagittarius is approaching a conjunction to Nero's triple conjunction in Sagittarius while Donald Trumps's North node is conjunct his Sun, the North Node represents the present time, and Nero's Sun is conjunct Donald Trump's South Node which represents the past including past lives. This means that Donald Trump is a mirror of Nero. Nancy Pelosi sensed it without the astrological details. It is often the case that people's thoughts and words express in human language what the Alignment Geometries of Celestial Mechanics express.

My prediction for Donald Trump is that we will see less and less of him in due course.

LENA GHIO   

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Article dated March 29, 2020 where Nancy Pelosi compares Donald Trump to Nero.

THE PINK FLOYD EXHIBITION: THEIR MORTAL REMAINS @ L'ARSENAL

From left to right: a friend, Aubrey Powell, (Po) curator and instigator of the project, Pink Floyd creative director & collaborator since 1967/ Nick Mason, founding member and drummer of Pink Floyd and exhibition consultant for the band/ Guy Laforce, general manager of Arsenal Contemporary Art and co-producer of the exhibition/ Geneviève Borne, television presenter/ Jacob Cohl, co-producer of the exhibition.  Photo © Lena Ghio , 2022

One of the things I adored about the exhibition is that we see many examples of the group's meticulous work process. The reason this is important to me is because I always encourage people to draw their hopes and dreams even if they start with a dot. The greatest things become real when begun with a few pencil lines on paper! Photo © Lena Ghio , 2022

FRANÇAIS app de traduction à gauche

What an exciting opening at  L'Arsenal Contemporary Art earlier this month! I was first impressed by the exquisite attention to details of every feature on the site. For example, when you enter, there is that big pink pig that has been the mascot of the band for decades now.  Nick Mason, a founding member of the band, said in his presentation that L'Arsenal was the perfect place to host this exhibition because of its size and structure that could accommodate the extraordinary story of this illustrious band. It is like walking from one mystical tunnel into another revelling at the discoveries that are there.

Look what is behind Nick Mason, not Geneviève Borne but ... Photo © Lena Ghio , 2022

David Gilmour in Habs sweater! 
Photo © Lena Ghio , 2022

As you travel through the space, you are wearing state of the art earphones that you don't need to adjust as you move around. That's because there is music and interviews along the way that retrace Pink Floyd's history but also the life of an entire generation. A fun 10 minutes history of the group.

As you can see from the image above every facet of the band's work has been carefully worked out to the smallest detail. This includes album covers, (+), cartoons, music videos, movie collaborations, sculptures, installations and the artifacts of each stage in the band's evolution. The visit begins in 1967 in the London underground scene, a fascinating opposition to today's "million followers" scene.

I find particular delight in seeing process work from great artists. The exhibition gives us profound insight into how the art produced by many professional collaborators merged and burst into reality. Another feature I payed attention to is the thought processes that feed the work. The band did some revolutionary work that addressed social issues, like The Wall song and full movie. Their ideas were in line with striking societal changes the results of which we are seeing in our culture today. 

The exhibition ends in a room with videos of live concerts and great music. At this point, I had to do the tour all over again and then I did it backwards. It is just amazing! Aubrey Powell, known as Po, curated the show.

PINK FLOYD Photo © Lena Ghio , 2022

Below, a 10 seconds video that illustrates the size of this formidable exhibition! The Exhibition is scheduled to run Tuesday to Sunday until December 31st 2022 at L'Arsenal Contemporary Art – 2020 William street Montreal. The experience lasts an average of 90 minutes. Give yourself several hours to visit the site. You will not regret it. 

LENA GHIO   

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CINÉMANIA • LES FILMS • Don Juan / L'Origine du mal

CINÉMANIA

ENGLISH translation app left

Bande Annonce

DON JUAN

Le réalisateur Serge Boson transforme la légende du grand séducteur Don Juan en une histoire d'amour obsédante. Tahar Rahim incarne Laurent avec une sensibilité touchante mais égoïste. On le sent sur le point de basculer à chaque rencontre avec Julie, interprétée par Virginie Efira, dont il projète l'image sur plusieurs femmes qu'il rencontre. Laurent se fait rejeter de plusieurs façons mais il ne comprend pas ce qui se passe. Est-ce de la masculinité toxique qui le motive à posséder Julie ou l'amour? Toutes les femmes ont connu un Laurent dans leur vie, un homme qui n'accepte pas le rejet. Ceci effraie les femmes car c'est un signe de tyrannie de la part d'un homme sur une femme. Ce film est un drame musical, un style qui est devenu populaire dans les films français récemment avec des titres comme Tralala (2021) Annette (2021) et Aline (2021).

L'ORIGINE DU MAL

Bande Annonce

Un film délicieux et plein de malice de Sébastien Marnier! Laure Calamy incarne "Stéphane", une jeune femme qui perd son logis et qui part à la recherche du père qu'elle n'a jamais connu. Elle découvre un homme, Serge, Jacques Weber, super riche qui vit avec des femmes qui le méprisent: Louise, Dominique Blanc, est accrochée à la sur-consommation; George, Doria Tellier, est avide de pouvoir; Jeanne, Céleste Brunnquell, photographie chaque seconde de sa vie. . Les intrigues se multiplient et l'excès est exprimé partout. Tous sont suspicieux un de l'autre. Alors que cette histoire se déroule, une autre histoire de subterfuge et de passion se dévoile quand on découvre la relation de "Stéphane" avec une jeune femme en prison qu'elle visite régulièrement. Toutes les actions mènent à une finale totalement étonnante et karmic.

Ces films seront bientôt dans un cinéma près de chez vous. À ne pas manquer!

LENA GHIO   

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CINÉMANIA • DERNIER WEEKEND

CINÉMANIA

ENGLISH translation app left

J'espère que vous avez profité des films magnifiques de ce festival CINÉMANIA. Il reste un weekend riche en expériences devant nous. 

FRANÇOIS DOMPIERRE : GESTES D’UN COMPOSITEUR

Voici quelques suggestions:

• Ciné-concert de DIVERTIMENTO le vendredi 11 novembre à 17h30 au Cinéma Impérial – Le film DIVERTIMENTO sera présenté par sa réalisatriceMarie-Castille Mention-Schaar et sera suivi d’un concert-événement avec les musiciens de l’Orchestre Métropolitain, dirigés pour l’occasion parZahia Ziouani, dont la vie a inspiré le film. Elle est l’une des rares femmes à être cheffe d’orchestre en France. Elle a fondé, à seulement 23 ans, l’Orchestre Symphonique Divertimento.

• Grande soirée du Court Québécois le vendredi 11 novembre au Studio-Cabaret de l’Espace St-Denis - 22 courts métrages seront présentés parmi lesquels 14 sont des productions québécoises. Au terme de cette soirée, le Jury remettra le Prix du meilleur court métrage québécois Télé-Québec.

• Classe de maître de Cédric Klapisch le samedi 12 novembre à 16h30 au Sofitel Montréal Le Carré Doré, animée par Patrick Fabre - Cédric Klapisch est à CINEMANIA à titre de co-preìsident du jury Visages de la Francophonie, la compeìtition officielle du Festival. L'occasion ideìale d'eìvoquer ses derniers films, dont En corps sorti cette anneìe en salles au Queìbec, ainsi que ses reìcentes incursions dans l'univers de la seìrie.

• Journée François Dompierre le samedi 12 novembre à la Cinémathèque québécoise – Cette édition rendra hommage au pionnier de la musique de films au Québec, François Dompierre. IXE-13 sera présenté à 11h suivi de LA PASSION D’AUGUSTINE à 13h30. À 16h aura lieu la discussion publique LES GRANDS ESPRITS SE RENCONTRENT : DOMPIERRE ET LES ACTEURS DE LA RELÈVE, table ronde animée par Monique Giroux  en compagnie de la cheffe d’orchestre Zahia Ziouani, Catherine Major et Pierre Lapointe. Enfin, pour clôturer cette journée, le documentaire produit par le festival FRANÇOIS DOMPIERRE : GESTES D’UN COMPOSITEUR sera présenté à 18h, suivi d’une discussion entre le célèbre compositeur et Monique Giroux.

 

Film de clôture

Le dimanche 13 novembre à 17h30, TEMPÊTE du cinéaste québécois Christian Duguay viendra clôturer cette 28^e édition de CINEMANIA au Cinéma Impérial en présence du réalisateur et de son comédien principal Pio Marmaï. Cette adaptation du roman jeunesse Tempête au haras met en vedette Pio Marmaï, Mélanie Laurent et Carmen Kassovitz dans cette épopée cavalière campée dans les paysages pittoresques de la Normandie. La soirée de clôture est rendue possible parAir Canada. Le film prendra ensuite l’affiche le 21 décembre 2022. (Distribution: Les Films Opale).

 

LENA GHIO   

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