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FIRED BY BEAUTY AT MONTREAL’S 29TH WORLD FILM FESTIVAL
The World Film Festival of Montreal has the reputation of being one of the major festivals of the year, ranking just after Cannes, Venice and Berlin. But it has been in the Festival Federation’s bad books in recent times as the director, Serge Losique, has antagonised them about dates and other matters. It was only in July that his festival was re-instated. An alternate festival will have its inaugural season in the second half of September. The future of the World Film Festival is under threat.
Despite the difficulties, the 2005 edition of the World Festival was a success. With 22 films in competition, over 300 features and short films from 75 countries, there was more than enough cinema to occupy audiences and critics alike. At any one time, there were screenings in 10 different theatres.
Christian presence
The festival itself has its international jury, this year headed by veteran Greek director, Theo Angelopolous, as well as a jury judging a section of first features. The international association of film critics, FIPRESCI, is present and one of the features of the festival is the presence of an Ecumenical Jury. The six members come from Interfilm, the Protestant Association for Film and from SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for Communication.
The big winners at the festival were two excellent films: Kamitaki from Canada and Off Screen from the Netherlands. The latter, a taut drama about a bus driver on the verge of retirement who is delusional and imagines himself the confidant of an executive officer of Phillips with violent results, won the Prize of the Americas as well as the award for Best Actor, Jan Decleir.
Beauty in harmony
Kamitaki is a beautiful film, both visually and thematically. It was voted most popular film by the festival audience, won the directing award for Claude Gagnon and that of the international critics. It also won the Ecumenical award.
The Ecumenical Prize aims at promoting movies that distinguish themselves not only by their artistic merit, but also by their exploration of the ethical, social and spiritual values that make life human. The citation was as follows: Kamitaki portrays the journey of a young Japanese–Canadian from despair to affirmation of life through the wise teaching of his Japanese uncle. “Kamataki” refers to the ancient firing process of Japanese pottery. It serves as a metaphor for the beauty, wisdom and love achieved when two cultures come together in inner and outer harmony.
Ethics on the margins
A commendation went to Robert Connolly’s Three Dollars: the story of an Australian chemical engineer confronted with an ethical dilemma when he discovers plans to build houses on contaminated land. The film, dealing realistically and sometimes humorously with a highly individualised and corrupt social system, shows a man’s integrity as he opposes the plans and the support he receives unexpectedly from people living on the margins of society.
The festival provided an opportunity for a showcase of films from Asia, an increasingly strong cinema from Korea, Japan, Thailand and India as well as the Philippines, Singapore and Sri Lanka. Serge Losique promised next year’s edition – but he may have many battles in the coming year for that to happen.
Peter Malone
Peter Malone is the president of SIGNIS, The World Catholic Association for Communication.
