Five films to see at the International Film Festival in Abitibi-Témiscamingue

UPDATE DAY

“An exceptional vintage”. This is how the president and co-founder of the Festival du cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (FCIAT), Jacques Matte, describes the 41st edition of the event which takes off tonight in Rouyn-Noranda. With his help, Le Journal concocted a list of five films not to be missed during the festival.

You will remember me

Awaited for more than two years, this film by Éric Tessier ( Major Junior) which was originally due to be released at the start of the pandemic, will be presented at the opening of the festival, Saturday evening, in Rouyn-Noranda, a few days before hitting theaters across Quebec. Rémy Girard plays a retired history teacher who must learn to live with increasing memory loss. 

The sixth child

First feature film by French director Léopold Legrand, The Sixth Childtells the story of an unthinkable arrangement between a precarious family of five children and a sixth on the way, and a couple of lawyers who are unable to have children. French actor Damien Bonnard will be there tomorrow to present the film.

A great race

The director of Joyeux Noël, Christian Carion, is back with this nostalgic drama which brings together Dany Boon (Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis) and Line Renaud (The House of Happiness). The latter slips into the skin of an old lady who calls a taxi to take her to a retirement home. On the way, she will ask her driver (Boon) to stop at some places that have marked her life. 

The worst

Winner of the Grand Prix Un certain regard at the last Cannes Film Festival, this drama by French directors Lise Akoka and Romane Guéret features four teenagers chosen to play in a film shot in Boulogne-sur-Mer, in The north of france. Actress Esther Archambault will travel to Abitibi to attend the screening of the film at the closing of the festival.

Waiting for Raif < /p>

Presented as a world premiere, this new documentary by Luc Côté and Patricio Henriquez (You don't like the truth – 4 days in Guantanamo) chronicles Ensaf Haidar's fight to make release her husband, blogger Raif Badawi, who was imprisoned in 2012 by the Saudi regime and sentenced to 10 years in prison for crimes of opinion.

►The 41st International Film Festival in Abitibi-Témiscamingue will take place in Rouyn-Noranda until November 3.