The 26th edition of Cinemania, the film festival devoted to French-language movies with English sub-titles has started this Wednesday, November 4, and will finish on November 22. Like most festivals in these times of pandemic, Cinemania has adopted an online format: “Cinemania has reinvented itself and decided to set up an online screening platform for the duration of the Festival enabling audiences not only in Montreal but also in the rest of Quebec and Canada to watch films from our selection in the comfort of their home,” says Guilhem Caillard, Director-General of the festival. He also remarked that “this online version will be made up of a 90 international films, the majority of which are North American premieres.”
The movies shown at Cinemania are grouped in categories according to a variety of themes; that apart from the usual categories of feature and short films, documentaries, etc. The themes seem very interesting, for instance: Cannes Selection, the movies that were chosen to be screened at the 2020 Cannes Festival, which in the end didn’t take place due to the pandemic. In this category, we find: “A Good Man” by Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar, “Home Front” by Lucas Belvaux, “Josep” by Aurel, “Spring Blossom” by Suzanne Lindon and “Should the Wind Drop” by Nora Martirosyan.
The category of Award-Winning Filmmakers includes recent works by some celebrated directors: “Someone, Somewhere” by Cédric Klapisch, “Summer of 85” by François Ozon, “Night of the Kings” by Philippe Lacôte, “The Lost Prince” by Michel Hazanavicius, and “Madre” by Rodrigo Sorogoyen.
Comedy, of course, couldn’t be absent. In the Laugh out Loud—One-of-a-kind comedies you’ll love, we find the following titles: “My Donkey, My Lover & I” by Caroline Vignal, “Mama Weed” by Jean-Paul Salomé, “The Sticky Side of Baklava” by Maryanne Zéhil, and “Smoothie” by Pier-Luc Funk.
There is also a category devoted to animation, which includes: “Josep” by Aurel, “Abigail” by Nicolas Debray, “La pureté de l’enfance” by Zviane, and “Mynarski chute mortelle” by Matthew Rankin.
Political movies have their own category, described as “a collection of recent works that tackle contemporary politics, near and far.” The following films are listed here: “Je m’appelle humain” by Kim O’Bomsawin, “Night of the Kings” by Philippe Lacôte, “Should the Wind Drop” by Nora Martirosyan, and “Acadiana” by Guillaume Fournier, Samuel Matteau and Yannick Nolin.
Another category is devoted to new female directors: “A new generation of directors has arrived; these narratives from a female perspective are transforming the landscape,” reads the description. The films are: “Gold for Dogs” by Anna Cazenave-Cambet, “Spring Blossom” by Suzanne Lindon, “Slalom” by Charlène Favier, “Vacarme” by Neegan Trudel, “Working Girls” by Anne Paulicevich and Frédéric Fonteyne, and “Sër Bi” by Moly Kane.
There are also films from Quebec, others devoted to art, music, and literature, war stories, quirky comedies, families, and love.
Most films are available for $8, theme bundles cost between 10 and 40 dollars, and online pass $65. For detailed information about the films, schedule, and ticket prices go to festivalcinemania.com
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