Quebecor and Éléphant: The memory of Québec cinema are pleased to announce the launch of Éléphant ClassiQ, the first edition of a film festival devoted to restored and digitized movies from the world’s cinematic heritage. Éléphant ClassiQ is a festival within a festival: it will be held as part of the Festival du nouveau cinéma de Montréal, which will run from October 8 to 19 this year. The first edition of Éléphant ClassiQ will be modest: five restored and digitized films will be screened, including three from the Éléphant collection and one each from France and the U.S. Éléphant ClassiQ’s opening night will be on October 10, 2014.

Éléphant ClassiQis another example of the expanding horizons of Éléphant: The memory of Québec cinema, a project created and fully funded by Quebecor. We are very proud of the birth of Éléphant ClassiQ and very pleased to help bring Québec’s cinematic heritage to an ever wider audience.

The Éléphant ClassiQ concept was born at the Cannes Festival

The colossal work of restoring and digitizing Québec’s cinematic heritage undertaken by Éléphant could not long go unnoticed by the global film conservation community. The Cannes Festival and its Cannes Classics section recognized Éléphant by inviting it to screen Léolo by Jean-Claude Lauzon before a packed house in May 2014. The idea of launching Éléphant ClassiQ took shape at that prestigious event.

The enthusiastic response we received at Cannes Classics led us to think of creating Éléphant ClassiQ, the first event of its kind in Canada, said Sylvie Cordeau, Vice President, Philanthropy and Sponsorships of Quebecor and Director of Éléphant: The memory of Québec cinema. Éléphant ClassiQ is another way to promote our cinematic heritage and make it accessible, which is very much in keeping with the mission of Éléphant as it was originally conceived by Quebecor.

We were very inspired by Cannes Classics’ know-how,said Marie-José Raymond and Claude Fournier, directors of Éléphant: The memory of Québec cinema. Naturally, Éléphant will maintain its connection with Cannes Classics and develop relationships with other similar festivals around the world. To date, Éléphant has restored and digitized nearly 225 Québec movies and has built up expertise in film conservation that is of international importance.

Éléphant ClassiQ program

Friday, October 10, 6 p.m.: Éléphant ClassiQwill open with a screening of Parlez-nous d'amour byJean-Claude Lord. It will be the world premiere of the Éléphant-restored version. Director Jean-Claude Lord and many of the actors will be in attendance. Parlez-nous d'amour, written by Michel Tremblay and starring Jacques Boulanger, created a sensation when it was released in 1976.

Saturday, October 11, 1 p.m.: Two visions of war: Éléphant ClassiQ will screen two films about the Second World War, Tit-Coq (1953) by Québec director Gratien Gélinas and The Big Red One: The Reconstruction (1982) by U.S. director Sam Fuller. Between the two screenings, a panel discussion moderated by historian André Champagne and including Brigadier General Gaston Côté will be held.

Sunday, October 12, 1 p.m.: Festival-goers will be treated to one of Marcel Carné’s most important films, Le jour se lève (1939), starring Jean Gabin.

Tuesday, October 14, 9 p.m.: Éléphant ClassiQwill close with a screening of the first film by one of Québec’s most talented directors, Jean-Marc Vallée. Liste noire caused a stir when it was released in 1995 and its craftsmanship augured a brilliant cinematic career for its director.