The Representations of HIV/AIDS in Québec Cinema, 1986-1996
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The Representations of HIV/AIDS in Québec Cinema, 1986-1996 Andrew Gordon Bailey Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Leeds School of Languages, Cultures and Societies September 2016 The candidate confirms that the work submitted is his own and that appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. © 2016 The University of Leeds and Andrew Gordon Bailey iii Acknowledgements There are several people and entities, who have all contributed tremendously to the realisation of this thesis, to whom I would like to offer my deepest appreciation. I would first like to thank the Centre for Canadian Studies, without whose scholarship this thesis would never have come to fruition. It is an honour to count myself among the recipients of the award. I am also grateful to the travel award I received which enabled me to conduct vital research in Montréal in the summer of 2013. It has been a pleasure to be a part of the Centre’s activities as well as its wonderful sense of comradery. Running around Leeds taking photographs of Canadian-themed road signs for Light Night remains one of my fondest memories of my time at Leeds. Particular thanks go to the Centre’s Directors during my period of attachment, Professor Graham Huggan and Drs Martin Thornton and Catherine Bates, for ensuring the Centre’s continued existence. To say that I will be eternally grateful to my supervisors, Professor Emeritus Rachel Killick and Professor Diana Holmes, is something of an understatement. Their patience and wisdom have guided me through a process that, at times, left me doubting my capabilities. Their perspective and advice has helped me to manage my ideas, whilst their constructive criticism has enabled me to become a better, more objective and rational thinker. Their indefatigable support, particularly during the final year of writing when I needed it the most, has enabled me to produce a piece of work of which I feel I can be proud - thank you. I would also like to thank Rachel Killick in particular for running the second-year Québec module back in 2009. This experience sparked my interest and passion for all things Québécois, which in turn took me across the Atlantic, which in turn, through further studies, has brought me back ‘full circle’ to work as a proud ambassador for my most favourite of Canadian provinces. My thanks also go to the Department of French. When I first came to Leeds in 2008 as a fresher, I would never have dreamt that my studies, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level, would have brought me to where I stand today. Memories of Dr Richard Hibbitt’s Symbolism and Decadence (Huysmans’ iv bejewelled tortoise) and Dr Nigel Saint’s Age of Extremes (Bataille’s Histoires de l’œil, period) will remain unforgettable. It is fair to say that the year abroad I spent in Québec in 2010-11 has had a profoundly formative effect on my life thus far, making me the person I am today. To this effect, I am very grateful to Catherine Kaiserman for helping me get to Université de Montréal. At postgraduate level, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to teach, an experience that provided financial stability and a deep appreciation for this most difficult of professions. To the person who said ‘yes’ to my original university application over eight years ago, I offer my thanks. I would like to thank the Archives gaies du Québec, in whose premises on Rue Amherst I spent the summer of 2013. The Archives are vital to the preservation of artefacts that tell countless important stories that deserve to be heard. I am grateful to Jacques Prince and Ross Higgins, whose continued willingness to be present at the Archives enabled me to spend so much time there, trawling through such fascinating material that has become an integral component of this piece of work. I am also grateful to Louis Dionne, who agreed to let me interview him, giving me a valuable insight into his relationship with film. Special thanks go to my family, Ros, Peter and Heather, whose love and support have been infinite and invaluable, particularly in times of frustration. My parents, who have tirelessly supported all of my studies and related endeavours, are the best in the world. I will also be forever grateful to their assistance in numerous house/life moves, from Southport to Lupton, to Cliff Side Gardens, to Montréal, to Stanmore Road, to Kendal Bank, to Clapham. I would like to thank my friends, namely Jantine, Alex and Brigitte, who have always been there to listen attentively to my gripes and make me smile, through discussion of life, trains and cats respectively. Finally, I would like to thank Ed, whose patience, love, understanding and thoughtfulness have been crucial to me getting this far. Thank you for being my best friend and the love of my life. v Abstract This thesis represents the first comprehensive study of how film was employed in the Canadian province of Québec to reflect upon the AIDS crisis prior to the introduction of combination therapy. Chapter One establishes how the unique threats posed by HIV to the physical and moral integrity of individuals and societies incites potentially divisive reactions that perpetuate harmful understandings of HIV and those it touches. In contrast, the creative medium of film offers a flexible framework for meditation in which the significations of HIV can be explored and confronted constructively and inclusively. Québec, owing to its historical situation, its distinctive and vibrant cinematic heritage and status as a hub for HIV/AIDS-related activity and solidarity, represents a rich microcosm of the different social, political and creative dynamics at play within the AIDS crisis. Chapter Two establishes how documentary can enact objective investigations of the AIDS crisis that methodically deconstruct prevalent misconceptions of HIV and People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs). These intellectual studies are also juxtaposed with subjective material that evokes the emotional aspects of the crisis. Chapter Three illustrates how testimonial film can catalyse the interrogation by PLWHAs of their relationship with their HIV-positive status. Through the process of filmmaking, PLWHAs can better comprehend the trauma provoked by their status and form friendships and communities built on the discursive and cathartic act of sharing. Chapter Four explains how feature film, exploiting the popular mechanisms of storytelling and characterisation, can bring considerations of HIV to both niche and broader audiences, potentially provoking far-reaching contemplations of the virus. The thesis concludes by summarising how, thanks to its idiosyncratic filmic tradition, Québec’s cinematic representations of HIV/AIDS were varied and revealing, questioning and nuancing problematic understandings of HIV and PLWHAs and successfully investigating the AIDS crisis as a local and global phenomenon of human proportions. vi Table of Contents Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………….iii Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………..v Table of Contents …………………………………………………………………....vi List of Abbreviations………………………………………………………………...ix List of Illustrations………………………………………………………………......xi Chapter One: Introduction…………………………………………………………..1 Research questions, methodology and existing literature……………………………….…………………………1 Responding to HIV/AIDS………………………………………………………9 HIV/AIDS, Canada and Québec: facts, figures and historical and cultural context…………………………..17 The response strategies to the AIDS crisis used by the Québec press…………………………………………………...26 Responding to HIV/AIDS using artistic frameworks……………………….38 Chapter Two: Documentary……………………………………………………….48 The role and influence of the National Film Board of Canada……………48 Mortel désir (Mario Dufour, 1992)…………………………………………...56 Contradicting misconceptions of those affected by HIV/AIDS…………………………………………………………..58 Revealing and amplifying the emotional experiences provoked by HIV/AIDS……………………………………………….61 The motif: the dancers………………………………………………..66 Médecins de cœur (Tahani Rached, 1993)………………………………..69 Underscoring the doctors’ rationality.……………………………….70 vii Underscoring the doctors’ emotionality…………………………….74 The motif: the Parc de l’espoir……………………………………….77 Quand l’amour est gai (Laurent Gagliardi, 1994)………………………….81 Identifying the ‘fast-lane gay’………………………………………...83 Questioning gay male physicality…………………………………...85 Questioning gay male personality…………………………………..89 Questioning gay male sexuality……………………………………..91 The motif: the loving couple………………………………………….95 Chapter Three: Testimonial Film………………………………………………..101 Defining and exploring testimony in the context of the AIDS crisis……………………………………………101 Creating HIV/AIDS-related testimonial film……………………………….111 The home movie and the creative film…………………………………….113 Comment vs dirais-je ? (Louis Dionne, 1995)…………………………….118 Understanding the purpose and significance of Comment vs dirais-je ?............................................................122 La Veille électronique: bringing testimony to a wider public…….125 Récit d’A (Esther Valiquette, 1990)………………………………………..127 HIV/AIDS: a shared journey………………………………………..130 Andrew’s emotional journey………………………………………..132 Le Singe bleu (Esther Valiquette, 1992)…………………………………..140 HIV/AIDS: a shared tragedy………………………………………..141 Symbols of trauma: the blue monkey and the Phaistos Disc…………………………..145