Two NFB productions by Acadian filmmakers to screen as world premieres at the 2022 Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie

September 27, 2022 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

The Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie (FICFA) has announced its initial selection of films, and among the titles are two NFB documentaries directed by Acadian filmmakers: L’Ordre secret (The Secret Order) by Phil Comeau and Croque-mort: C’est beau la vie! (Undertaker for Life!) by Georges Hannan, both of which will be having their world premieres. The 36th FICFA will be held in Greater Moncton from November 10 to 18, 2022, and the full program lineup will be unveiled Tuesday, October 18.

Quick Facts

L’Ordre secret (The Secret Order) by Phil Comeau (85 min)
Produced by Christine Aubé for the NFB’s Quebec, Canadian Francophonie and Acadian Documentary Studio in Moncton, in collaboration with Unis TV
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/the-secret-order
World premiere screening: Monday, November 14, at the Capitol Theatre Capitol in Moncton at 8 p.m.

• Phil Comeau shines a spotlight on the Ordre de Jacques-Cartier, a powerful secret society that operated from 1926 to 1965, infiltrating every sector of Canadian society and forging the fate of French-language communities. Through never-before-heard testimony from former members of the Order, along with historically accurate dramatic reconstructions, this film paints a gripping portrait of the social and political struggles of Canadian francophone-minority communities. 
• Seasoned storyteller, director and screenwriter Phil Comeau is known for his ability to reveal his subjects’ emotions and their soul—in both his documentaries and his dramas. Comeau has directed some 100 films and TV episodes, which have been seen and won awards in dozens of countries.

Croque-mort. C’est beau la vie ! (Undertaker for Life!) by Georges Hannan (52 min)
Produced by Christine Aubé for the NFB’s Quebec, Canadian Francophonie and Acadian Documentary Studio in Moncton
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/undertaker-for-life
World premiere screening: date to be confirmed soon.

• Despite the somewhat frightening name of their occupation, undertakers are actually charming philosophers and keen observers of life. We only see their sombre side, but away from the funeral rites and on camera, they turn out to be amazingly insightful. Their love of life and the living, their dark humour and comforting wisdom are the best remedies against existential despair.
• Basing his approach to filmmaking on a keen ability to listen and observe, Georges Hannan sets out to show us what he calls “the extraordinary ordinary.” By demystifying taboos and revealing many aspects of everyday experiences that elude us, his films delve deep into unusual worlds and situations to expose universal truths.

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