Director Louise Archambault’s Le temps d’un été (One Summer) became a surprise hit when it earned $2.3 million at the box office this summer.

The film is produced by Antonello Cozzolino and Brigitte Léveillé of Montreal’s Attraction, and executive produced by president and founder Richard Speer, and tackles the taboo topic of homelessness in an uplifting tale.

Patrick Roy, president and founder of distributor Immina Films, says Le temps d’un été’s box office success is attributed to the combined strength of its creative elements. “It’s a project I love, brilliantly written, brilliantly directed, and on top of being entertaining, there’s also a message,” he tells Playback, adding that this “perfect combination” helped the film do well in cities big and small.

The two-hour comic drama resonated with audiences thanks to “the humanity of the film,” suggests Archambault, whose previous films include Gabrielle (micro_scope), Il pleuvait des oiseaux (And the Birds Rained Down from Les Films Outsiders) and the upcoming English-language film Irena’s Vow (Darius Films, Entract Studios).

Among Le temps d’un été‘s strengths is its ensemble cast, aged between 18 and 78, including first-time actors and Quebec stars (Patrice Robitaille, Guy Nadon, Élise Guilbault, Josée Deschênes and Sébastien Ricard, to name a few). The story centres on a priest, played by Robitaille, who helps people experiencing homelessness. When he suddenly inherits a rural property, he brings some parishioners there for the summer and they become a family of sorts.

“I wanted to get everything out of them,” says Archambault about working with the actors. “These little moments, each time they are seen, how can we magnify their presence, tell more of who they are?”

Scriptwriter Marie Vien, who also wrote 14 jours 12 nuits (14 Days, 12 Nights from Attraction) and La passion d’Augustine (The Passion of Augustine from Lyla Films), had some experience with the subject matter, having been a volunteer at La Maison du Père, a Montreal-based organization that “helps homeless men” – Archambault joining her there for a time. “For five years she was inspired by some of them, so that became a script,” says Archambault, who recently completed directing a dozen episodes of the Radio-Canada television series À cœur battant, starring Roy Dupuis.

The film is one part of a string of successes for Roy’s Immina Films, which includes 23 décembre ($2.2 million) and Les hommes de ma mère ($1.7 million). The first five films the distributor has released since launching in October 2022 have all topped $1 million at the box office, says Roy, crediting his hard-working team and the trust of the Quebec industry.

He launched Immina Films in late 2022, having previously served as president of Les Films Séville, the now-closed Quebec distribution division of Entertainment One, striking a deal to acquire the film catalogue. While the company is new, it’s composed of industry pros. “I think we have over 100 years of distribution experience in Quebec and we’re only eight people,” said Roy.

Looking forward, Immina’s 2024 release schedule includes its first foreign acquisition, Italian director Matteo Garrone’s Io Capitano (Me Captain), on Feb. 16, as well as Quebec films such as Ricardo Trogi’s 1995 (July 31) and Yan Lanouette Turgeon’s Mlle Bottine (Nov. 29).

Image courtesy of Immina Films

This story originally appeared in Playback’s Winter 2023 issue