Canadian films: Cinema, renowned directors and actors

A look back at key events in Canadian cinema

The genesis of Canadian cinema

The history of Canadian cinema begins in 1896 with the first public screening of a film at the Palace Theater in Montreal. This will be produced using the famous cinematography of the Lumières brothers.

A year later, a man named James Freer, a farmer by profession, will film what will be considered the very first Canadian films. His productions will deal in particular with his daily life in the prairies. Having detected the potential of his works, the Canadian railway company “Le Pacifique” commissioned him for a tour in England. His films were so appreciated there that a second tour was immediately scheduled in 1902.

The dark years

Unfortunately, after a few years of excitement between 1898 and 1923, the craze for cinematography gradually dispersed throughout Canada. In 1927, one last silent film was released on screen in an attempt to revive public interest, but without success. In this same dynamic, a talking film which also did not achieve its goals would see the light of day in 1931.

Finally, following its numerous disappointments, the majority of Canadian cinema productions will be produced by French filmmakers and by foreigners. According to experts at the time, Canadian films were plagued by the same weaknesses: a mediocre script, subversive dialogue and far too rigid acting.

During this period, the only studio to record significant film productions was the British studio Victoria. From 1936 to 1939, a dozen low-budget American films were made there. The directors do not hesitate to pass off the Canadian landscapes as those of Montana.

The Renaissance

The creation of the NFB (National Film Board) marks a decisive turning point for the future of Canadian cinema. Although it was initially intended for the production of informative films for the government, this institution has become the chaperone of young Canadian filmmakers. Throughout its years of service, the NFB will become a true hotbed of talent as well as the cradle of various revolutionary cinematographic techniques. We also owe this rise in popularity to a very particular discipline that Canadian artists seem to master to perfection: documentary cinema.

Since then, the influence of Canadian cinema (especially Quebec productions) has continued to grow. Today, the quality of its films and productions even rivals those of the giant Hollywood. Furthermore, many renowned Canadian producers and actors have even managed to find a place in this ruthless and selective industry. In the sections that follow, we will look more closely at these points.

The most popular films in Canadian cinema

1- Léolo

Directed by Jean-Claude Lauzon, Léolo is a film which tells the story of a young boy from a dysfunctional family. As he slowly transitions from childhood to adolescence, he tries to escape the madness to which he is predestined by inventing a life. But that was without counting on his meeting with Bianca, a young Italian woman.

Léolo is one of the few Canadian films of its era to receive positive international reviews. Its success is such that it received a royal welcome during its official presentation at the Cannes Film Festival in 1992.

2- Good riddance

Just like Léolo, Good Riddances is a film which revolves around the daily life of a family whose functioning moves away from conventions. It tells the story of Manon and her parents. While they are no longer happily married, a series of events will turn their lives and that of their daughter upside down.

The childish psychology and disjointed reasoning of young Manon are all the charm of this film. Thanks to its poignant story and well-crafted plot, Good Riddances was awarded the Genie Award 8 times.

3- Jesus of Montreal

The film Jesus Montreal is a satirical film directed by Denys Arcand. It follows the story of a theater troupe commissioned by a priest to modernize “The Passion of the Christ” a little. Daniel Coulombe, who plays Jesus, was given the responsibility of choosing the members of the troupe. And against all expectations, we discover that the course of his life is getting closer and closer to that of his character.

Jesus of Montreal is a very daring production. Although it borders on blasphemy for some, it is a masterpiece for others. The positive opinions also seem to prevail to the extent for this film. Thanks to this, it easily places itself among the best products of Canadian cinema.

The best Canadian directors

1-James Cameron

Born in Kapuskasing, James Cameron is a truly genius director. He is notably credited with global successes such as Titanic, Avatar, Terminator and Aliens. Although he had a very deluded character and his reputation was poor in the industry, he always managed to create films that were well received by critics.

In most cases, they have even allowed him to reap several billion dollars in profits. In short, we can only note that Cameron is undoubtedly one of the most famous Canadian directors of our time.

2- Michelle MacLaren

Michelle MacLaren is a Canadian director. Although she has not been particularly known for her individual productions, her work on the series Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones has earned her much praise. Moreover, these are not the only successful series in which she has participated. We also find his know-how in other more or less well-known series such as NCIS or the X-Files.

3- Denis Villeneuve

Denis Villeneuve is a Canadian director who was born in Gentilly. He is credited with numerous films that have been highly acclaimed by critics and film fans. Among the greatest successes of this Canadian filmmaker, we can cite Sicario, Dune as well as Balde Runner 2049. Thanks to his genius, Villeneuve has also obtained numerous awards, including the Genie Award for Best Director.

The best-known Canadian actors in the profession

1- Ryan Reynolds

Iconic figure of Hollywood, Ryan Reynolds is an actor of Canadian origin who was born in Vancouver. Although he began his career in the 90s, he only really became known thanks to his role in Deadpool. This also earned him 4 awards.

Today, Ryan Reynolds is a rising star and stars with the biggest names in Hollywood cinema. This is the case, for example, of Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, Samuel Jackson and Salma Hayek.

2- Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey is a Canadian actor who was born in Newmarket. He is best known for his offbeat humor and goofy facial expressions. It is also its particular characteristics which have made it successful and which have propelled films such as The Mask, Ace Ventura and Yes Man to the forefront. Although he is no longer very active, Jim Carrey rocked an entire generation and was offered more than a dozen awards for it.

3- Michael J. Fox

Michael J. Fox is a Hollywood actor from the city of Edmonton in Canada. His career really took off when he was cast as Marty McFly in Back to the Future. And although he didn't appear on screen much after that, Michael J. Fox still earned some film awards for his performances.

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