FOCUS ON QUEBEC

FILM:

<center></center> Directed by Michel Monty | CANADA | 2010 | 104min | (Q&A) Étienne’s father means the world to him. The only time Étienne is happy is when he is watching his father make his rounds at the local hospital. It is the early 1960s, and Étienne dreams of one day working in his father’s shoes. Jacques Langevin, doctor and family man, has everything he needs to be happy, but he is not the hero his son thinks him to be. Dr. Langevin’s sudden death leaves his family in shambles. Forced to move and unable to afford a proper burial, Étienne is haunted by the loss of his father and does whatever he can to keep his father’s memory alive. Will Étienne’s obsession take him down a dark path that could cause him to repeat the same mistakes his father made? A LIFE THAT BEGINS is a film that looks at how powerfully the loss of a loved one can affect us. - Vince Palomarez

Showtimes and More

FILM:

<center></center> Directed by Fabrice Barrilliet, Nicolas Bolduc, Julien Knafo, Marie Hélène Panisset | CANADA | 2009 | 81min | Subtitled | (Q&A) US PREMIERE Watch Movie Trailer Movies featuring people searching for answers have been made since the beginning of film. Often a woman finds herself just in time to ride off into the sunset with a man (or vice-versa) in a trite plot construction. However, the Canadian feature BLIND SPOT takes this old story idea to new and unexplored depths. The four main characters are uniquely intricate beings who struggle through trials and tribulations, both individually and as a group, while trying to discovering what really makes them happy. Almost without knowing, the viewer is provided with a background of each character through the use of quick cuts to the past. By keeping the secrets of each individual at bay, viewers are left to their own devices to piece together what ails the characters in this cinematic experience. - Julia Speace

Showtimes and More

FILM:

<center></center> Directed by Carl Leblanc | CANADA | 2010 | 85min | (Q&A) DOCUMENTARY US PREMIERE The documentary, HEART OF AUSCHWITZ, has at its core a muse. No bigger than a few inches, it was a gift to Fania Landau on her 20th birthday, a milestone anniversary in the life of a young woman. However, because it was bestowed upon her during the heartless Nazi rule, it undoubtedly meant more than any present could because in a time of extraordinary fear, this small gesture restored Fania’s hope in mankind. Out of utmost love and gratitude, Fania saw no other option than to risk her life by keeping it with her throughout death marches and camp relocations. The book of the same name and is on display in a Holocaust Museum, served as the moved Carl LeBlanc so much as to create a documentary devoted to the subject. The film, along with the heart itself, teaches us lessons of what the body and mind can endure when there is hope and empathy. - Julia Speace

Showtimes and More

FILM:

<center></center> Directed by Catherine Martin | CANADA | 2010 | 87min | Subtitled US PREMIERE After the tragic death of her daughter, Françoise travels to the country to mourn the loss of her child and to contemplate whether she can go on living. Distraught and inconsolable, Françoise attempts suicide but she is rescued at the last minute by a romantic figure from her past. Together the two help each other heal and move forward. MOURNING FOR ANNA unfolds in a delicate slow manner; the desolate snow-covered woods of Quebec and the stark ancestral home mirror the suffering mother’s thoughts. Françoise is not entirely alone. The chilly scenes of her winter spent in isolation are peppered by the ghosts of the past generations of her family. Her grandmother, her mother and her daughter all reach out to her and inspire her to continue. Deft cinematography and purposeful pacing make this a powerful film for those who have been through the loss of a family member. From award-winning director Catherine Martin. - Joe Palladino

Showtimes and More

FILM:

<center></center> Directed by Sylvain Archambault | CANADA | 2010 | 107min | Subtitled | (Q&A) PICHÉ : The Landing of a Man is based on the true story of Captain Robert Piché (Michael Côté), a hero who narrowly lands a plane without fuel or engine power, saving 300 lives. Gracing the covers of newspapers and the focus of every news broadcast, he is on top of the world. The only problem is that Robert is a reluctant hero. He has skeletons in his closet and a tumultuous past, and he worries about the media backlash that awaits him. Unable to handle the pressure, he pushes his family away and struggles to cope with the shame. Forced to confront his demons and reclaim his life, Robert looks back at the events that shaped his life and led to his heroic moment. Can Robert escape the nightmares that haunt him and the choices that changed his life? PICHÉ : The Landing of a Man is a deeply moving drama that looks at the how the sins of our past can come back to haunt us. - Vince Palomarez

Showtimes and More

FILM:

<center></center> Directed by Robert Ménard | CANADA | 2010 | 98min | Subtitled WORLD PREMIERE In the genre of ensemble films, REMAIN WITH ME (RESTE AVEC MOI) tells the stories of seemingly unrelated characters whose harmonious lives are shaken by a betrayal. Confronted by adversity, the characters are forced to re-examine what bonds them to others. The film is divided into five parallel stories in which the heroes are put to the test in their love relationships or friendships. A little girl and her mother, an old man and his wife, and three couples in search of equilibrium are weakened by a drama that then tightens their bond, making them stronger and closer through adversity. The film portrays a winding road through individual stories with twists and turns, only to converge in a most unexpected moment that brings the characters closer than any one of them could have imagined. REMAIN WITH ME is a poignant, revealing and emotional drama. Marvelously directed, this film brings award-winning director Robert Ménard’s ingenuity, skillfulness and proficiency to the fore. - Vince Palomarez

Showtimes and More