“The Quebec Cinema Gala is not dead”

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UPDATE DAY

Despite Radio-Canada's decision to stop broadcasting the Gala Québec Cinéma, event organizers are hopeful that they will be able to find a new broadcaster to continue presenting their annual awards ceremony. 

“We are currently taking steps with other broadcasters, said Monday the general manager of Québec Cinéma, Sylvie Quenneville, on the sidelines of the unveiling of the program for the 41st Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma.  

“We don't want to drop [the gala] because it's our way of celebrating our cinema. The Gala Québec Cinéma is not dead. This year, it is rather in transformation to find a new formula to celebrate our talents. It's the gala's 25th anniversary this year, so there's sure to be an event. We do not yet know what form it will take. But for sure there will be one.”

Remember that Radio-Canada sent shockwaves through the Quebec cinema community last October by announcing that it was ceasing to broadcast the Gala Québec Cinéma, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the ceremony. The Crown corporation cited in particular the low ratings of the ceremony (about 500,000 viewers watched the gala last June). 

Since this announcement, the heads of Quebec Cinema (the organization that oversees the gala) have multiplied their efforts to find another way to present the awards ceremony which has celebrated the best of Quebec cinema every year since 1999.

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“We approached several broadcasters, underlines Sylvie Quenneville without naming them. There is openness and discussion. Everyone wants to celebrate our cinema. Now we have to see how we can do it. It is up to us to innovate with a broadcaster to find a formula that will appeal to the public but which will also continue to recognize the prices. There is a lot of creativity in our community so we will put it to good use.”

A meeting with the community will be organized on March 2 during the 41st edition of Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma. The goal? Reflect together on the best formula for presenting the gala. 

“We know that all over the world there are questions about the formula for galas and award ceremonies on television, recalls Sylvie Quenneville. We want to see how we could rethink it and how the community wants us to work with them. We want to have a reflection together.