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Simon Rodrigue’s Quand ferme l’usine (When the Mill Closes) screens throughout Quebec and New Brunswick during the month of May. The NFB celebrates Tree and Forest Month

PRESS RELEASE
03/05/2016

CMQ2-QuandFermeUsine

May 3, 2016 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

On May 5, director Simon Rodrigue takes to the road to present his documentary Quand ferme l’usine (When the Mill Closes) in the regions where it was shot, including Miramichi, New Brunswick. The tour will provide a unique opportunity for people to view an uncut version of the doc and learn about Rodrigue’s filmmaking approach, as each screening will be followed by a discussion with the director. Stops are planned in Mauricie (Trois-Rivières and Shawinigan), New Brunswick (Miramichi), Bas-Saint-Laurent (Matane) and Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine (New Richmond and Gaspé).

Driven by his fascination with forestry and the issue of identity associated with it, Rodrigue travelled across Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick to collect the stories of former mill workers, which form the basis of his documentary. With so many pulp and paper mills closing, what does the future hold for the forestry communities that sprang up and prospered around them?

The NFB is pleased to celebrate Tree and Forest Month by screening Quand ferme l’usine in several of the regions whose stories are explored in the documentary, giving audiences an opportunity to view a film that recounts an important part of their history.

For more information on screenings, consult the documentary’s Facebook page.

About the tour

Mauricie
May 5:  Trois-Rivières – Salle Léo-Cloutier, St. Joseph Seminary
May 16:  Shawinigan – In conjunction with the Semaine du patrimoine, Maison de la culture Francis-Brisson (Grand-Mère sector)

New Brunswick
May 10: Miramichi – Carrefour Beausoleil

Bas-Saint-Laurent
May 11: Matane – Salle du conseil municipal, presented by the Société d’histoire et de généalogie de Matane

Gaspésie – Îles-de-la-Madeleine
May 12: New Richmond – Salle de spectacles régionale Desjardins de New Richmond
May 13: Gaspé – Salle de spectacle de Gaspé, C.E. Pouliot School

About the film

Quand ferme l’usine (When the Mill Closes) by Simon Rodrigue

Produced at the NFB by Johanne Bergeron and Marie-Anne Raulet, with executive producer Colette Loumède

For decades, the pulp and paper industry was a jewel in the crown of Canada’s economy. Now that the industry is in decline, what does the future hold for the forestry communities that sprang up and prospered around them? Through lucid, inspired interviews with former workers, the film immerses us in the industry’s glorious past and helps us gauge the true impact of mill closings on local populations and land management.

About Simon Rodrigue

Simon Rodrigue is an emerging filmmaker who has developed an interest in the legacy of the forestry industry—largely owing to the fact that both his father and grandfather earned their living working in the forest.

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Associated Links

Page Facebook – Quand ferme l’usine

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Media Relations

  • Nadine Viau
    NFB Publicist – Montreal
    C.: 514-458-9745
    n.viau@nfb.ca

  • Lily Robert
    Director, Communications and Public Affairs, NFB
    C.: 514-296-8261
    l.robert@nfb.ca

  • About the NFB

    Founded in 1939, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is a one-of-a-kind producer, co-producer and distributor of distinctive, engaging, relevant and innovative documentary and animated films. As a talent incubator, it is one of the world’s leading creative centres. The NFB has enabled Canadians to tell and hear each other’s stories for over eight decades, and its films are a reliable and accessible educational resource. The NFB is also recognized around the world for its expertise in preservation and conservation, and for its rich and vibrant collection of works, which form a pillar of Canada’s cultural heritage. To date, the NFB has produced more than 14,000 works, 7,000 of which can be streamed free of charge at nfb.ca. The NFB and its productions and co-productions have earned over 7,000 awards, including 11 Oscars and an Honorary Academy Award for overall excellence in cinema.