January 24, 2018 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
On Friday, February 16, Luc Bourdon’s feature documentary The Devil’s Share (La part du diable) begins its theatrical run at four different venues: Cinéma Beaubien and Cinéma du Parc (with English subtitles at the latter) in Montreal, Cinéma Cartier in Quebec City, and La maison du cinéma in Sherbrooke. Produced at the NFB by Colette Loumède, the doc offers a fresh look at a pivotal period in recent Quebec history—1967 to 1980—using excerpts from NFB films made by some of Quebec’s greatest directors. The Devil’s Share is an intense and exhilarating experience, a moving blend of sound and images that inspires viewers to reflect. The documentary had its world premiere at the Festival du nouveau cinéma (FNC) in Montreal, receiving a standing ovation from a packed theatre. It was named Best Feature- or- Medium-Length Documentary at the Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie (FICFA) in Moncton.
Special events and Quebec tour
Two special events are being held in conjunction with the film’s theatrical release in Montreal: a special presentation of The Memories of Angels with commentary by Luc Bourdon, presented by the Festival du nouveau cinéma (FNC); and an appearance by Bourdon as a guest in the NFB’s new speaker series at the Cinémathèque québécoise, Les cinéastes racontent, hosted by Colette Loumède. A screening tour throughout several regions of Quebec is also planned.
About The Devil’s Share (102 min)
For this unique, poetic film, director Luc Bourdon worked closely with editor Michel Giroux and sound designer Catherine Van Der Donckt to explore a key period of Quebec’s history. Deftly selecting clips from nearly 200 films from the NFB archives, Bourdon creates a compelling look at a decade in which Quebec society was profoundly transformed, changes that echoed throughout North America’s francophonie. This finely crafted feature-length documentary continues in the vein of the filmmaker’s The Memories of Angels, which was composed entirely of footage from NFB films of the 1950s and 1960s. The film was a striking success when it was released in 2008.
The Devil’s Share delves into a number of important social issues of the Quiet Revolution period, such as women’s rights and the rise of feminism, rural migration, the rise of Quebec nationalism, the October Crisis of 1970, environmental awareness, and the secularization of education. The film follows a powerful narrative thread. Highly evocative excerpts from films by acclaimed directors, including Denys Arcand, Pierre Perrault, Jean-Claude Labrecque, Aimée Danis, Anne-Claire Poirier, Georges Dufaux and Marcel Carrière, highlight the powerful on-screen presence of a range of well-known personalities, such as René Lévesque, Robert Charlebois, Micheline Lanctôt, Michel Tremblay, Pauline Julien, Mouffe, Jean Chrétien and Alanis Obomsawin. The film invites each of us to become a committed observer of these events, and to lend an attentive ear to its passionate, lyrical statement on this momentous decade.
About Luc Bourdon
Luc Bourdon is one of the key figures in the art of videography in Canada. Over a period of more than 25 years, he has created some 50 works in a variety of genres—documentary, drama, experimental—with a focus primarily on history and memory. These themes also lie at the heart of The Memories of Angels and The Devil’s Share, the two feature documentaries he’s directed at the NFB. The Memories of Angels won the award for best Canadian short film (Focus – Cinémathèque québécoise Grand Prize) at the FNC, and received nominations for a Jutra Award (best documentary) and the Association québécoise des critiques de cinéma award for the year’s best film. The documentary also had a successful theatrical run.
Quebec tour of The Devil’s Share – currently confirmed dates:
- Thursday, March 29, at Cinéma Paraloeil, Rimouski, with the director present
- Friday, March 30, at Ciné-club de Prévost
- Monday, April 16, at Ciné-club de Laval (André-Mathieu theatre)
Special events with the director present
- Special screening of The Memories of Angels
On Thursday, February 15, at 7:00 p.m., Cinéma du Parc will be hosting an event to mark the theatrical release of The Devil’s Share: a special screening of The Memories of Angels—the first film in Bourdon’s two-part poetic documentary series—with live commentary from Bourdon himself. This event will be held as part of the Festival du nouveau cinéma’s monthly screening series.
- Les cinéastes racontent an intimate conversation with Luc Bourdon
On Tuesday, March 7, at 5:00 p.m. at the Cinémathèque québécoise, Luc Bourdon will participate in the new Les cinéastes racontent series, which is developed and hosted by producer Colette Loumède. Bourdon will speak frankly about his approach to making documentaries and his creative process. Presented by the NFB in collaboration with the Cinémathèque québécoise.
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Interviews with the filmmaker
Luc Bourdon will be available to give interviews in Montreal during the week of February 12; in Sherbrooke, on Monday, February 12; and in Quebec City, on Tuesday, February 13. Other dates are also available upon request.
Press screenings (RSVP: Mélanie Mingotaud)
Tuesday, February 6, at 10 a.m. (original French and English version with English sub-titles)
Cinéma du Parc
3575 Park Avenue
Tuesday, February 6, at 10 a.m.
Cinéma Cartier
1019 Cartier Avenue
Tuesday, February 6, at 10 a.m.
La maison du cinéma
63 King Street West
Related Products
Electronic Press Kit | Images, trailers, synopsis: The Devil’s Share
Associated Links
Cinéma Beaubien
Cinéma du Parc
Cinéma Cartier
La maison du cinéma
Cinémathèque québécoise
For more details or to schedule an interview:
Mélanie Mingotaud, for the NFB
Communications Mingotwo
Tel.: 514-582-5272
E-mail: melanie@mingo2.ca