LECinEITId QUEBECOIS During the Christmas holidays, Films The other two films may well be the mitted the film's production. In the Mutuel released Denis Heroux' latest two most important Quebec films of the interest of all the filmmakers of the ripoff, Quelques Arpents de Neige. Per­ year. Taureau, written and directed by NFB, and so that the NFB can continue haps it was unfair to the filmmaker to Clement Perron (who wrote Mon Oncle) to work throughout Canada, I can't expect the film to be Quebec's first, great and produced by the NFB will open at imagine permitting the work to be historical epic, but many people had the St. Denis Theatre during the last finished on the film or permitting the been hoping it would be. After all, the week of January. It's a heavy film about distribution of the film". 1837 Revolt was momentous and it has intolerance, and about the system of taken on historical and symbolic im­ relationships which can exist in a small Gilles Groulx started out at the Film portance over the last hundred years. So town (or anywhere) and which can Board in 1956, and has directed, among when the film opened here and turned ostracise a man, exploit him, and drive other films, the classic short Les out to be a little film, full of flaws, him to self-affirmation, violence and Raquetteurs, and the three feature films poorly acted and generally insignificant, more. Andre Melan^on, President of the La Chat dans le Sac, Ou Etes-Vous many of the critics were outraged. The Professional Association of Filmmakers Done? and Entre Tu et Vous. All of film is now in it's third week and, of Quebec, has the lead role of Taureau. these films are sharply analytical and according to the distributors, running By March, Kamouraska should be ready critical. Groulx's new film was shot in stronger than Les Colombes, which did for release. This is the $750,000 co-pro­ November and December of 1971 and very well indeed. At any rate, Mutuel duction by Carle-Lamy of Montreal and was based on current events during that will have another chance to win back Mag Bodard's Societe Pare Film of Paris. time. He filmed meetings and speeches, the critics when they open Le Mort d'Un The director and cameraman are also went to demonstrations and used cuts Bucheron at the end of January. Written from Mon Oncle and are, respectively, from television and the newspapers. The by Gilles Carle with some help from Claude Jutra and Michel Brault. The film was meant to review the state of Arthur Lamothe and directed by Carle, scenario, taken from Anne Hebert's things in Quebec and, according to the film stars Carole Laure, Denise novel, was written by her and Jutra. those few who have seen the film, its Filiatrault, WiUie Lamothe, Daniel What with Genevieve Bujold in the conclusions were drastic, if not surpris­ Pilon, Pauline Julien and the tireless leading role, and the excellent response ing. The film accuses the capitalistic Marcel Sabourin. given the novel here and in France, system of being responsible for the Meanwhile, France Film, one of anticipation is running high. current ills in the province. Quebec's more important distributors, These conclusions did not escape Mr. will be releasing four new films shortly. Newman who continued, saying "It Two of them, La Conquete by Jacques would be inexcusable for the NFB to Gagne and Montreal Blues by Pascal distribute a film which calls for the total Gelinas, have been finished for some rejection of the economical-political time and have already had screenings. system as it is currently in Canada." La Conquete was shown in the Film The Commissioner's decision pro­ Market at Cannes last May, and voked lively reactions in the filming Montreal Blues was shown once in milieu here, and a movement was soon Montreal at the Cinematheque. They Censure at the Film Board afoot to pressure the NFB for a reversal were both presented in Toronto at the of the decision. Among other things, Film Awards. They are both counter­ Groulx's contract called for a zero copy culture films, the first being about two Swiftly and unexpectedly, Mr. of his film, and as it stood, the titles and happily married folk who have a one Sydney Newman, as Government Film the commentary still needed to be week affair "without fear or guilt", and Commissioner, announced in December added. Within a few weeks, the NFB the second being about communal hfe that he was stopping the production of announced what seems, for the mo­ at a local health food restaurant. The Gilles Groulx's latest film Vingt-quatre ment, like an uneasy compromise. The distributor's hesitation (both have been Heures ou Plus (Twenty-Four Hours or film will be completed at the NFB, but informally announced for release and More). Writing to the Director of there is no mention of its eventual then withdrawn) leads one to believe French Production, he explained: "It's distribution. It looks like Denys Arcand that these films are not expected to be (the film's) content and conclusions (On Est Au Coton) and Jacques Leduc big commercial successes. But then, would be difficult to accept by the (Cap d'Espoir) both of whom have Mon Oncle Antoine was released by people who uphold our democratic soci­ finished films at the NFB only to have France Film one year after it's comple­ ety. These people could not pardon the them gather dust, may soon be moving tion, so maybe it's a good sign. National Film Board for having per­ over to welcome Gilles Groulx. Cinema Canudu 20 Cinevision The biggest, and most unexpected, business news seems to be coming from Cinevision this winter. The Montreal based equipment rental firm with an office in Toronto went pubhc this win­ ter, and the shares have already risen -. I»." ,V^•""/1 _/-•' ^./ V^, fr\\ x{^'r^'"',' A from $1.00 to $8.00 in a few months. Becoming a public company was already big news, as so few Canadian-owned firms in the movie industry are; but ,;-\/i.L:;\Mwa^;A,a\L.iu.),.,i,ji.kiji]Mj,,iia,,^i,\<.LiiA/,ifiln.\,i,,,\,,,\,.A..i;.j,.,!/! Cinevision followed this up with an announcement in early January that it just bought a major interest in the American Film Theatre, and so is heav­ ily into the production of eight feature films. The American Film Theatre is a sort ilJilf n£l»ilA*«» of "movie of the month" deal. Ely Landau Organization Inc. plans to pro­ '^'"'^^''n^Mmmmmmmm^MMmi^^Moii duce eight plays (The Iceman Cometh, A Delicate Balance, Luther, etc.), using well-known directors (Frankenheimer, O'Horgan, Richardson) and top talent (K. Hepburn, Stacy Keach, Lee Marvin) at low cost, because the personnel will FILM OPTICALS participate in the profits. These films & OF CANADA LTD. will open, one a month, in selected 410 ADELAIDE ST. WEST theaters and will be shown four times TORONTO, — 363-4987 on a regular schedule. One subscribes to 5271 DE MAISONNEUVE BLVO them, like for a concert, paying $3.50 a MONTREAL. 487 7221 shot. It's as easy as that. Cinevision and 914 DAVIE ST VANCOUVER Ely Landau both own 45.5 per cent of TELEPHONE: 687 4491 the venture, the cost to Cinevision being 3.1 milUon dollars. This sum is one third of the budget il>MdIdr originally allocated to the Canadian Film Development Corp., for invest­ ment in the Canadian film industry over a period of five years. If one Canadian company can get together 3.1 milUon to invest in American productions, one wonders if other initiatives couldn't be taken, by them or by others, to increase investment in Canadian films. Hope­ fully, Cinevision's investment might cause some of the films to be shot in MS. ART SERVICES LTD. Canada, thereby repatriating a part of 410 ADELAIDE ST. WEST the monies. • TORONTO 2B, ONTARIO Compiled and written by Connie Tadros ffl TELEPHONE: 363 2621 of Cinema Quebec Cinema Canuda 21 .