CINEMANIA is a French-language film festival that takes place in Montreal.
Contents
Festival
The CINEMANIA French Film Festival in Montreal was established in 1995 and has continued annually ever since. The Festival is dedicated solely to quality French-language feature films emanating from France, Belgium, Switzerland, Quebec, Algeria, Morocco, Senegal, and other French-speaking regions. All films screened must be North American, Canadian, or Quebec premieres, and all are subtitled in English. The Festival takes place every November during a period of 11 days opening on the first Thursday of the month. All films are screened in the Imperial Cinema, in downtown Montreal.
History
The Festival was founded by Mme Maidy Teitelbaum who is the ongoing operational President. The Festival's first 10 years were at Le Musee des Beaux Arts de Montreal --- in 2004 the Festival moved to the greater capacity Imperial Cinema. Mme Teitelbaum was awarded the Chevalier dans l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government in 2006 for her work in fostering French culture. In addition, in 2008 the SACD (SOCIETE des AUTEURS et COMPOSITEURS DRAMATIQUES) decorated Mme Teitelbaum with the Medaille Beaumarchais awarded each year since 1777 to the persons who best exemplify efforts to protect the rights of artists, composers and writers.
Program
CINEMANIA's very specific role in the panorama of Montreal and Quebec's cinematographic events is that it is the only francophone film festival devoted solely to presenting quality French-language feature films subtitled in English. In fact, for many of the films screened, the festival is the only avenue of distribution. CINEMANIA is, as a result, considered by many artists, journalists and cinephiles as a unique portal to view French-language films.
CINEMANIA offers cinephiles the opportunity of discovering a wide range of French-language films: masterpieces, innovative films and first feature films by young directors.
CINEMANIA shows approximately 30 feature films, each film screening twice. In order to arrive at their final selection, the Festival programmers view over 120 French-language films each year. The focus is both on established filmmakers and first-time directors, providing a launching pad for up-and-coming talent. Well-known directors whose work appears frequently on CINEMANIA's screen include Andre Techine, Anne Fontaine, François Ozon, Maïwenn, Robert Guédiguian, Manuel Poirier, Aki Kauresmaki, and the Dardennes Bros. There have been guest appearances by such notable filmmakers as Bertrand Tavernier, Arnaud Desplechin, Olivier Assayas, Cédric Klapisch, Nicole Garcia, Alexandre Arcady, Costa-Gavras, Jean-Jacques Beinix, Patrice Leconte, and Radu Mihaileanu. CINEMANIA guest stars have included Juliette Binoche, Emmanuelle Béart, Isabelle Huppert, Sergi Lopez, Alice Taglioni, Ludivine Seignier and Emmanuelle Devos, among others.
Public
CINEMANIA's loyal public that keeps growing year after year. After 11 years at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, CINEMANIA moved to the Imperial Cinema to increase its capacity and thus responds to cinephiles' ever growing interest in the festival. The 12th edition saw its attendance increase by 50%, and the 13th edition in 2007 continued this growth. Those successive increases did not diminish the "cine-club" atmosphere of the festival, which is characterized by the interaction of film lovers and artists.
Related activities
CINEMANIA organizes quality events that challenge and stimulate many cinephiles: master classes, discussion panels, presentation of films by their directors and actors, question and answer sessions after the projections.
Mel Hoppenheim Prix du public
The Festival awards an annual prize, the Mel Hoppenheim Prix du Public, given each year to the most popular film by public ballot.
Over the years, the Mel Hoppenheim Prix du Public went to the following films:
CINEMANIA presents, since 2012, an additional award dedicated to encouraging talented newcomers of the francophone cinema world. The public will vote for the 13 first-time feature film screened at the festival.
The TFO Audience award went to the following films: