We were at the opening night of the Festival International du Film sur l’Art last night, and this morning the sun is shining and we’re a little more hopeful for the future of art cinema and art (not too commercial), because the heart of the festival is its dedication to making its cinema accessible to all. In his opening words, FIFA Artistic Director Philippe U. del Drago says“the world is ours”.
It sounds complicated, and perhaps even a little naive in the current climate, but in the sublime (and packed) Théâtre Outremont, just after sunset, we believe it. And after the opening film, Michel Gondry: Do It Yourself, a documentary on the iconic director of animated cut-outs, the stylistic effects he alone was able to invent, and the most exciting cinematic revival since the films of Méliès, we really believe it.
You can (re)watch it online at ARTS.FILM between March 21 and 30!
Art is for everyone…
Films about art are associated with an intelligentsia that spends half the year in Europe, wears thin oval-framed spectacles and penny loafers – andrides a Vespa even in winter. The democratization and popularization of art often involves artists who touch everyone – like Michel Gondry with his music videos that everyone, everywhere, has seen. Obviously, the aim is not to impose art on everyone, because some people have other hobbies and other preoccupations, but FIFA does a titanic job of making art accessible.
In addition to collaborations with the universities of HEC and Concordia, FIFA’s online platform ARTS.FILM – which operates like a VOD platform with a $79/year subscription – is available free of charge in the university libraries of UQÀM, Concordia and Cégep du Vieux Montréal.
It will soon be available in more educational and university institutions, making its catalog of over 650 films available to students.
For those under 30, the festival also offers an in-theater passport for $30, and a single-session ticket for $14.
With its low prices and access to major universities, FIFA is improving access to the arts, but we can’t help feeling that this access is still reserved for a certain segment of the population. But it’s a good start!
And for those who want to be artists, who already are, or who want to talk about it, there’s FIFA CONNEXIONS on March 17, 18 and 19, events around Cinema and Museum, Programming and Inspiring Women… (and it’s open to all!) Info here!
Programming: art forever
The program for the 43rd edition of FIFA is incredibly rich , and there really is something for everyone… Once again, we open the notes application on our cell phones and our little notebooks to make our program, because we want to see everything!
The films are organized into programs and themes, and to name just a few, there are films that talk about and explore dance, fashion, painting, sculpture, architecture and design, animation, opera, literature, music…
That’s the beauty of these kinds of artistic events: you can open your heart and brain to something new and experimental by entering through the back door of a hobby or passion.
There will also be special programs for short films, experimental films in OFFFFFFFFFFFFFA, four Cartes Blanches (at the Centre Pompidou, Paul Rothé, Isabella Cichero and Concordia), focus on Native voices and voices from the Americas…
Enjoy the festival!