And what if we just leave it all behind... and go see Quebec?
This year, the idea of the Tofifest Festival is to draw the attention of viewers to the adversities that art, both in Poland and in other countries, has to overcome. All guests of the festival have not hesitated to emphasise the importance of the freedom of speech. It is also in the very centre of the issues discussed in the films we can see in cinemas in Poland, and in the Focus on Quebec Cinema section of Tofifest. We have had the honour of having guests, who travelled all the way from Canada, at their own expense, to promote their culture. They were Vanessa-Tatjana Beerli, Martin Comeau, and Yan Giroux.
The meeting started with some insight into the idea of establishing the Ciné Tapis Rouge Foundation, which our guests are part of and actively promote. The foundation was created to share cinema heritage of Quebec with the rest of the world (so far, the foundation has started cooperating with twenty countries). Yan Giroux and Martin Comeau expressed their gratitude to the Polish Film Institute and the organisers behind the Tofifest IFF for the support both institutions showed, but also emphasised the difficult situation faced by their domestic independent cinema, revealing data many of us had virtually no idea of. How problematic must it be for filmmakers living in provinces inhabited by a population of 8 million people, the majority of which speak French, knowing how difficult it can be to make independent films in the USA or Poland? How can a filmmaker there even enter the market? Yan Giroux has found the best possible solution to the problem he had within his reach: he uses the films he makes and his work for the foundation to talk about the history, distribution of, and topics discussed in films made in Quebec to the people who most likely know nothing about it, except perhaps a single name.
Now, what is Quebec really like? Is it a peaceful place, different and independent? And maybe it is just a stereotype that we have? The art they create there is undoubtedly flexible – it is enough to go through film summaries, to be certain of that, as they range from interpersonal relations, through travelling, to the forgotten genres of art. Despite the enigmatic aura surrounding it, the people living in North America do not see this province in the same way as the Polish people see the region of Bieszczady Mountains. The same goes for the mentality of the populace there, so much different from ours. We are greatly affected by the seasons. In the summer, we are full of life and joyful, while a little more depressed in the winter, said the representatives of the local community.
The audience could learn a little something about the traditions in Quebec and the activities of filmmakers living there. The second part of the meeting focused on the film For those who don’t read me. Why was the film selected and included among the film productions screened during the festival? I am always keen on learning about the idea that drives a particular festival that we want to work with, which then becomes a foundation for selecting the films I feel are worth presenting there. I have selected twenty films for Tofifest, said Vanessa-Tatjana Beerli. It is worth adding that the festival committee has selected five full-length films from among the twenty submissions. Our audience will also have a chance to watch a number of short films, including Destination, which focuses on travelling, or Brotherhood, taking place among the landscapes of Tunisia.
One of the people present at the meeting asked a question in French, enquiring about where the idea of making a film about the life of a poet originated from for Yan Giroux, after all a young debuting filmmaker. When I was a child, I wrote poetry and dreamed of becoming a poet in my own life, he confessed. The director had a chance to meet in person the poet who was the inspiration for the character of Yves in the film. After the death of the poet, he decided to make a film project loosely based on his life. I think about films and poetry in the same way: both give new meanings to words. I intend to use images in the very same manner as one can use text.
We hope that by talking to our rebellious guests from Canada you will become keen on learning something more about the culture of Quebec, which offers a truly varied plate of film productions. Let us show the power of art! Feel invited to enjoy the Focus on Quebec Cinema section at the Tofifest IFF.
Anna Tomaszewska
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