Montreal – The National Film Board of Canada joins the lineup of the 42nd Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma (RVQC) with 10 productions and co-productions, including the feature documentary Malartic by Nicolas Paquet, making its world premiere during a blue carpet event, and the documentary series Maisonneuve by Jean-Martin Gagnon, presented for the first time on the big screen. Both screenings will be attended by the directors and the films’ subjects. The first film—a follow-up to Paquet’s 2011 documentary La règle d’or (The Golden Rule)—checks in with the Quebec town of Malartic 10 years after the biggest open-air gold mine in Canada opened there, while the second examines the fallout of a shocking event at Montreal’s Collège de Maisonneuve. Both docs address questions of society, democracy and identity, some of today’s most burning issues, with a depth of reflection gained from the passage of time.
The selection of NFB titles at the RVQC also includes the Quebec premiere of the feature-length documentary Une fille tranquille (A Quiet Girl) by Adrian Wills (All Together Now: The Beatles Love), the filmmaker’s deeply personal account of the complex story behind his adoption; and the world premiere of the medium-length documentary Travailler autrement (Work Different) by Julien Capraro (The Last Key), a humorous look at the impact of remote work. In addition, festivalgoers will have the chance to watch, or to watch yet again, an outstanding collection of NFB documentaries and animated films on the big screen—films that have received acclaim on the national and international festival circuit throughout the year. An annual retrospective and celebration of the best of Quebec filmmaking, the RVQC runs from February 21 to March 2, 2024, in Montreal.
The NFB at the 2024 RVQC
Premieres and a debut big-screen presentation
Malartic by Nicolas Paquet (franC doc films/NFB) – WORLD PREMIERE
Feature documentary (88 min)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/malartic_en/
Screening: Wednesday, February 28, 7 p.m., Imperial Cinema – blue carpet event with the director and subjects in attendance
- Ten years after an enormous open-pit gold mine began operations in Malartic—which the filmmaker tackled in his 2011 film La règle d’or (The Golden Rule)—the hoped-for economic miracle is nothing more than a mirage. Bas-Saint-Laurent director Nicolas Paquet explores the glaring contrast between the town’s decline and the wealth of the mining company, along with the mechanisms of an opaque decision-making system in which ordinary people have little say. Part anthropological study, part investigation into the corridors of power, both with a rich diversity of viewpoints, Malarticaddresses the fundamental issue of sustainable, legal and fair land management. How can we do things differently and in a better way?
- With music by Richard Desjardins, the film continues its festival run and will screen at venues across Quebec in the coming months.
Maisonneuve by Jean-Martin Gagnon (NFB/Coop Vidéo de Montréal [Canada]/Akka Films [Switzerland]/Temps Noir [France], in collaboration with TV5 MONDE) – PRESENTED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITS ENTIRETY ON THE BIG SCREEN
Documentary series (6 x 25 min)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/maisonneuve_en
Screening: Thursday, February 22, 8 p.m., Cineplex Odeon Quartier Latin, Salle 10
- Filmed over several years, Maisonneuve drops us into the culturally pluralistic milieu of Montreal’s Collège de Maisonneuve as it picks up the pieces after the trauma of 2015, when 11 students were arrested as they prepared to join the ranks of the Islamic State in Syria. Over six episodes, the series looks at the repercussions of this event, introducing us to five young adults who arrived at the college after the arrests. The interviewees share their points of view even though they often diverge, opening up a space for dialogue. Through their eyes and the evolution of their thinking, Maisonneuve highlights both the importance and the fragility of living together in harmony in Quebec.
- Winner of the Coup de coeur Fonds Bell, the series will be available for streaming on ca as of February 23, the day after its RVQC screening.
- A round-table discussion will be held on Friday, March 1, at 6 p.m. in Cinémathèque Québécoise’s Salle Norman McLaren. For the event, director Jean-Martin Gagnon will be joined by NFB executive producer Nathalie Cloutier and three of the film’s protagonists, Idir Mazouzi, Mohamed Mimoun and Kaëlla Stapels. Facilitator: Raed Hammoud.
Une fille tranquille (A Quiet Girl) by Adrian Wills (NFB) – QUEBEC PREMIERE
Feature documentary (86 min 15 s)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/a-quiet-girl/
Screening: Friday, March 1, 8 p.m., Cinémathèque Québécoise, Salle Hydro Québec
- In A Quiet Girl, adopted Montreal filmmaker Adrian Wills discovers, on camera and in real time, the startling truths of his complex beginnings in Newfoundland. Shocking details drive Wills to the core of his birth mother’s resilience, and ultimately his own. In this moving feature documentary that combines 16mm footage and contemporary images with deeply personal conversations, Wills’ voyage transforms from an urgent search for identity into a quest to give a quiet girl her voice. The film has been selected by many Canadian festivals.
Travailler autrement (Work Different) by Julien Capraro (NFB) – WORLD PREMIERE
Medium-length documentary (50 min 36 s)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/work-different
Screening: Wednesday, February 28, 3:45 p.m., Cinémathèque Québécoise, Salle Fernand Seguin
- How has working remotely reshaped the workplace—and our lives? While the shift to working from home may seem abrupt, the concept is far from new. With humour and intelligence, Work Differenttakes a close look at the origins, impacts, upsides and uncertainties of remote work. Made by Vancouver director Julien Capraro, the film will screen throughout the month of March at the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie.
Feature documentary
Le temps dérobé (Stolen Time) by Helene Klodawsky (Intuitive Pictures Inc./NFB, 85 min)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/stolentime
Screening: Sunday, February 25, 1:15 p.m., Cinémathèque Québécoise, Salle Fernand Seguin
- Charismatic elder rights lawyer Melissa Miller and hundreds of aggrieved families take on the corporate for-profit nursing-home industry—an industry notorious for its lack of transparency and accountability. Stolen Time is a rare inside look at a legal battle and an emerging elder justice movement with ramifications—and inspiration—for us all. The film has been selected to screen at many festivals in Canada and Europe.
Short films
Made by women filmmakers with a strong, personal style, these five documentary and animated films have screened to acclaim at festivals across Canada and worldwide.
- Après-coups (Afterwards) by Romane Garant Chartrand (NFB, 24 min 51 s, documentary)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/afterwards
Screening: Saturday, February 24, 8:15 p.m., Cinémathèque Québécoise, Salle Fernand SeguinThe film, which will screen in international competition at the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, will be available online on nfb.ca as of February 12.
- Fire-Jo-Ball by Audrey Nantel-Gagnon (NFB, 16 min 54 s, documentary)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/fire-jo-ball
Screening: Saturday, March 2 , 3:30 p.m., Cinémathèque Québécoise, Salle Hydro QuébecThis film has been selected by festivals in Canada and Europe and received a nomination at the Gala Québec Cinéma.
- Aphasie (Aphasia) by Marielle Dalpé (NFB, 3 min 45 s, animation)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/aphasia
Screening: Tuesday, February 27, 5:45 p.m., Cinémathèque Québécoise, Salle Fernand SeguinAfter its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the film was selected to screen at many festivals in Canada and around the world.
- HARVEY by Janice Nadeau (NFB/Folimage, 9 min, animation)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/harvey
Screening: Saturday, February 24, 10:30 a.m., Cinémathèque Québécoise, Salle Hydro Québec (together with the feature Jules au pays d’Asha)To date, this film has received nine awards and mentions along with more than 80 selections at festivals around the world.
- La fille au béret rouge (The Girl with the Red Beret) by Janet Perlman (NFB, 5 min 35 s, animation)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/beret
Screening: Saturday, March 2, 3:30 p.m., Cinémathèque Québécoise, Salle Hydro QuébecThis film has been selected for numerous festivals worldwide and has received two awards and mentions to date.