Montreal: More than 200 productions, including 36 feature films and 59 documentaries, will be screened at the 21st edition of Les Rendez-vous du cinema quebecois, the annual Quebec film and video production retrospective running Feb. 20 to March 2.

The Rendez-vous is organized under the auspices of president Louise Portal and director Segolene Roederer.

The 36 feature films on the program represent virtually all of 2002’s Quebec production with the exception of two or three films, says program director and filmmaker Marie Lynda Bilodeau.

For the first time, two English-language films have been selected for the official opening on Feb. 20 at the Cinema Parisien: Steven Woloshen’s three-minute short Cameras Take 5 and the Bernar Hebert feature The Favourite Game (Cine Qua Non Films/Film Tonic), starring J.R. Bourne and Michele Barbara Pelletier in a long-in-the-making adaptation of the famous Leonard Cohen novel.

The festival closes at the Parisien with the debut feature film from director Jeanine Gagne, Au fil de l’eau (Amazone Film/Cinema Libre), a bittersweet story of the encounter of a group of men and women during a short visit to the countryside.

The feature program includes the latest works from established and new filmmakers, including Jean Beaudin, Charles Biname, Robert Morin, Kim Nguyen, Phyllis Katrapani, Ricardo Trogi, Phil Price and the legendary Jean-Pierre Lefebvre.

One of the ’03 program highlights is a tribute to production house Cine Qua Non Films, renowned internationally for its performance and art films and founded over 15 years ago by producer Michel Ouellette and director Hebert.

The tribute and special event lineup also include a professional workshop sponsored by Union des Artistes (Feb. 21), a rally marking the 30th anniversary of the National Film Board’s Aide au cinema independent program (Feb. 21), a special pitch workshop called ‘Le Grand Flirt de Telefilm Canada’ (Feb. 25), an NFB Masters’ Workshop on digital cinema with director/cinematographer Michel Brault (Feb. 26), and a presentation of recent production from students at l’Institut national de l’image et son (Feb. 28).

The Rendez-vous has selected 29 NFB productions and coproductions, 11 animation titles and 18 docs, including Paule Baillargeon’s TV biopic Claude Jutra, portrait sur film; Denis Chouinard’s Quebec film history Voir Gilles Groulx and Iolande Cadrin-Rossignol’s Hubert Reeves, conteur d’etoiles, an encounter with the famous astrophysicist.

The Rendez-vous awards ceremony, including prizes for best feature film, short and documentary, as voted by critics in l’Association Quebecoise des Critiques de Cinema, is scheduled for the morning of March 2.

Societe des alcools du Quebec, the Rendez-vous’ principal corporate sector sponsor, will again host the popular Cafe SAQ, an informal 5-7 p.m. industry venue located at the Cinematheque Quebecoise.

Screenings and events take place at the Cinematheque Quebecoise, Cinema NFB, Cinema Beaubien and at the 5eme Salle of Place des Arts.

-www.rvcq.com