See you at the movies

The scale of theatrical launches for Quebec films is on the rise.

Big marketing efforts, including sponsorships, are part of a growing trend for locally produced features. Distributors say the efforts should firm up market share for domestic films by using the wide-screen release techniques normally reserved for u.s. studio movies.

In the past four months, three high-profile Quebec films were given major theatrical releases.

Roger Cantin’s children’s feature Matusalem, distributed by Allegro Films Distribution, peaked at 44 screens in early January. In mid-March, Denys Arcand’s French-track version of Love and Human Remains followed suit with a 25-screen release by Max Films Communications, and on April 1, Michel Poulette’s Louis 19, le roi des ondes, distributed by Malofilm Distribution, premiered on 34 screens.

‘Distributors are breaking new ground in Quebec,’ says Allegro president Franco Battista. ‘We now realize we can do what the Americans do with lots of prints.’

Matusalem is about to end its theatrical run. Allegro and C/FP Video have a deal to sell at least 4,000 copies in the home-video market. After 15 weeks, Matusalem had cumulative box office receipts of $1.1 million.

The highly promoted comedy Louis 19 opened with a five-year record take for an opening three-day weekend of just over $221,000. By April 17, it had cumulative receipts of $848,454 after 17 days, with a per-screen average of $4,295.

‘Distributors support riskier Canadian films by new directors, but we also want more commercial titles,’ says Battista. ‘Success in festivals is important. We want to be proud, and still pay the bills.’

Mtl. fest moves from fall to June

montreal’s International Festival of New Film and Video will run from June 919. It is the first time in 22 years that the event has not been scheduled in the late fall.

Festival president Claude Chamberlan says the earlier dates will make it easier to program high-quality international films because the festival will no longer follow on the heels of events in Venice and Toronto or the Montreal World Film Festival.

Chamberlan says the 1994 festival program includes a large serving of outdoor screenings and activities.

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