Cinemania (Film Festival)

Cinemania is a French-language film festival that takes place in Montreal.

Festival

For nearly 15 years, the Montreal French film festival Cinemania, in its friendly cine-club atmosphere, annually presents the "best of" French-language cinema subtitled in English. Each year, the professional programming committee screens nearly 200 films to offer its public a program of judiciously selected movies including the latest productions of renowned French-language film directors (Claude Chabrol, Claude Berri, Julian Schnabel, Patrice Leconte, Bernard Émond, Patrice Chéreau, Jean Becker...) as well as new works by young directors (Géla Babluani, Denis Villeneuve, Stéphan Carpiaux, Joachim Lafosse...). Cinemania is the only Canadian film festival to present all its movies with English subtitles, providing the widest possible access to its program. Cinemania takes place annually during a 10-day period starting on the first Thursday in November through the second Sunday of November. All films are screened at the Imperial Cinema (1430, Bleury Street, Montreal). Over the years, Cinemania has evolved into the leading French film festival in the Americas.

The 14th edition of Cinemania Film Festival will take place from Thursday, November 6, through Sunday, November 16, 2008, at Imperial Cinema in Montreal.

History

Montreal businesswoman Maidy Teitelbaum for many years nurtured a passion for French films. Always on the lookout for International events that spotlighted French-language cinema, she quenched her cinematographic thirst by venturing off the beaten track. However, in 1994, the pendulum (after years of swinging forth and back between her passion and her professional life) landed permanently on cinema. And, from then on, Maidy Teitelbaum found herself devoting all her time and energy to sharing her love of French-language cinema with her fellow cinephiles.

The adventure began – Maidy Teitelbaum's determination helped launch the first Cinemania Film Festival with support from the corporate sector at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in 1995. The first edition was well received by cinephiles and enjoyed instant success. With the passage of time, by 2006, the steady growth in attendance prompted a move to a larger venue at the Imperial Cinema.

In 2006 as well, Maidy Teitelbaum was honoured with the distinction of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Literature by the Ministry of Culture and Communication of France.

In March 2008, Cinemania was honoured by the additions to its Board of Directors of French filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier and Radu Mihaileanu, director of the film "Live and Become" (winner of the Mel Hoppenheim Prix du Public 2005). These two filmmakers have become great friends of Montreal's Cinemania Film Festival, and have contributed tremendously in enhancing the festival's reputation in Europe.

After a strong recommendation from director Bertrand Tavernier (a guest at Cinemania's 13th edition, 2007), Maidy Teitelbaum received the Beaumarchais medal in Paris awarded by the SACD (Société des artistes et compositeurs dramatiques of France) for her work in support of artistic creation and copyrights.

In 2009, Cinemania will celebrate its 15th anniversary.

Program

Cinemania's very specific role in the panorama of Montreal and Quebec's cinematographic events is that it is the only Montreal film festival to present solely French-language films. In fact, for many of the films screened, the festival is their 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.

The festival's programming committee screens nearly 200 films annually to select only the best for its program. Cinemania also holds Belgian Cinema in high esteem with a special annual Spotlight on "Cinema from the French Community of Belgium".

Cinemania offers cinephiles the opportunity of discovering a wide range of French-language films: masterpieces, innovative films, first feature films by young directors, and entertaining yet intelligent films. The festival has continually offered its public the possibility of interacting with legendary filmmakers and rising stars of francophone cinema.

Guests

Every year, CINEMANIA welcomes professionals of the international film world: producers, directors, actors, critics...

CINEMANIA is the annual rendez-vous for film lovers to meet famous artists and rising stars of the cinema-world from France, Quebec, Belgium, Algeria, Senegal and more.

*2007
**Bertrand Tavernier ("Coup de torchon / Clean Slate, L'Horloger de Saint-Paul / The Clockmaker, Le Juge et l'assassin / The Judge and the Assassin, Que la fête commence / Let Joy Reign Supreme, La Vie et rien d'autre / Life and Nothing But...")
**Jean Becker ("Dialogue avec mon jardinier / Conversations With My Gardener")
**Emmanuelle Devos ("Ceux qui restent / Those Who Remain")
**Niels Arestrup ("Le Candidat / The Candidate")
**Rémy Girard (presentation of "La Vie et rien d'autre / Life and Nothing But...")
**Yves Jacques ("Désaccord parfait / Twice Upon a Time")
**Anne Le Ny ("Ceux qui restent / Those Who Remain")
**Géla Babluani ("L'Héritage / The Legacy")
**Stéphan Carpiaux ("Les Fourmis rouges / Red Ants")
**Dennis Trudeau (journalist and commentator)
*2006
**Juliette Binoche ("Quelques jours en septembre / A Few Days in September, / ")
**Nicole Garcia ("Selon Charlie / Charlie Says")
**Micheline Lanctôt (director and screenwriter)
**Santiago Amigorena ("Quelques jours en septembre / A Few Days in September")
**Lisa Azuelos ("Comme t'y es belle! / Gorgeous!")
**Éric Caravaca ("Le Passager, La Raison du plus faible / The Right of the Weakest")
**Philippe Collin ("Aux abois / ")
**André Lavoie (film critic)
**Dennis Trudeau (journalist and commentator)
*2005
**Dominique Besnehard (artist agent and producer)
**Alain Corneau ("Les Mots bleus / Words in Blue")
**Bernard Émond ("La Neuvaine / The Novena")
**Yves Jacques ("La Petite Chartreuse, Je préfère qu'on reste amis... / Just Friends")
**Radu Mihaileanu ("Va, vis et deviens / Live and Become")
**Elsa Zylberstein ("La Petite Jérusalem / Little Jerusalem")
**Antony Cordier ("Douches froides / Cold Showers")
**Kamal Dehane ("Les Suspects / The Suspects")
**Christopher Hall (columnist)
**Kevin Laforest (film critic)
**André Lavoie (film critic)
*2004
**Dominique Besnehard (artist agent and producer)
**Sergi Lopez ("Chemins de traverse")
**Claude Zidi ("Ripoux 3 / Part-Time Cops")
**Isabelle Broué ("Tout le plaisir est pour moi / The Pleasure Is All Mine")
*2003
**Laurent Lucas ("Qui a tué Bambi ? / Who Killed Bambi?")
**Sophie Quinton ("Qui a tué Bambi ? / Who Killed Bambi?")
**Raquel Bitton (" / ")
**Ousseynou Diop ("Madame Brouette")
**Rokhaya Niang ("Madame Brouette")
*2002
**Louis-Pascal Couvelaire ("Sueurs / Sweat")
**Yves Lavandier ("Oui, mais... / Yes, But...")
**Didier Becchetti ("Jojo la frite / Accidental Saint")
*2001
**Jean-Jacques Beineix ("Mortel Transfert / Mortal Transfer")
**Hélène de Fougerolles ("Mortel transfert / Mortal Transfer")
**Marie-Ève Bertrand ("Mariages / Marriages")
**Zakia & Ahmed Bouchaala ("Origine contrôlée / Made in France")
**Renaud Cohen ("Quand on sera grand / Once We Grow Up")
*2000
**Emmanuelle Béart ("Les Destinées sentimentales / Sentimental Destiny")
**Marie-Josée Croze ("Maelström")
**Alexandre Arcady ("Là-bas... mon pays / Return to Algiers")
**Olivier Assayas ("Les Destinées sentimentales / Sentimental Destiny")
**Rona Hartner ("Sauve-moi / Save Me")
*1999
**Patrice Leconte ("La Fille sur le pont / The Girl on the Bridge")
**Louis Bélanger ("Post Mortem")
**Charlotte de Turckheim ("Mon père, ma mère, mes frères et mes sœurs / My Father, My Mother, My Brothers and Sisters")
**Caroline Dhavernas ("L'Île de sable / Sable Island")
**Sébastien Huberdeau ("L'Île de sable / Sable Island")
**Alexis Loret ("Alice et Martin / Alice and Martin")
**F. Christophe Marzal ("Attention aux chiens / Beware of the Dogs")
**Johanne Prégent ("L'Île de sable / Sable Island")
*1998
**Isabelle Huppert ("L'École de la chair / The School of Flesh, Rien ne va plus")
**Emma de Caunes ("Un frère / A Brother")
**Gabriel Auer ("Je suis vivante et je vous aime / I'm Alive and I Love You")
**Gilles Bourdos ("Disparus / Love Troïka")
**James Huth ("Serial Lover")
*1997
**Jacques Doillon ("Ponette")
**Élodie Bouchez ("Clubbed to Death")
**Frédéric Marbœuf ("Pondichéry, dernier comptoir des Indes / Return to India")
*1996
**Ticky Holgado ("Les Milles / A Man of Duty")
**Alain Centonze ("C'est jamais loin / Never Too Far")

Public

Cinemania has a loyal public that keeps growing year after year. After 11 years at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Cinemania moved to the Imperial Cinema (capacity of 800 seats) to double its capacity and thus answer the cinephiles' ever growing interest in the festival. The 12th edition saw its crowds increase by 50%, and the 13th in 2007 continued this growth. Those successive increases did not however diminish the "cine-club" atmosphere of the festival, which continues to be a meeting point for film lovers and artists.

Related activities

CINEMANIA organizes quality events that challenge and stimulate the intelligence of cinephiles: master classes, discussion panels, presentation of films by their directors or actors, question and answer sessions after the projections...

Mel Hoppenheim Prix du public

Mel Hoppenheim, an emblematic figure of the Montreal film community, has associated with CINEMANIA to offer the "Mel Hoppenheim Prix du Public" that comes with a 5,000$ prize.

Over the years, the Mel Hoppenheim Prix du Public went to the following films:
*2007: "Le Scaphandre et le papillon / The Diving Bell and the Butterfly", directed by Julian Schnabel
*2006: "Comme t'y es belle ! / Gorgeous!", directed by Lisa Azuelos
*2005: "Va, vis et deviens / Live and Become", directed by Radu Mihaileanu
*2004: "25 degrés en hiver / Twenty-Five Degrees in Winter", directed by Stéphane Vuillet
*2003: "Ah! Si j'étais riche / If I Were a Rich Man", directed by Michel Munz and Gérard Bitton
*2002: "Oui, mais... / Yes, But...", directed by Yves Lavandier
*2001: "Quand on sera grand / Once We Grow Up", directed by Renaud Cohen
*2000: "Les Destinées sentimentales / Sentimental Destiny", directed by Olivier Assayas
*1999: "La Fille sur le pont / The Girl on the Bridge", réalisé par Patrice Leconte
*1998: "Serial Lover", directed by James Huth

See also

*List of French films
*List of French actors
*List of French directors
*List of French language films
*Culture of France
*Cinema of Quebec

External links

* http://www.cinemaniafilmfestival.com
* [http://european-films.net european-films.net] - Reviews, trailers, interviews, news and previews of new and upcoming European films
* [http://www.cyranos.ch/sbinde-e.htm Biographies and autographs of French cinema stars]