(Images provided by the NFB)
February 11, 2020 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) will be at the 38th Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma (RVQC), running from February 26 to March 7, 2020, with 17 productions and co-productions, including two world premieres: the documentary series Ramaillages (Gatherings) by Moïse Marcoux-Chabot and the feature documentary Loin de Bachar (Far from Bashar) by Pascal Sanchez. Ramaillages takes a sensitive and hope-filled look at a range of topics, including neo-rurality, environmental issues, and ideals that are part of a growing global movement. The series showcases the beauty of the people, the language and the land of the Gaspésie. Loin de Bachar paints a nuanced portrait of a courageous family who was forced to flee Syria for Montreal, and whose daily life continues to be impacted by a never-ending war.
The NFB works selected to screen at the RVQC (10 documentaries, five animated shorts, a virtual reality (VR) work, and a feature fiction film) display a broad diversity of topics and cinematic approaches and present personal stories that are universal in scope, offering introspective explorations and rarely discussed perspectives. Inspiring and enlightened protagonists open a window onto complex current issues that are as much a source of questioning as they are of hope. The NFB selection for the RVQC includes three films making their Quebec premiere: Rogério Soares’s feature documentary River Silence (Le silence du fleuve), Colin MacKenzie and Aparna Kapur’s animated short Balakrishna, and Nathalie Hébert’s documentary short Le bonheur de Lucien (Lucien’s Happiness).
Quick Facts
For more details, see the NFB at the RVQC press kit.
World premieres
- Three of the six episodes (1, 4 and 5) of the documentary series Ramaillages (Gatherings) by Moïse Marcoux-Chabot will be screened at the RVQC, with the director and several participants from the series in attendance. On March 7, the day of its premiere at RVQC, the full series will be launched simultaneously online on ca. Pre-launch screenings will take place during a tour of the Gaspésie that starts on February 14, with screenings in each of the cities where the series was shot. This is the first 100% NFB-produced documentary series.
- Following its premiere at the RVQC in the presence of the director, Pascal Sanchez’s feature documentary Loin de Bachar (Far from Bashar) will open at the Cinémathèque Québécoise on March 27. In addition, as part of the Cinéastes racontent series, the director will talk about his process for creating documentaries on Wednesday, March 25, at the Cinémathèque Québécoise.
Documentaries
These documentaries, including six feature-length films by filmmakers such as Alanis Obomsawin and Will Prosper, have been screened or are currently being screened at festivals and in communities in Quebec, elsewhere in Canada, and around the world.
- River Silence (Le silence du fleuve) by Rogério Soares – QUEBEC PREMIERE
The film world premiered at Hot Docs, where it received an honorable mention.
- Le bonheur de Lucien (Lucien’s Happiness) by Nathalie Hébert – QUEBEC PREMIERE
The debut work from this winner of the NFB Tremplin competition, organized in collaboration with Radio-Canada, this short film world premiered at the Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie (FICFA). The filmmaker will attend the screening.
- La fin des terres (Where the Land Ends) by Loïc Darses
2019 RVQC closing film. The filmmaker will attend the screening.
- Le fond de l’air (White Noise) by Simon Beaulieu
The filmmaker will attend the screening.
- L’Apollon de Gaza (The Apollo of Gaza) by Nicolas Wadimoff
The filmmaker will attend the screening.
Animated shorts
These animated works have gained acclaim at the most prestigious festivals in Canada and abroad. Montreal audiences will have a chance to discover or rediscover them on the big screen.
- Balakrishna by Colin MacKenzie and Aparna Kapur – QUEBEC PREMIERE
The film world premiered at the FIN Atlantic International Film Festival. Colin MacKenzie will attend the screening.
- Le cortège (The Procession) by Pascal Blanchet and Rodolphe Saint-Gelais
Rodolphe Saint-Gelais will attend the screening.
- Sans objets (No Objects) by Moïa Jobin-Paré
The filmmaker will attend the screening.
VR
- Gymnasia by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski
Co-produced by the NFB and Felix & Paul Studios, this innovative work has won numerous awards and been viewed around the world.
Special screenings
- Les brûlés (The Promised Land) by Bernard Devlin
This feature fiction film, starring Félix Leclerc and Jean Lajeunesse among others, will have a special screening to mark its 60th anniversary.
- La fille du cratère (Daughter of the Crater) by Nadine Beaudet and Danic Champoux
This feature documentary is a vibrant portrait of Yolande Simard Perrault, who recently passed away. The filmmakers will be attending the screening.
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Related Products
Electronic Press Kit | Images, trailers, synopses: NFB@RVQC
Media Relations
Judith Dubeau
IXION Communications, for the NFB
C.: 514-495-8176
judith.dubeau@ixioncommunications.com
For Ramaillages, Le bonheur de Lucien, Le fond de l’air, La fin des terres and Kenbe la, jusqu’à la victoire:
Marie-Claude Lamoureux
NFB Publicist
C.: 514-297-7192
m.c.lamoureux@nfb.ca | @MC_ONF
Lily Robert
Director, Communications and Public Affairs, NFB
C.: 514-296-8261
l.robert@nfb.ca