The Films of Denys Arcand (Global Film Directors)

## Preface were made, and the contradictions that the filmmaker sees as an essential aspect of his film style are also very much present in the world around him. In what follows, all translations from the French are my own unless otherwise stated. I have used the French titles of the films throughout, but the English release titles or literal translations are included when I first mention them and in the filmography at the end of the book. Production budgets are in Canadian dollars, while international box-office amounts are in U.S. dollars. ## THE FILMS OF DENYS ARC AND The Fil ms of Denys Arc and minority PQ government, proposed the controversial Charter of Values. It was designed to restrict the religious practices of minority groups and pave the way for a new referendum in which, she hoped, Québécois voters could be rallied in support of their traditional cultural values. However, when Marois called an election in order to secure a majority that would allow her to implement her policies, she suffered a resounding defeat. Nevertheless, the concerns that led to the proposed charter have not disappeared, and the surprise victory of a new party, Coalition Avenir Québec, in the 2018 provincial election has once again brought them to the fore. The first act of the new premier was to announce that he would ban the wearing of the hijab and religious insignia by public servants, ostensibly because they conflicted with the secularization of post-Quiet Revolution Quebec. Immigration has become a highly charged political issue in many Western countries in the twenty-first century, including the rest of Canada, but the impact in Quebec has affected the sense of cultural identity almost as much as the Quiet Revolution. According to Arcand, "Now the most common name at the Montreal School Board is no longer Tremblay but Nguyen" (quoted in La Rochelle 2005, 244), and this situation has encouraged attempts to make the case for independence more inclusive. However, the debate incited by the proposed charter tended to undercut these initiatives, and it does seem clear that some significant political change will be necessary to create the conditions for winning any future referendum on separation. In the twenty-first century, Arcand's most recent films, which I will discuss in the final chapter, have been concerned with the impact of the changing demographics in Quebec and of the emerging global media environment, both of which have placed great pressure on definitions of personal and cultural identity in Quebec, as in many other places. As Arcand is very much aware, however, these tensions, as far as Quebec is concerned, have their roots in Canada's colonial past. "Denys Arcand is best known outside Canada for three films that were nominated for Academy Awards for Best Foreign-Language Film: The Decline of the American Empire (1986), Jesus of Montreal (1989), and The Barbarian Invasions (2003), the last of which won the Award. Yet Arcand has been making films since the early 1960s. When he started making films, Quebec was rapidly transforming from a relatively homogeneous community, united by its Catholic faith and French language and culture, into a more fragmented modern society. The Films of Denys Arcand sheds light on how Arcand addressed the impact of these changes from the 1960s, when the long-drawn-out debate on Quebec's possible separation from the rest of Canada began, to the present, in which the traditional cultural heritage has been further fragmented by the increasing presence of diasporic communities. His career and films offer an ideal case study for exploring the contradictions and tensions that have shaped Quebec cinema and culture in a period of increasing globalization and technological change"-- Provided by publisher

Denys Arcand is best known outside Canada for three films that were nominated for Academy Awards for Best Foreign-Language Film: The Decline of the American Empire (1986), Jesus of Montreal (1989), and The Barbarian Invasions (2003), the last of which won the Award. Yet Arcand has been making films since the early 1960s. When he started making films, Quebec was rapidly transforming from a relatively homogeneous community, united by its Catholic faith and French language and culture, into a more fragmented modern society. The Films of Denys Arcand sheds light on how Arcand addressed the impact of these changes from the 1960s, when the long-drawn-out debate on Quebec's possible separation from the rest of Canada began, to the present, in which the traditional cultural heritage has been further fragmented by the increasing presence of diasporic communities. His career and films offer an ideal case study for exploring the contradictions and tensions that have shaped Quebec cinema and culture in a period of increasing globalization and technological change.

Denuys Arcand has been making films since the early 1960s. When he started making films, Quebec was rapidly transforming from a relatively homogeneous community into a more fragmented modern society. This book sheds light on how Arcand addressed the impact of these changes from the 1960s to the present.