Denys Arcand

Denys Arcand (June 25th 1941 with Deschambault, Quebec -) is a Réalisateur, Scénariste, producing Acteur and of Québécois films. Scenario writer with the style very varied with the wire of his career, it is especially recognized with the international level for his two great successes: Decline of the American empire and its continuation 18 years later: cruel Invasions .

Quotation of Denys Arcand

“The young people of today will want to found stable families. They will want to take again the model of their grandparent. ”, drawn from documentary the heirs to the black sheep .

Committed period

The work of Denys Arcand is with the image of the transformation of the Québécois Cinéma. During a first time, its work is composed of strong and critical documentary works, as well as cinema of fiction deeply anchored in the sociocultural reality of Quebec. It is probably the most original period of its work. Its work of documentarist, perfectly in phase with the work which is done then with the ONF (see direct Cinéma) pushes however elsewhere the structure of the assembly. By fine plays of opposition, by Dialectique - Arcand showing for example as much the inconsistencies of the workmen who the injustices which they undergo - he arrives, without never making use of the narration, to make erudite syntheses social and policy. The assembly of its films is of this less transparent fact and naturalist that of his/her colleagues of the ONF: because Arcand privileging in documentary the demonstration with the dramaturgy, it uses abundantly the parallel assembly, the image with its free in counterpoint, and thus built the direction the made-to-order of the film test.

In its work of fiction, which begins with the Cursed Wafer , Arcand seems to make the gradual integration of its assets of direct, in addition to one traditional esthetics, evoking Jean Renoir. This classicism of the beginning does not exclude nevertheless a certain formalism in the composition and the setting in scene, which one can bring closer to the work of Gilles Groulx, for which it does not hide his admiration.

As much of intellectuals of its time, Arcand attaches much importance to the European intellectual life. This is why he will suffer bitterly in 1973 from the bad European reception from Réjeanne Padovani with Cannes, reception which appeared to him a long time like an injustice. He will have also to suffer from censure to the ONF, his film One is with cotton being hidden during nearly 20 years by the agency. Arcand joined by there too the scenario writer Gilles Groulx.

American period

During a second time, which one could call American, and starting with its disappointment of the result of the referendum for the sovereignty of Quebec of 1980, Arcand chooses the personal emancipation, and seeks success resolutely. For this period it makes two English films. That goes hand in hand with a material change of its esthetics, the work of the photograph and setting in scene putting itself in phase with the Hollywood standard, as well by the lightings licked as by a redundant cutting which evokes the TV. The long tirades are gradually replaced by “ one liner ”. Arcand makes a cinema which he wants consensual, with the primarily middle-class characters.

Although strongly influenced by a certain industrial manner in the writing of the scenarios and cutting, he always works, with a cynical distance, the questions of conscience, excavating that of the intellectual, questioning the mistakes of the idealism and the rationalization, a such Machiavel questioning about comfort and the indifference .

International success

So much hoped international success occurs during the diffusion of the Déclin of the American empire in 1986, film produced by Rene Malo. Three years later, its film Jesus of Montreal will be in string like better foreign film with the ceremony of the Oscars. The dedication occurs with the cruel Invasions , film which will gain the Oscar of best film in foreign language in 2004. It will be also rewarded with the Cannes festival. Marie-Josée Croze receives the price of the best female interpreter there, whereas Denys Arcand obtains the palm of the best scenario writer. The film also gained the price César of the best realizer, best film and the best original screenplay or adaptation.

Denys Arcand is the spouse of Denise Robert, producing specializing in the films general public. He is the brother of the actor Gabriel Arcand and the Anthropologue Bernard Arcand.

Honors

Catalog of films

( Realizer, except particular mention )

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