FNC 2024 Wrap Up

The Montreal Film Festival, Le Festival du Nouveau Cinema, ran from October 9th to October 20th and here’s what we took from this year’s enchanting lineup.

 Written by Mariane Tremblay, Maria Paula Acosta, and Kenza Bouhnass-Parra

Mariane kicked off the festival by attending the Montreal premiere of Rumours (Maddin, Johnson & Johnson, 2024). As read in her review “The film sharply criticizes the incompetence of world leaders, exposing their self-centeredness as they fumble through ongoing crises. The purpose of their summit remains vague and chaotic from start to finish, leaving you unsure of what they are even meant to discuss. The more you reflect on this film, the more you realize how unsettlingly close to reality it is - and that’s what makes it truly terrifying.” It was an absolute delight to attend this screening not only because its Canadian humour landed with its own audience, but also because our French-Canadian sex symbol, Roy Dupuis stars in the movie and was there to do a quick Q&A at the end. 

On the same night Kenza opened her programme with Ali Abbasi’s The Apprentice (2024), depicting a young and eager Donald Trump meeting Roy Cohn and becoming his protégé which leads to transforming into the man that we know today. Instead of trying to get into Trump’s head and analyze his character, The Apprentice takes the road of a narrative which lets the audience form its own judgment instead of forcing one down our throats. Sebastian Stan is phenomenal and weaves brilliantly between the complex aspects of the performance, embodying someone we are extremely familiar with and making the character his own. However, Jeremy Strong steals the show. His portrayal of Roy Cohn is a full-on possession that steals the spotlight every time it graces the screen. The film holds a specific visual identity, showing New York City in unique light, recreating the 16mm grain and texture of the cameras of the 1970s. It perfectly matches the reconstructions of interviews of the time, elevating the project from what could be a well-made but traditional biopic to a singular feat.

Maria-Paula’s first screening was Anora (Baker, 2024). The story centers around Ani (Mikey Madison), a young female who is a stripper in Brooklyn. Although she doesn’t consider herself a sex worker, she accepts an offer from Vanya (Mark Eidelstein), son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. After spending time together, they fly to Las Vegas and get married very impulsively without thinking of the consequences. From the first to the very last scene, Anora will keep you hooked and entertained. This film had the whole audience full of gasps, laughs and surprises. Ending on low energy and in a very much realistic way, it for sure made her go through many emotions. Kenza also had the opportunity to attend a screening and as read in her review “Anora is a more insane-by-the-minute film. The audience is interjected into the craziness of Anora’s persona within the first shot, and the whirlwinds do not stop until the credits appear. The pace is fast, our attention constantly snatched by another turn of events.” - we all can confidently say that Anora is one of the best movies the year and definitely a must watch. 

Mariane’s second screening was Jean-Christophe Meurisse’s Les Pistolets en plastique (Plastic Guns) (2024), a French comedy loosely inspired by the infamous Dupont de Ligonnès case—the tragic story of five family members murdered in Nantes, Loire-Atlantique, France, followed by the mysterious disappearance of the family patriarch. While the script and storyline were not particularly strong, the performances and humor were hilarious, saving the film and allowing us to have a great time. This was preceded by Lola (2024), a short film from the French director Mahaut Adam. The story follows Sam and Lola, who find themselves in a tight spot after their misogynistic roommate dies in a ridiculous accident right in their living room. Surprised by his girlfriend, the three girls hit the road to bury his body in a forest during the night - which brings us on a chaotic and hilarious journey. Twenty-one minutes of bursting laughter in the theatre. 

Memoir of a Snail (Elliot, 2024) was highly anticipated by Mariane who is a huge fan of stop-motion animated films. As read in her review “What makes this film so powerful is how easy it is to connect with Grace (Sarah Snook). While you may not relate to every moment of her life (and hopefully, you don’t share all her misfortunes), there’s something universally human about her journey. At least one part of her story will resonate with you, and that’s what makes this film truly beautiful. It serves as a reminder that, though we may not share the same experiences, we all carry burdens and fears that keep us from moving forward from time to time.” It is truly one of the best animation movies of the year and a hundred percent worth watching. You will laugh, cry and sometimes do both at once!

Maria-Paula and Mariane attended a screening of Vous N’êtes Pas Seuls (You’re Not Alone) (2024), directed by Québec filmmakers Philippe Lupien and Marie-Hélène Viens. The film follows Léo (Pier-Luc Funk), a lonely young man in his 20s who works nights delivering pizzas. One evening, he unexpectedly encounters John (François Papineau), an undercover alien on the hunt for lonely souls, plunging Léo into complete chaos. When he crosses paths with Rita (Marianne Fortier), a long-lost spark is rekindled within him, but this budding romance is complicated by John’s interference… Vous N’êtes Pas Seuls is a very sweet, funny and relatable film that will take you on the struggles and decisions of life, but the experimental quirky side could’ve been pushed a bit further as it felt a bit thrown into the story for reasons it is hard to grasp even though the audience can easily understand the metaphor about depression and loneliness. 

Emilia Pérez (Audiard, 2024) is a musical thriller that blends elements of opera, comedy and crime. The film follows the life of the drug dealer “Manitas” (Karla Sofía Gascón) whose only wish is to have a gender conversion. To accomplish this, he hires a well-known and underpaid lawyer called Rita Mora (Zoe Saldaña). Entertaining, enjoyable and even with some action, Emilia Pérez will give you outstanding performances. Maria-Paula’s full review can be found on our blog. 

Flow (Zilbalodis, 2024) is an animated film about a cat being displaced because of the great flood has no dialogue. The language quietness drives the audience on the edge of their seats, with the score soaring as the cat experiences life-threatening incidents one after another. In a world where no word is spoken, and all the audience receives is animal noises, unlike in more "traditional" animated films, a simple meow will make you barge into laughter while another will make you weep. As read in Mariane’s review “This silent communication allows viewers to focus on the expressive body language and subtle interactions between the animals, making their emotions resonate on a deeper level. The actions speak for themselves, and the absence of dialogue highlights the film's ability to convey complex feelings and themes without words, ensuring that the audience can grasp the narrative and emotional undertones effortlessly.” 

The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Rasoulof, 2024), The Girl with the Needle (von Horn, 2024), All We Imagine as Light (Kapadia, 2024) (and Anora) all arrived with a lot of buzz from the Cannes Film Festival and none of them disappointed Kenza. Remarkable author projects, all from very distinct directors, which all prove 2024 to be an incredible year for cinema.

While The Girl with the Needle was the biggest surprise of the festival for Kenza - her review can be read here - it didn’t have the same effect on Mariane. Although the film was undeniably uncomfortable to watch, her expectations of being deeply shaken were higher, as the “twist” began to feel predictable at times.

One film that Kenza did not want to miss for a lot of reasons but partly because it does not have a distributor yet is the Palestinian film, To a Land Unknown (Fleifel, 2024). We follow two Palestinian refugees, Chatilda and Reda, in Athens as they try to amass money and passports to get to Germany where they dream of opening a café and reuniting with their family, already there in a refugee camp. It is a tale of how far we are willing to go, how much of ourselves we are ready to lose in order to survive. To a Land Unknown tackles the violence of displacement and the forever hint for a seeming safety without scrounging for the viewer’s pity, which often happens in narratives centred around refugees. An absolute must-watch.

Mariane also didn’t want to miss the opportunity to watch Heather Young’s There, There (2024). The film delves into the relationship between two women: Ruth (Marlene Jewell), an elderly woman suffering from dementia with a passion for bingo, and Shannon (Katie Mattatall), her home caregiver who is dealing with the abandonment of her boyfriend, who left during her pregnancy. This movie is profoundly moving. For Mariane, dementia is one of the worst conditions a person can endure—the loss of memory, language, coordination, and ultimately, any sense of autonomy. It’s witnessing everything that defines a person gradually fade away, losing their bearings and what they’ve learned, and slowly returning to square one. Audible sobs have been heard in the theatre during that screening.

Coming as well with a lot of buzz was the highly anticipated, and surprise film, Pablo Larrain’s Maria (2024). Absolutely magnificent, it is surprisingly very quiet for a film about an once world's greatest opera diva. There is a stillness to it, a suspension in time that courses through our body as we experience the last days of La Callas. The back and forth of Maria’s memories, stunningly edited, feel like a dance harmonising with her vocal whirls. We are constantly leaping off the ground to and on the most beautiful perceptions of Ed Lachlan’s lens - this is a film that you cannot miss on a big screen. Angelina Jolie gives a career-best performance. Jolie brings such deep emotions to her portrayal that you’ll find yourself both mesmerised and heartbroken and it will keep you hooked from beginning to end. We hope she has started cleaning her shelf!

On the last day (and for Maria Paula’s last watch) they all went to a special screening of Paris, Texas (Wenders, 1984) for its 40th anniversary and 4K restoration. The film starts with Travis (Harry Dean Stanton) a disoriented male who makes his way back and reunites with his brother Marianeean Stockwell) and his son Hunter (Hunter Carson). Travis and Hunter embark on a journey to track down Travis’ wife. With a gorgeous cinematography and score, the film captures a heartwarming and moving story like no other. The performances, script and plot were the high note and entertaining until the end. A fascinating experience and privileged to watch on the big screen so many years after its release - it went straight to Mariane’s top four movies.

The festival closed with Alain Guiraudie’s Misericordia (2024). A French comedy about secrets and the guilt that comes from it, and the very specific aspects of French villages gossiping about everything and everyone while drinking Pastis. A subversive turn on the narrative of queer people coming back to their hometown which makes for a great time of an absurd but enthralling feature. Special mention to Jacques Develay who, as the director of the programme said, truly found his best role at the age of 72 - the movie is worth watching only for his character. 

The only disappointment of the festival was Oh, Canada (Schrader, 2024) - and it’s unanimous amongst the three of us. Even with an intriguing premiere and an inviting atmosphere created with the soundtrack and warm tones, it ends up all over the place. Based on a novel by Russell Banks, the film follows the story of Leonard Fife (Richard Gere and Jacob Elordi), a documentary terminally ill writer and filmmaker who is in his final days and agrees to be filmed to narrate his early journey as an American who fled to Canada during the Vietnam war. The film makes us follow several storylines, which become increasingly messy as the runtime progresses, where a specific cinematography is established for a specific time. However, that logic is completely thrown out of the window, forcing the audience to spend more time trying to decode where we are in the storyline rather than properly paying attention to what is happening. All culminates in a non-climax, where the pay is non-existent, and revelations are just lost into the vastness of the Canadian landscapes. Even though the film has great and moving performances, we leave the theatre knowing as much about Leonard Fife’s secrets as we did going in which makes it very disappointing and confusing. 

All put together, this year’s Festival du Nouveau Cinema was an absolute blast and we cannot wait to experience next year’s! 

Poster credits to IMDb, Films Quebec,