Montréal, le mercredi 7 juillet 2010 – Le Festival International du Film sur l’Art présentera les films MAGRITTE, LE JOUR ET LA NUIT d’Henri de Gerlache et HARLEM À MONTMARTRE : UNE HISTOIRE DE JAZZ À PARIS de Dante J. James au Théâtre de Verdure le mercredi 14 juillet à 21 h. Ces oeuvres sont tirées de la programmation du 28e FIFA qui s’est tenu du 18 au 28 mars dernier. L’entrée pour cette soirée de cinéma sous les étoiles est gratuite. En cas de pluie, la représentation est annulée.

Le Belge René Magritte (1898-1967) est l'une des grandes figures de la peinture du XXe siècle. Son art, fondé sur l'absurde, le paradoxe et l'insolite, allie une maîtrise parfaite de la technique à un certain détachement, une certaine froideur. Chapeau, pomme, valise, pipe, chacune de ces représentations est une mise en abyme de la représentation, comme si la peinture elle-même ne suffisait plus. Si l'œuvre de Magritte est fascinante, l'artiste est tout aussi mystérieux, jouant sans arrêt sur une double personnalité, une double identité : celle connue du grand public à travers le personnage repris dans son œuvre, et celle d'un autre Magritte enfoui, qu'il hésitera toujours à dévoiler. Le style du film est guidé par le caractère énigmatique de sa personnalité. Le regard particulier posé ici sur lui est celui du jeune acteur Charlie Dupont qui entraîne le spectateur dans une enquête à la fois intuitive et scientifique. Depuis le cimetière de Schaerbeek jusqu'au village où Magritte naquit en 1898, soixante-huit ans de vie se reconstruisent comme un collage mystérieux et très documenté, en hommage à l'artiste. Réalisé à l'occasion de l'ouverture du nouveau musée Magritte à Bruxelles.

Durant l'entre-deux-guerres, beaucoup de Noirs américains se sont retrouvés à Paris du côté de Montmartre. Les uns étaient des soldats qui avaient combattu en France et décidé de rester, fuyant le racisme et la ségrégation aux États-Unis, les autres des musiciens, amuseurs publics, danseurs ou tenanciers de cabarets. Certains d'entre eux y ont connu le succès alors que d'autres ont été oubliés, mais tous ont contribué à cette fascinante épopée du jazz entre l'Amérique et la France. C'est cette histoire que retrace Harlem à Montmartre, grâce à des documents d'archives, dont certains inédits, provenant des deux côtés de l'Atlantique, avec James Reese Europe, Josephine Baker, Sidney Bechet, Ada Bricktop Smith, Eugene Bullard, Django Reinhardt et bien d'autres, ainsi que des jam sessions au cours desquelles des musiciens d'aujourd'hui, français et américains, rendent hommage à leurs aînés.

Le Festival International du Film sur l’Art (FIFA) est une société à but non lucratif vouée à la promotion et à la diffusion des meilleures productions mondiales de films sur l’art et d’arts médiatiques. D’une durée de 11 jours et de nature compétitive, le FIFA est l’événement annuel le plus important au monde dans son domaine. Il est le rendez-vous des artistes et artisans du milieu des arts et de la cinématographie aussi bien que des amateurs d’art et de cinéma.

La prochaine édition du Festival se tiendra du 17 au 27 mars 2011.

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Relations médias :
Alain Labonté Communications
514 523 9922
alain@alainlabonte.ca

Montreal, March 29, 2010 – The 28th edition of the International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) drew to a close yesterday after 11 days of festivities. Once again, FIFA delighted film-lovers with an impressive array of 230 films from 23 countries. These works were screened at nine downtown venues: the Canadian Centre for Architecture, the NFB Cinema, the Cinémathèque québécoise, the Goethe-Institut, the Grande Bibliothèque, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Place des Arts, and Concordia University. FIFA reaffirmed its international scope by welcoming over 200 participants (producers, directors, etc.) from 15 countries.

Films in competition and jury

A total of 43 films from 14 countries were in competition at the 28th FIFA. Of the 10 Canadian works selected, 9 were Quebec productions. The jury was composed of five distinguished personalities: chairman Herménégilde Chiasson, a multidisciplinary artist and former Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick; Uli Aumüller, a filmmaker specializing in contemporary music; Jean Bergeron, a director, writer and journalist; Angela Dalle Vacche, a film historian; and gallery owner Jules Maeght.

Prizewinners – films in competition

Grand Prize
Sponsored by the Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire
ARCHIPELS NITRATE
Claudio Pazienza (Belgium)

Jury Award
Sponsored by the Robichaud Conseil
THE NEW RIJKSMUSEUM
Oeke Hoogendijk (Holland)

Award for Best Educational Film
Sponsored by Télé-Québec
MILTON GLASER: TO INFORM AND DELIGHT
Wendy Keys (United States)

Award for Creativity
Sponsored by the National Film Board of Canada
HUBERT VOS ET L’IMPÉRATRICE
Micaela van Rijckevorsel (Holland)

Award for Best Canadian Film
Sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers
MONTRÉAL SYMPHONIE
Bettina Ehrhardt (Canada, Germany)

Award for Best Essay
Sponsored by Le Devoir
DAVID HOCKNEY: A BIGGER PICTURE
Bruno Wollheim (UK)

Award for Best Portrait
Sponsored by Entreprises Vidéo Service
YA SHARR MOUT
Sabine Gisiger (Switzerland)

Award for Best Reportage
Sponsored by Concept Audio-Visuel
EXPANSIVE GROUNDS
Gerburg Rohde-Dahl (Germany)

Award for Best Film for Television
Sponsored by Digital Cut
BORIS VIAN, LA VIE JAZZ
Philippe Kohly (France)

ARTV Springboard to the World Award
BULL’S EYE, UN PEINTRE À L’AFFÛT
Bruno Boulianne (Canada)

ARTV People’s Choice Award
IL ÉTAIT DEUX FOIS UN JARDIN
Philippe Baylaucq (Canada)

Prizewinners’ Tour

The impact of the 28th FIFA and its prizewinners will continue in April with the international Prizewinners’ Tour. This annual tour will begin in Quebec City on April 14 at the Musée national de beaux-arts du Québec, and continue its run in Boston, New York, Washington, Paris and London at such prestigious institutions as the Louvre and Tate Modern. Finally, at the FIFA Matinées at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in the fall of 2010, film-lovers will get the chance to see the prizewinning films of the 28th edition.

Public Response and Supplementary Screenings

FIFA’s rich and varied program, featuring films from every corner of the globe, was once again a hit with the public. With enthusiasm and curiosity, the Canadian public and foreign tourists invaded our theatres, selling out close to 40% of the screenings. For its 2010 edition, FIFA increased its attendance by  close to 15% over the previous year.

Created last year, The FIFA Matinées, presented during the last week of March at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, were highly popular. Films on architecture and painting were once again crowd favourites. The three films on jazz, including Philippe Kohly’s Boris Vian, la vie jazz, required extra screenings, as did Bruno Wollheim’s David Hockney, A Bigger Picture and Philippe Baylaucq’s Il était deux fois un jardin. Due to public demand, a total of 26 films were presented in supplementary screenings.

In addition, Juliette Gréco graced us with her presence, thanks to ARTV and FIFA, for a screening of Brigitte Huault-Delannoy’s Juliette Gréco, “Je suis comme je suis”. An unforgettable moment.

Among the extraordinary works featured at the 2010 FIFA were 14 films that television viewers  will be able to see on ARTV: Juliette Gréco, « Je suis comme je suis» (April 11, 6:30 p.m.); Il était deux fois un jardin; Magritte, le jour et la nuit; La musique, avenir du Venezuela : El Sistema; Offre-moi ton corps (May 22, 9:30 p.m.); Quarantaine; Montréal Symphonie; Vivre avec l’art…un art de vivre; Cayouche, le temps d’une bière (April 25, 6:30 p.m.); Les cerisiers ont envahi les espaces comme incendie (April 18, 6:30 p.m.);  La chambre blanche (May 31, 9:30 p.m.); Israël Galvan; Super 8 – The Art of Making it!; and Reel Injun: On the Trail of the Hollywood Indian.

Special Events

Presented by Loto-Québec, FIFA’s 20 special events met with great success. Encouraging exchanges between festival participants and the public, these events allowed audiences to meet author Antonine Maillet, comic-strip writers Régis Loisel and Jean-Louis Tripp, musicians Jean Saulnier and Dang Thai Son, multidisciplinary artists Marc Béland, Marc Daigle, Benoît Lachambre and Ken Roy, choreographer Jeanne Renaud, and many others. The portrait of designer Denis Gagnon (Khoa Lê’s Je m’appelle Denis Gagnon), the event focusing on painterMarc Séguin (Bull’s eye, un peintre à l’affût by Bruno Boulianne), and the premiere of Offre moi ton corps by Bernar Hébert and Renée Claude Riendeau, followed by an exhibit presented by ARTV, were all triumphs.  

Owing to the efforts of the INAand Fondation Maeght, La Fondation Maeght : Un héritage, in the presence of Jules Maeght, the grandson of Marguerite and Aimé Maeght, the celebrated founders of  the Fondation Maeght, was a definite highlight on the special events program. Other memorable events include Hommage à André S. Labarthe, presented with the support of the AMIP, and the vernissage of Christoph Oertli’s video installation The Ground is Moving, a presentation of FIFA and the Cinémathèque québécoise in collaboration with Pro Helvetia and videoart.ch. The public can visit this installation until Sunday, April 25 at the Salle Normand-McLaren of the Cinémathèque québécoise. 

Solid Partners

Presented this year in association with ARTV, FIFA was once again able to count on the support of its faithful collaborators. It also had the privilege of forging new partnerships, in particular with Concordia University. The Festival proudly acknowledges the support of Heritage Canada, SODEC, the Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire, the City of Montreal, the Conseil des Arts de Montréal, Telefilm Canada, the Ministère du Tourisme, the Canada Council for the Arts, and  Tourism Montreal.

The entire FIFA team would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to all its partners, donors and volunteers, without whom the success of the 28th edition would not have been possible.

Ever-growing popularity

Thanks to the expertise and passion of spokesperson Catherine Perrin, the festival reached even wider audiences. The number of hits on its website increased this year by over 25%, while its media coverage doubled, testimony to the avid interest in our home-grown artists and personalities. Quite clearly, Quebec and Canada abound in talented artists and international ambassadors. In addition to its website (www.artfifa.com) and newsletter, it is now possible to receive the latest news about FIFA on Facebook and Twitter.

About FIFA

The International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) is a non-profit organization devoted to the promotion and presentation of the finest productions on art and media art. A ten-day competitive festival, it is the most important annual event of its kind in the world. FIFA has become a focal point for artists and artisans from the art and film communities, as well as for art and cinema enthusiasts.

The 29th FIFA will take place from March 17 to 27, 2011. See you then!

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Media Relations:           
Alain Labonté Communications
514-523-9922
alain@alainlabonte.ca

Montréal, Monday, March 22, 2010 – The International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) is pleased to announce the full program of special events organized as part of the 28th edition of the festival. Presented by Loto-Québec for the second year in a row, the 20 special events give festival-goers the opportunity to experience the world of artists through round-table meetings, lively discussion, a vernissage and much more. At the end of film projections, movie-goers will be able to meet personalities, artists and directors such as Ginette Pellerin and Antonine Maillet, Jules Maeght, Jean Saulnier, Dang Thai Son, Mario Côté and Jeanne Renaud, Régis Loisel, Jean-Louis Tripp and many others.

Overview of Events

Get behind the scene of the exceptional series Contact, l'encyclopédie de la création, with Stéphan Bureau and Francine Moreau. Celebrate Chopin's bicentennial during the Art de Chopin event.The world of comic strips and of Magasin Général will keep no secrets from you, nor will the life of collectors be a mystery, thanks to Magasin Général and Vivre avec l'art... un art de vivre. Be the first to see R69, Charles Gagnon's unfinished work completed posthumously by his daughter Monika Kin Gagnon. Jump head-first in the world of André S. Labarthe at the homage prepared in his honour.

Dance enthusiasts will be fulfilled with events such as Filmer la danse, Blanc, Quarantaine and Blanc, Noir ou Rien. Participants include film directors Marlene Millar, Philip Szporer, Sophie Deraspe, Isabelle Hayeur, Marie Brodeur and Mario Côté, dancers Benoît Lachambre, Marc Béland, Marc Daigle and Ken Roy, illustrator Pol Turgeon and choreographer Jeanne Renaud.

Participate in the unique presentation The Holocaust Memorial: Inner States. After the film Expansive Grounds is shown, Phyllis Lambert, architect, founding member and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the CCA, and Ursula Feist, Holocaust survivor, will share their perceptions of the controversial Berlin monument designed by architect Peter Eisenman in memory of the victims of the Shoah.

About FIFA
The International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) is a non-profit organization devoted to the worldwide promotion and presentation of films on art and media art. FIFA is the largest 10-day competitive festival and contest of its kind in the world. It is a mecca for artists and artisans working in the fields of art and cinema, as well as for art and film enthusiasts.

About Loto-Québec
As part of its social mission, Loto-Québec supports organizations that contribute to promoting Quebec culture. The partnership Loto-Québec established with FIFA is a unique opportunity for the Corporation to contribute to showcasing the talent of many artists, promoting mastery of their art and sharing their passion. 

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Public Relations:

FIFA
Alain Labonté Communications
Office: 514-523-9922
Cell: 514-815-2128
alain@alainlabonte.ca

Jean-Pierre Roy
Directeur des relations de presse
Loto-Québec
514-499-5151

Montreal, March 18, 2010 – The 28th International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) has many treasures in store for film and art lovers. In all, 230 films from 23 countries will be presented from March 18 to 28, an enchanting journey into the heart of artistic creation, past and present, in all disciplines. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is joining in the festivities, presenting the FIFA Matinées for the second consecutive year, from March 23 to 26. These captivating films are free of charge for Friends of the Museum. 

Spotlight on the Masters
Painting, not surprisingly, is well represented in these Matinée films. On Tuesday, March 23 at 1 p.m., Renoir, au-delà de l’impressionnisme, focusing on the latter part of the French master’s career, gives the artist his proper historical due. This film will be followed by Gauguin à Tahiti et aux Marquises, another look at a great artist’s final years. At 3:30 p.m., another double bill includes Picasso and Braque Go to the Movies, an exploration of the influence of the technological revolution on these two painters, and Paris 1907–La fureur Picasso, a look at a work that would revolutionize painting: Les demoiselles d’Avignon (1907).

The FIFA matinées continue on Wednesday, March 24 at 1 p.m. with Picasso: Challenging the Past, followed by Magritte le jour et la nuit, an investigative profile of the artist that is at once intuitive and scientific. At 3:30 p.m., filmgoers can discover two ancient civilizations, Thracian and Chinese respectively, in Le Mystère des Thraces and Les coffrets à trésors de l’empereur de Chine.

On Thursday, March 25 at 1 p.m., Les Caravage de Philippe de Bethune, l’Ombre d’un doute, an investigation of two works attributed to the Italian master, will be followed by Views on Vermeer—12 Short Stories, the closing film of the 28th FIFA, in which various artists express their admiration for this extraordinary painter who left behind only 35 canvases. At 3:30, a triple bill will feature films on architecture: Art, Architecture and Innovation: Celebrating the Guggenheim Museum, marking the institution’s 50th anniversary; Hearst Tower, New York; and Casa Bronfman, a visit to the Manhattan townhouse of financier and philanthropist Edgar Bronfman Jr. and his wife Clarissa Alcock Bronfman, an avid art collector.

On Friday, March 26, the final day of the FIFA Matinées, the 1:00 p.m. program begins with La vie cachée des œuvres—Rembrandt, a look at the painter’s works through the trained eyes of diverse specialists, and follows with Hubert Vos et l’Impératrice, which chronicles the restoration of a portrait of the powerful Empress Cixi of China. Finally, at 3:30 p.m., Un jour Pina a demandé, a journey into the world of choreographer Pina Bausch, will precede Christo in Paris, the story of Pont-Neuf as told by conceptual artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the city of Paris and its residents.

About FIFA
The International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) is a non-profit organization devoted to the promotion and presentation of the finest productions on art and media art. A ten-day competitive festival, it is the most important annual event of its kind in the world. FIFA has become a focal point for artists and artisans from the art and film communities, as well as for art and cinema enthusiasts.

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Source:
Vanessa Nonat
Communications Supervisor & Public Funding Coordinator
International Festival of Films on Art

Media Relations:
Alain Labonté Communications
Office: 514-523-9922
Cell: 514-815-2128
alain@alainlabonte.ca

Montreal, February 25, 2010—René Rozon, the founding director of the International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA), is pleased to announce the program of the 28th edition, to be held from March 18 to 28. Presented in association with ARTV, the 2010 edition of FIFA is offering an exceptional selection of 230 films from 23 countries. These high-quality films by talented directors will allow both novices and initiates to discover art in all its forms.

Over a ten-day period, a wide range of films will be screened at several sites.  Investigations, tributes, animated works and portraits will take viewers on a unique journey. From music to painting, architecture to contemporary art, dance to literature, the festival will once again celebrate the creativity of artists from here and abroad. 

Overview of this year’s program
The competitive section of FIFA comprises 43 films from 14 countries, including nine from Canada (eight from Quebec). Among them are Blanc, Noir ou Rien, a duet adapted for the screen by Jeanne Renaud, a pioneer in Quebec contemporary dance, and multidisciplinary artist Mario Côté, performed by dancers Louise Bédard and Sylvain Émard; Bruno Boulianne’s Bull’s eye, un peintre à l’affût, showing the unique path of Canadian visual artist Marc Séguin, at the crossroads of city and country, figuration and abstraction; Bettina Ehrhardt’s Symphonie Montréal, presenting the highlights of the 75th season of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kent Nagano; Micaela van Rijckevorsel’s Hubert Vos et l’Impératrice, depicting the problematic restoration of a portrait of the powerful Chinese Empress Cixi; King of Spies – John le Carré, by Werner Köhne and André Shäfer, a profile of the radical, analytic and intelligent master of suspense; Oeke Hoogendijk’s The New Rijksmuseum, a look at the controversial renovations of the renowned Dutch museum; Julien Sallé’s Or, les murs, which examines French composer Thierry Machuel’s collaborations with penitentiary inmates; Frederick Baker’s Romy Schneider – une femme en trois notes, a portrait of the celebrated actress in all her complexity; Fran Landsman’s Save the Last Dance for Me: Company of Elders, a profile of an unusual dance troupe composed of dancers aged 61 to 85; Anne-Marie Tougas’ Vivre avec l’art… un art de vivre, a portrait of collector Bernard Landriault through his everyday actions, reflections, and relationships within the art world.

Special Events
The special events of FIFA should not be missed. Ginette Pellerin’s Antonine Maillet – Les possibles sont infinis will be presented in its Quebec premiere on Friday, March 19 in the presence of the author. This documentary provides an unique perspective on the world of the Acadian writer who achieved fame in 1971 with La Sagouine and won the Goncourt in 1979. The screening will be followed by a discussion moderated by literary columnist Jean Fugère involving director Ginette Pellerin and Antonine Maillet herself. The film Offre-moi ton corps by Bernar Hébert and Renée Claude Riendeau illustrates the methods of today’s photographers who are using the human body to represent our social and human preoccupations. It will be followed by a preview of the photographic exhibition, attended by certain artists featured in the film, including Elinor Carruci, Elena Dorfman and Éliane Excoffier. In Quarantaine, a meeting with the interdisciplinary team behind the film of the same name, Marie-Christine Trottier interviews directors Marlene Millar and Philip Szporer, and actor Marc Béland. The Holocaust Memorial: Inner States, linked to the film Expansive Grounds by Gerburg Rohde-Dahl, brings together architect Phyllis Lambert, Founding Director and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the CCA, and Holocaust survivor Ursula Feis, who share their views on the controversial Berlin memorial designed by architect Peter Eisenman. The documentary Learning from Light: The Vision of I.M. Pei, which chronicles the construction of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar, will be followed by a roundtable. Magasin général, an event hosted by Catherine Perrin, invites the public to meet the team behind the documentary: co-directors Adeline Le Guellaud and Dominique Tripier-Mondancin and the authors of the comic book, Régis Loisel and Jean-Louis Tripp. The Ground is Moving is a preview of the video installation by Swiss artist Christoph Oertli. Finally, Gérald Caillat’s L’Art de Chopin is a bicentennial tribute to the great composer, with a discussion moderated by Catherine Perrin.

Artistic Disciplines
Again this year, a wide range of art forms will be represented. Architecture: Jean Nouvel, les traits de l’architecte. Contemporary art: Chine, l’empire de l’art?; About Jenny Holzer; and Art:21-Art in the Twenty-first Century: Transformation. Comic books: Loisel et Tripp, traits complices and The Man without a Home: Study of a Portrait of Hugo Pratt. Dance: Carolyn Carlson, le regard du geste; Aurélie Dupont, l’espace d’un instant; Israël Galvan; and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. Design: Milton Glaser: To Inform and Delight and Il était deux fois un jardin. Art history: Germany’s Cold War Cultures 1945-1989. Music: Boris Vian, la vie jazz; Harlem à Montmartre: une histoire du jazz à Paris; Juliette Gréco “Je suis comme je suis”; La musique, avenir du Venezuela: El Sistema; and The Real World of Peter Gabriel. Painting: David Hockney: A Bigger Picture; Botero—Born in Medellin; Magritte, le jour et la nuit; Gauguin à Tahiti et aux Marquises; Views of Vermeer—12 Short Stories and La vie cachée des œuvres—Rembrandt. Cinema: Andrzej Wajda: Chronicler of Poland; Disney.Pixar; Juliette Binoche dans les yeux; Life and Work of Milos Forman; The Magnificent Tati; and Philippe Noiret, gentleman saltimbanque. Photography: Studio Malick : un regard sur l’autre Afrique. Malick Sidibé recently won a first prize in the World Press Photo Awards 2010.

Tributes
The 28th FIFA will pay tribute to André S. Labarthe, a complex artist interested in all intellectual and artistic fields, which he analyzes and explores with perspicacity and erudition as a critic, screenwriter, producer and especially director. On the program are some ten of his films, including portraits of Arthur Penn, Carolyn Carlson, Samuel Fuller, Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, John Cassavetes, Pierre Perrault and Martin Scorsese.

The 45th anniversary of the Fondation Maeght, whose mission is to present contemporary and modern art in all its forms, will also be honoured at the 28th FIFA with fourteen films on such artists as Calder, Chagall and Riopelle. FIFA will have the privilege of welcoming Julse Maeght (jury member) from the illustrious family during the ten days of festivities. In the Panorama section, the premiere of a long-awaited work will be presented: a film shot by Charles Gagnon in 1969, which was unfinished during his lifetime and completed posthumously by his daughter Monika. A tribute will also be paid to Daniel Olson, the prolific Montreal artist known for his videos, installations, photographs and performances.

Partners
FIFA is delighted to be able to count on its loyal partners, without whom the event could not take place. In particular, the Festival would like to thank the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts for hosting its Matinée series, Concordia University for its newly forged partnership with FIFA, and the Cinémathèque Québécoise for its close collaboration. FIFA would also like to thank its media partners, including ARTV, Le Devoir, Télé-Québec, The Gazette and Métro, as well as its public and private partners and all those who contributed to the success of the 2010 edition.

Theatres and Ticket Office
The 28th FIFA will begin on March 18 at nine downtown theatres: the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec, the Canadian Centre for Architecture, the National Film Board Cinema, the Cinémathèque québécoise, the Goethe-Institut, the Musée d’art contemporain, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Place des Arts and Concordia University.

Tickets go on sale beginning February 27 at noon at Place des Arts, and can also be purchased on-line at www.artfifa.com or by phone (514) 842-2112. Tickets are $12 each and $80 for a book of 8 tickets. Special rates for youth and senior citizens are also available. Tickets can also be obtained at the nine theatres on the day of the screening, one hour before projection time. Finally, a new Media Arts pass for five screenings is available at a cost of $25.

Further information can be obtained on-line at www.artfifa.com, by phone at (514) 874-1637 or at the FIFA kiosks beginning March 1st at Place des Arts and March 9 at Concordia University and La Grande Bibliothèque.

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Media Relations:
Alain Labonté Communications
Office: 514-523-9922
Mobile: 514-815-2128
alain@alainlabonte.ca  

FILMS IN COMPETITION
43 films from 14 countries 
9 Canadian productions, including 8 from Quebec

CANADIAN FILMS IN COMPETITION:
Ginette Pellerin’s Antonine Maillet – Les possibles sont infinis is a journey into the world of Acadian writer Antonine Maillet, who achieved fame in 1971 with La Sagouine and won the Goncourt in 1979; Blanc, Noir ou Rien, a duet adapted for the screen by Quebec dance legend Jeanne Renaud and multidisciplinary artist Mario Côté, features two exceptional dancers: Louise Bédard and Sylvain Émard; Bruno Boulianne’s Bull’s eye, un peintre à l’affût, traces the unique path of visual artist Marc Séguin, midway between city and country, figuration and abstraction; Philippe Baylaucq’s Il était deux fois un jardin showcases a paragon of horticultural art, the Métis Gardens, where numerous artists are invited each year to the International Garden Festival. Other not-to-be-missed films include Bettina Ehrhardt’s Symphonie Montréal, which presents the highlights of the 75th season of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kent Nagano; Offre-moi ton corps, directed by Bernar Hébert and Renée Claude Riendeau, which illustrates the methods of today’s photographers, who are using the human body to represent our social and human preoccupations; Quarantaine, by Marlene Millar and Philip Szporer, a journey into the heart of the masculine identity accompanied by acclaimed dancers  Marc Béland, Marc Daigle, Benoît Lachambre and Ken Roy; Françoise Dugré’s Sullivan, a portrait of painter and choreographer Françoise Sullivan, captured at  work in her studio in Pointe-Saint-Charles; Anne-Marie Tougas’ Vivre avec l’art… un art de vivre, which takes us into the world of an art collector and his relationships with the artists and their works.

OVERVIEW OF FOREIGN FILMS IN COMPETITION:
Several superlative films, dealing with a wide range of artistic subjects, will be presented in competition. Gérald Caillat’s L’Art de Chopin is a tribute to the masterful composer; Philippe Kohly’s Boris Vian, la vie jazz looks at the French writer from the perspective of his greatest passion, jazz; Bruno Wollheim, the director of David Hockney: A Bigger Picture filmed the British painter over a period of three years, at a pivotal time in his career. Also competing are Micaela van Rijckevorsel’s Hubert Vos et l’Impératrice, which recounts the problematic restoration of a portrait of the powerful Empress Cixi of China; King of Spies – John Le Carré, by Werber Köhne and André Schäfer, a profile of the radical, analytic and intelligent master of suspense; Learning From Light: The Vision of I.M. Pei, directed by Bo Landin and Sterling Van Wagenen, chronicling the construction of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar; Oeke Hoogendijk’s The New Rijksmuseum, a fascinating look at the  controversial renovation of the famous Dutch museum; Gerburg Rohde-Dahl’s Expansive Grounds, which also deals with controversy, this time with regard to the Berlin monument dedicated to the memory of Holocaust victims, designed by architect Peter Eisenman. Julien Sallé’s Or, les murs reveals the power of the works of French composer Thierry Machuel, who incorporated the poetry of penitentiary inmates into his work; Frederick Baker’s Romy Schneider – une femme en trois notes portrays the great actress in all her complexity; Fran Landsman’s Save The Last Dance for Me: Company of Elders is surprising, to say the least, recounting the story of a dance troupe whose members are between the ages of 61 and 85. Finally, Stan Neumann’s La vie cachée des œuvres – Rembrandt  takes a look at the painter’s works through the trained eyes of diverse specialists.

The art of dance enters the competition with Élisabeth Kapnist’s  Carolyn Carlson, le regard du geste, a portrait of the celebrated choreographer and dancer who has created over 70 works, including solos that are landmarks in the history of dance. Painting is represented with Henri de Gerlache’s Magritte, le jour et la nuit, a portrait of the Belgian painter and master of the absurd, while Richard Dindo’s Gauguin à Tahiti et aux Marquises is a poetic recreation of a key period in the life of the French master. Nino Bizzarriui’s The Man Without a Home: Study for a Portrait of Hugo Pratt takes a penetrating look at the illustrator, in search of his innermost secrets. The art of design is brilliantly represented in Wendy Keys’ Milton Glaser: To Inform and Delight, which surveys the life and works of the legendary New York graphic artist, known in particular for his famous I © NY logo. Last but not least, music is represented by Curt Faudon’s The Vienna Boys’ Choir—Songs Along the Silk Road, which captures the nomadic life of the famous choir over the course of a year.

ARCHITECTURE

Casa Bronfman visits the Manhattan townhouse of financier and philanthropist Edgar Bronfman Jr. and his wife, Clarissa Alcock Bronfman, an avid art collector; CCTV, Pékinis a guided tour of what is undoubtedly the world’s most daring skyscraper; Jean Nouvel, les traits de l’architecte sheds new light on the life and work of this committed architect; Sinan, A Divine Architect presents the spectacular works of Mimar Sinan, the foremost architect in Islamic history and a cultural hero in Turkey.

CONTEMPORARY ART
Chine, l’empire de l’art?reveals the inner workings of a system of art, and the double identity of Chinese artists, at once predatory and exotic, “tiger” and “panda.” About Jenny Holzer underscores the originality of this great conceptual artist and her luminous installations; Art:21 – Art in the Twenty-First Century: Transformation presents three artists, Yinka Shonibare MBE, Cindy Sherman and Paul McCarthy, who inhabit the characters they create. Whether observing and satirizing society or reinventing icons of literature, art history and popular culture, they  capture the sensibilities of our age. Let There Be Light offers unforgettable encounters with such artists as Charles Ross, Anthony McCal and Alan Yentob, for whom light is both the material and inspiration for their art. In Super 8—The Art of Making It !, curators, gallery owners, art experts and eight talented artists—Michael Snow, Jeremy Hof, Jean-Pierre Gauthier, Peter Hoffer, Douglas Coupland, Ian Wallace, Scott McFarland and Katharine Harvey—explain how they have managed to carve out a path in the Canadian art world.

COMIC BOOKS
Loisel et Tripp, traits complices depicts the creative and human adventures of comic-strip writers Jean-Louis Tripp and Régis Loisel, who joined forces to produce the hugely successful Magasin général series.

DANCE
In Aurélie Dupont, l’espace d’un instant, Cédric Klapisch portrays a dancer who joined the Opéra de Paris at the age of sixteen and who became a prima ballerina in 1998. In Les cerisiers ont envahi les espaces comme incendie, choreographer-dancer Jocelyne Montpetit and septuagenarian dancer Tomiko Takai forge a bridge between tradition and modernity, East and West, dance and theatre. La chambre blanche is a film adaptation of one of Ginette Laurin’s most memorable works, an exploration of the limits of theatre, emotion and imprisonment. Israël Galvan allows viewers to discover the world of this outstanding flamenco dancer who has revolutionized the genre. Finally, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui – Rêve de Babel surveys the life and works of one of the leading choreographers of his generation. 

DESIGN
German Design is a three-part series tracing the design of such products as the Volkswagen Beetle, Braun stereo system, Bulthaup kitchen, along with the latest Berlin fashions. Danielle Schirman’s La table compas and La chaise Rietveld illustrate two of the landmarks in 20th-century design.

ART HISTORY

In Les Caravage de Philippe de Bethune – L’Ombre d’un doute, the director attempts to determine the authenticity of two works by the artist, assisted by Caravaggio specialists. Germany’s Cold War Cultures 1945-1989 examines the artistic productions of East and West Germany during the Cold War. Le mystère des Thraces reveals the fabulous treasures of the Thracians, a mysterious and unjustly neglected civilisation that disappeared at the beginning of the Christian era; Paris 1907: la fureur Picasso recounts the story of a work that would revolutionize painting: Picasso’s Les demoiselles d’Avignon.

JAZZ
The documentary Cool traces the history of this American musical current of the 1940s and 1950s, popularized by Miles Davis, which began in the bars and nightclubs of New York and Los Angeles before spreading worldwide. The film features some of the most illustrious representatives of cool jazz, including the Modern Jazz Quartet, the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Harlem in Montmartre is a between-the-war portrait of Black Americans who ended up living in Paris, clustering around Montmartre. Archival documents from both sides of the Atlantic feature performances by James Reese Europe, Josephine Baker, Sidney Bechet, Ada Bricktop Smith, Eugene Bullard, Django Reinhardt and many others.

LITERATURE
Choses lues, choses vues transforms a famous reading room into an exhibition of readings with an array of videotaped recordings. In Contact, l’encyclopédie de la création : Victor-Lévy Beaulieu, journalist Stéphan Bureau talks to Victor-Lévy Beaulieu about his ideas and inspiration from the writer’s home in Trois-Pistoles.

FASHION

Je m’appelle Denis Gagnon is an intimate portrait of the designer at the 10-year mark in his career.

MUSIC

Big Alma depicts the rich and tumultuous life of Alma Mahler, the muse of the Viennese artistic world before the war, who led a life of intensity and passion. Les couleurs du prisme, la mécanique du temps is based on the career of musicologist and radio host Daniel Caux, who for forty years acted as an explorer and discoverer in the fields of avant-garde music: experimental, minimalist, repetitive, post-modern and techno. Appearing in the film are La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Meredith Monk, Pauline Oliveros, Gavin Bryars, Richie Hawtin and John Cage. In Juliette Gréco, « Je suis comme je suis » the legendary muse of Saint-Germain-des-Prés looks back on her eventful life and celebrated friends. La musique, avenir du Venezuela: El Sistema describes an educational project that for 35 years has been rescuing children from the violent slums of Caracas through musical education. The Real World of Peter Gabriel looks back at the life and career of the musician and human rights activist and former leader of Genesis. Finally, Steve Reich, Phase to Face recalls the key stages in the career of the celebrated American minimalist, from the formation of his own group, Steve Reich and Musicians, to the American avant-garde he helped to create.

PAINTING
Botero – Born in Medellin is an overview of the life of the Columbian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero, whose works have been exhibited in over 70 one-man shows throughout the world. Presented in homage to filmmaker Gilles Carle, Ô Picasso takes us into the incomparable world of the iconic artist. Renoir, au-delà de l’impressionnisme focuses on the final stages in the career of the French master. In Views of Vermeer—12 Short Stories, various artists express their admiration for the extraordinary works of a painter who left behind only 35 canvases.

PHOTOGRAPHY

An American Journey traces the artistic path of Robert Frank, focusing on his groundbreaking collection of photographs, The Americans. John Max, A Portrait focuses on the Montreal photographer’s latter years in the family home, from which he was expelled after fifty years. Studio Malick : un regard sur l’autre Afrique takes a look a chapter in the social history of Mali through the eyes of one of the leading figures in African photography, Malick Sidibé.

TRIBUTE

The 28th FIFA will pay tribute to André S. Labarthe, a complex artist interested in all intellectual and artistic fields, which he analyzes and explores with perspicacity and erudition as a critic, screenwriter, producer and especially director. On the program are some ten of his films, including portraits of Arthur Penn, Carolyn Carlson, Samuel Fuller, Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, John Cassavetes, Pierre Perrault and Martin Scorsese.

MEDIA ARTS
In the Panorama section is the premiere of a long-awaited work, a film shot by Charles Gagnon in 1969, which was unfinished during his lifetime and completed posthumously by his daughter Monika. A tribute will also be paid to Daniel Olson, the prolific Montreal artist known for his videos, installations, photographs and performances. In the category of “New Perceptions,” Seven Intellectuals in a Bamboo Forest is an illustration of modern China in which seven young individuals symbolize the new generation, exploring such universal themes as isolation and alienation. Where is Where? by Eija-Liisa Ahtila is based on an actual event, when two Algerian boys killed their friend, a French boy of the same age. The murder is examined in light of the current global context.

7th ART
Illustrated with previously unreleased archival material, Andrzej Wajda: Chronicler of Poland depicts the director’s endless battles with censors in representing the history of modern Poland. Le Cinéma selon Dali examines the artist’s formal research on animated images, his delight in provocation and indifference to the commercial ends of cinema. Disney.Pixar is a behind-the-scenes look at the pioneering Disney animation studios in Burbank and Pixar studios in San Francisco. Il était une fois…le mépris recreates the circumstances surrounding the creation of this masterpiece by Jean-Luc Godard in 1963, starring Fritz Lang and Brigitte Bardot and based on the novel by Alberto Moravio. Juliette Binoche dans les yeux is a portrait of the acclaimed French actress, who is also a painter and dancer. Life and Work of Milos Forman is a profile of the Czech-born director based on interviews spanning several years at his farm in Connecticut and residences in New York and Prague. The Magnificent Tati evokes the ups and downs in the career of  Jacques Tati, arguably the most original comic figure in French comic cinema. Philippe Noiret, gentleman saltimbanque looks back at the French actor’s life and career through the eyes of his wife Monique Chaumette and close friends Jean Rochefort, Thierry Lhermitte and Bertrand Tavernier.

TIME RECAPTURED
The 45th anniversary of the Fondation Maeght, whose mission is to present contemporary and modern art in all its forms, will be honoured at the 28th FIFA with 14 films on such artists as Calder, Chagall and Riopelle. The Festival will also pay tribute to such recently deceased artists as Jeanne-Claude, Pina Bausch, Michael Jackson and Jerome Robbins.

OPENING & CLOSING CEREMONIES
Vivre avec l’art…un art de vivre – Thursday, March 18, 8 p.m., Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Views of Vermeer—12 short stories – Saturday, March 27, 8 p.m. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

The 28th FIFA will open with Vivre avec l’art…un art de vivre, a fascinating journey into the world of collector Bernard Landriault. The Festival will close with Views of Vermeer—12 Short Stories, in which various artists express their admiration of the works of the Dutch painter, who left behind only 35 canvases.

Theatres and Ticket Office
The 28th FIFA will begin on March 18 at nine downtown theatres: the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec, the Canadian Centre for Architecture, the National Film Board Cinema, the Cinémathèque québécoise, the Goethe-Institut, the Musée d’art contemporain, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Place des Arts and Concordia University.

Tickets go on sale beginning February 27 at noon at Place des Arts, and can also be purchased on-line at www.artfifa.com or by phone (514) 842-2112. Tickets are $12 each and $80 for a book of 8 tickets. Special rates for youth and senior citizens are also available. Tickets can also be obtained at the nine theatres on the day of the screening, one hour before projection time. Finally, a new Media Arts pass for five screenings is available at a cost of $25.

Further information can be obtained on-line at www.artfifa.com, by phone at (514) 874-1637 or at the FIFA kiosks beginning March 1st at Place des Arts and March 9 at Concordia University and La Grande Bibliothèque.

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Media Relations:
Alain Labonté Communications
Office: 514-523-9922
Mobile: 514-815-2128
alain@alainlabonte.ca

Montreal, February 19, 2010—The International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) and Concordia University are pleased to announce their partnership for the 28th edition of the Festival, which will take place from March 18 to 28.

The J.A. De Sève Cinema at Concordia University thus becomes the Festival’s ninth venue, joining such prestigious institutions as the Grande Bibliothèque, Place des Arts, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, the Canadian Centre for Architecture, the Cinémathèque québécoise, the NFB Cinema, and the Goethe-Institut.

This new partnership is based on a common desire to increase public awareness of the importance of culture and the arts, to promote films on art within the student community, and to increase the visibility of art and culture in Canada and the rest of the world.

Involved in post-secondary education for several years now, FIFA allows Quebec’s educational institutions, teachers and student associations to reserve private screenings and organize roundtables. This academic involvement, very much in keeping with the mission of Concordia University, helps to train and promote artists who will mark the cultural landscape.

“We are very proud to join forces with this highly respected institution,” says René Rozon, the founding director of the International Festival of Films on Art. “Over the years, Concordia University has fostered the work of artists and professionals in the fine arts by training more than 13,000 students. It is therefore not surprising that several films presented at the 28th FIFA were produced or directed by Concordia graduates.”

“I have very fond memories of the years I spent at Concordia University”, says FIFA spokesperson Nancy Wood, an alumna of Concordia. “I am confident that the new affiliation between Concordia and the FIFA will be a strong one, as they are both great promoters of the arts.”

“It is an honour for us to be associated with one of the world’s most prestigious artistic events,” says Judith Woodsworth, President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University.

“This alliance is testimony to our institution’s commitment to the artistic community. This comes through our support of artistic creation and our engagement in activities that heighten public awareness and appreciation of arts and culture.”

This collaboration represents a shared desire on the part of the two institutions to open their doors to the world. Concordia University welcomes students from more than a hundred different countries, while FIFA annually presents films from around the globe as well as a world tour of its prize-winners. By presenting 230 films from 23 countries, 42 of which will be screened at the J.A. De Sève Cinema, FIFA and Concordia are aiming to bring together Montreal’s cultural communities, and develop the interest and appreciation of university students for films about art and artists from here and abroad.

FIFA
The International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) is a non-profit organization devoted to the promotion and presentation of the finest film and media arts productions about art. A ten day competitive festival, it is the most important annual event of its kind in the world. FIFA has become a focal point for artists and artisans from the art and film communities, as well as for art and cinema enthusiasts.

Concordia University
Concordia University is the preferred choice for students who are facing the challenges of globalization and wish to obtain a first-rate education. This dynamic institution, with a rich past and ever-growing size and reputation, attracts outward-looking students and professors who wish to work in a stimulating environment. The university organizes an impressive variety of cultural, sports and community events. Its art galleries, concert halls, films and conferences are an integral part of Montreal’s cultural life.

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Sources:

Fiona Downey
Concordia University – Media Relations Advisor
514-848-2424  ext.2518 / mobile: 514-518-3336
fiona.downey@concordia.ca

Alain Labonté
Communications
514 523-9922
alain@alainlabonte.ca

Montreal, February 8, 2010 – Founding director René Rozon is pleased to announce the nomination of multidisciplinary artist and former Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick Herménégilde Chiasson as President of the Jury of the 28th International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA), to be held from March 18 to 28. Other jurists include filmmaker Uli Aumüller (Germany); director, writer and journalist Jean Bergeron (Quebec); film historian Angela Dalle Vacche (Italy); and gallery owner Jules Maeght (France).

Long before his prestigious political appointment, Herménégilde Chiasson was actively involved in the cultural development of Acadia. His list of artistic creations is impressive: he has participated in over 100 exhibitions (18 solo), and many of his works are found in public and private collections. He has also directed 17 films, several of them prize-winning, among which Toutes les photos finissent par se ressembler (1985), Le Grand Jack (1987), Robichaud (1989), Le taxi Cormier (1990), Épopée (1996), winner of the Grand Prix TV5, and Ceux qui attendent (2002).

Uli Aumüller specializes in documentaries on contemporary music. He has made over 150 programs for German radio, in addition to various collaborations with television networks. Two of his films have been presented at FIFA: Mon cinéma pour l’oreille — La musique concrète de Francis Dhomont et Paul Lansky(20th FIFA), and The Kiss of a Divine Nature (23rd FIFA).  His documentary A Sudden New Listening Experience will be screened at this year’s festival.

Jean Bergeron has received several prizes for his work as an advertising designer and director. In 2000 he published a popular scientific work entitled Les héritiers de Frankenstein. A screenwriter and aerial director for the 3D IMAX action film Duel au canyon, he has devoted himself over the past few years to a genre that suits him perfectly: the auteur documentary. His film Achever l’inachevablewas selected to open the 26th FIFA in 2008, and co-won the Best Canadian Work Award. It also earned a Gemini Award in 2009 for Best Documentary in Science and Nature.

Angela Dalle Vacche is a highly regarded specialist in the intersection of aesthetic theory and film history. She collaborates regularly with the Cineteca di Bologna, the Nederlands Film Museum, the Anthology Film Archive in New York, and DAMS/Gorizia in Italy. Her books include Cinema and Painting: How Art Is Used in Film(1996) and Diva: Defiance, Passion, and Early Italian Cinema(2008), published by The University of Texas Press.

Jules Maeght is the grandson of Marguerite and Aimé Maeght, the celebrated founders of  the Fondation Maeght, one of the world’s foremost collections of 20th century art. He is the director of both Éditions Maeght and Arte, the family printing house. In 1998, he became head of the Maeght gallery in Barcelona, which combines contemporary works by the younger Catalan generation with that of international artists. Keenly interest in photography and film, he created the Entretien collection in 2003, which records the reflections of artists on specific themes. In addition to these activities, Jules Maeght has produced DVDs of the Fondation’s films on such artists as Miró, Ubac, Riopelle and Giacometti. A retrospective featuring 14 of these works, celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Fondation Maeght, will be screened at this year’s FIFA.

The International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) is a non-profit organization devoted to the promotion and presentation of the finest productions on art and media art. A ten-day competitive festival, it is the most important annual event of its kind in the world. FIFA has become a focal point for artists and artisans from the art and film communities, as well as for art and cinema enthusiasts.

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Source:
Vanessa Nonat
International Festival of Films on Art
514-874-1637
comm@artfifa.com
  

Media Relations:
Alain Labonté Communications
514-815-2128
alain@alainlabonte.ca

Montreal, January 27, 2010 – René Rozon, founder and executive director of the International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) is pleased to announce the nomination of Catherine Perrin and Nancy Wood as spokespersons of its 28th edition, which will be held from March 18 to 28, 2010.

Catherine Perrin leads a highly active dual career as harpsichordist and broadcaster. She has performed with Les Vents de l’OSM, Les Violons du Roy, and I Musici de Montréal. From 2000 to 2004 she hosted Le Septième, a program on the film world aired by Télé-Québec, which won five Gemini awards. From 2005 to 2009, she oversaw the cultural reports on the Radio-Canada program C’est bien meilleur le matin. She also hosted the two seasons of On fait tous du show business on the Radio-Canada television network. This season, Catherine is returning to TV as the host of Six dans la cité, a cultural affairs program on Radio-Canada. In addition, as a harpsichordist, Catherine Perrin performs with her trio Bataclan.
Nancy Wood began her career as a journalist in 1985 with The Gazette newspaper after studies in journalism at Concordia University. She has covered a broad range of subjects over her 25-year career: federal and provincial politics, natural disasters, crime scene, and much more. She has also worked for the Toronto Star and Maclean’s, where she won several journalistic awards. With CBC radio since 1994, she has hosted such programs as Radio Noon, and is currently at the helm of the morning show Daybreak.
As skilled communicators and art enthusiasts, they will help FIFA to further increase its media presence and public visibility. “For several years I have attended FIFA as a journalist, host and commentator,” says Catherine Perrin. “I am therefore both pleased and grateful to become the spokesperson for its 28th edition.” Nancy Wood reiterates these sentiments: “I felt honoured when FIFA asked me to be the spokesperson of its 28th edition. As a journalist, I have always been fascinated by the creative process.”

Festival director René Rozon is delighted to have both Catherine Perrin and Nancy Wood on board: “FIFA is proud to have these two exceptional representatives from Montreal’s Francophone and Anglophone communities. As well-respected personalities in the fields of journalism and culture, they will undoubtedly be able to win the hearts of Montrealers.”

The International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) is a non-profit organization devoted to the promotion and presentation of the finest productions on art and media art. A ten-day competitive festival, it is the most important annual event of its kind in the world. FIFA has become a focal point for artists and artisans from the art and film communities, as well as for art and cinema enthusiasts.

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Media Relations:
Alain Labonté Communications
514 523-9922
alain@alainlabonte.ca

Montréal, le jeudi 14 janvier 2010 – Le Festival International du Film sur l’Art (FIFA) est heureux d’annoncer la présentation intégrale du Palmarès de sa 27e édition, au musée du Louvre, du 20 au 24 janvier 2010.

Les films Solo, de Maciej Pisarek (Grand Prix) et Karsh, un regard sur l’histoire, de Joseph Hillel (Prix de la meilleure œuvre canadienne), seront présentés lors de la soirée d’ouverture, le mercredi 20 janvier à 19h30. René Rozon, fondateur et directeur général du FIFA et des réalisateurs seront sur place pour rencontrer le public français. Parmi les invités, mentionnons la présence de Louis Lortie et de Mathieu Roy, réalisateur du film Mort à  Venise : Un voyage musical avec Louis Lortie (Prix du public).

Grâce à son implication sur plusieurs circuits artistiques et à ses tournées constantes à travers le monde, le FIFA est devenu, au fil des ans, un véritable ambassadeur culturel. Notez que le palmarès du 27e FIFA sera également présenté en France au Fresnoy - Studio national des arts contemporains du 28 au 30 janvier. Parallèlement, du 29 au 31 janvier, il sera en vedette au Tate Modern de Londres. Le palmarès visitera ensuite New-York et Boston pour se terminer au Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec du 13 au 16 mai.

Le Festival International du Film sur l’Art (FIFA) est une société à but non lucratif vouée à la promotion et à la diffusion des meilleures productions mondiales de films sur l’art et d’arts médiatiques. D’une durée de 11 jours et de nature compétitive, le FIFA est l’événement annuel le plus important au monde dans son domaine. Il est le rendez-vous des artistes et artisans du milieu des arts et de la cinématographie aussi bien que des amateurs d’art et de cinéma.

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Relations médias :
Alain Labonté Communications
514 815-2128
alain@alainlabonte.ca

Montreal, Tuesday, December 1, 2009 – Yvon Turcot, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA), is pleased to announce that Jacques Girard has graciously agreed to become the Honorary President of the 28th FIFA, which will take place on March 18 through 28, 2010.

Jacques Girard is closely connected with Montreal’s art/business communities. A former Chairman of the Board of FIFA, he has worked as an administrator with numerous companies and organizations from both the public and private sectors. Among other titles, he was President of Télé-Québec, President of Quebecor, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Montréal International and Chairman of the Board of Domtar. He is currently Chairman of the Board of the International Financial Centre of Montreal.

In accepting this honorary presidency of the 28th FIFA, Jacques Girard stressed the importance of supporting “Montreal’s great international showcase, which enjoys a stellar reputation among producers, directors and enthusiasts of films on art in all its forms.”

His nomination was met with great enthusiasm by everyone at FIFA. “It is a privilege to be able to count on the active participation of such a revered Montreal figure,” remarked Yvon Turcot, FIFA’s Chairman of the Board. “A man who has always been at the crossroads of business and culture, who will help us reach the lofty goals we have set to ensure the longevity of FIFA.”

The International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) is a non-profit organization devoted to the worldwide promotion and presentation of films on art and media art. Its central activity is an eleven-day competitive festival, the most important event of its kind in the world. FIFA has become a mecca for artists and artisans from the art and film communities, as well as for art and cinema enthusiasts.

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Media Relations:           
Alain Labonté Communications (514) 815-2128
alain@alainlabonte.ca

Montreal, December 1st, 2009 – FIFA, the only festival of films on art in North America, is pleased to announce that Antonine Maillet – Les possibles sont infinis will be presented in its Quebec premiere on Friday, March 19, 2010 during FIFA’s 28th edition—in the presence of the author. This not-to-be-missed event will allow film-lovers to learn more about this acclaimed author, whose unique path has led to such distinctions as the Prix Goncourt for her novel Pélagie-la-Charrette (Pélagie: The Return to Acadie).

René Rozon, the founding director of FIFA, is delighted to welcome this great artist to the Festival, along with this Acadian documentary: “Director Ginette Pellerin has succeeding in giving us a special inside look at the life and works of this exceptional woman of letters, who reveals aspects of herself for the very first time.”

Antonine Maillet – Les possibles sont infinis

After the fame that followed the immense success of La Sagouine in 1971, and the glory that came with winning the Prix Goncourt for Pélagie-la-Charrette in 1979, Antonine Maillet has made the voice of the Acadian people resonate throughout the world for half a century. Canada’s only winner of the Goncourt, she has published some fifty works in as many years. Antonine Maillet – Les possibles sont infinis revisits the pivotal moments of the writer’s life, from Bouctouche to Montreal, Moncton to the Théâtre du Rideau Vert. Displaying an iron will, dynamism, assurance and lucidity with regard to her life and works, Antonine Maillet has rarely talked about herself with such openness and generosity as in this unforgettable portrait. The film was produced by Murielle Rioux-Poirier of the Studio Acadie of the NFB, in conjunction with Pauline Bourque of Améri Ka Productions.

Director Ginette Pellerin

Ginette Pellerin has worked in television and film/video production since 1981. After graduating in visual arts from the University of Moncton, she co-founded Productions Phare-Est Inc. and Améri Ka Productions, where she turned to documentary filmmaking. Since the early 1990s, she has directed numerous films, including L’Âme sœur, Se donner des « elles », Évangéline en quête, Mathilda, la passionnaria acadienne and Durelle, all produced or co-produced by the NFB, as well as several episodes for the documentary series Trésors vivants. Among other distinctions, she received the 2002 Prix Historia from the Institut d’histoire de l’Amérique française for Anna Malenfant d’Acadie, which was also nominated for a Gemini Award. Three years of work went into the making of Antonine Maillet – Les possibles sont infinis.

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Media Relations:
Alain Labonté Communications (514) 815-2128
alain@alainlabonte.ca

Montreal, Thursday, November 26, 2009 – Yvon Turcot, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA), is pleased to announce that Michel Dallaire has been appointed to the Board.

Michel Dallaire has established a worldwide reputation in the design of utilitarian objects, industrial and institutional products, urban furnishings and transport equipment. He is the founding president of Michel Dallaire Design Industriel inc. The recipient of numerous awards, he is also an associate professor in industrial design at the Université de Montréal and University of Calgary. Highly active in Quebec’s arts community, he is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Fondation Emile-Nelligan, among many other positions.

Dallaire is certainly no stranger to FIFA: “For over twenty years I’ve been going to FIFA—it’s a fabulous source of creative inspiration and aesthetic delight.”

In the words of Yvon Turcot, “the wealth of knowledge and experience that Michel Dallaire brings to the Board will be an invaluable asset.”

The International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) is a non-profit organization devoted to the worldwide promotion and presentation of films on art and media art. Its central activity is an eleven-day competitive festival, the most important event of its kind in the world. FIFA has become a mecca for artists and artisans from the art and film communities, as well as for art and cinema enthusiasts.

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Media Relations:           
Alain Labonté Communications
514 815-2128
alain@alainlabonte.ca