Films in French are regularly Canada's top box-office earners, and they're shining at TIFF, too
CBC
At the box office, on the awards circuit and in the eyes of the international community, French-language cinema seems to be outpacing its English-language cousin in Canada.
Quebec films are also well represented at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.
"It's an especially exciting year," said Pascal Plante, a Montreal filmmaker who was part of a panel on Quebec and transnational cinema at TIFF last week.
"In a year where we're not talking about necessarily the Xavier Dolans and the Denis Villeneuves, it is just other filmmakers doing great stuff in Quebec."
Away from the festival circuit, films from Quebec have seen critical and commercial success over the years.
Directors and stars of this year's films say that beyond factors related to language, creative freedom from funders and unique stories are driving success in the province. They also say Canada's film industry needs to do a better job of letting all Canadians see successful films, no matter what language they're in.
From an ethical teenage vampire to a conductor at a crossroads to a family fleeing Vietnam after the fall of Saigon, there's strong diversity in the films on offer.
In addition to seven features in the main categories, and one in the Industry Selects program designed for international buyers, there are also some minority co-productions from Quebec this year, including Irena's Vow, directed by Canadian Louise Archambault.
Filmmakers in Quebec are given a lot of liberty by the industry, says Days of Happiness director Chloe Robichaud, whose film is about a conductor on the rise in Quebec's classical music scene.
"Nobody's telling me 'You should do it this way,' " she said. "They trust my process."
The province's films are getting international recognition as well.
Ariane Louis-Seize's Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person picked up the Giornate degli Autori directors award in Venice earlier this month. The dark comedy is about a teenage vampire who doesn't want to hurt people but is forced to adapt when her parents cut off her blood supply.
Speaking in French at a question and answer session following the film's North American premiere at TIFF, Louis-Seize said she didn't have difficulty financing her project, despite its off the wall subject matter.
She said filmmakers can't be afraid to pursue their vision.
