OTTAWA, April 3, 2008 - The Government of Canada is proud to join forces with the Embassy of France for the sixth DiverCiné Film Festival: A World View of La Francophonie. The festival is an international showcase for film prod ductions from a number of countries of the Francophonie, including Guinea, Benin, Morocco, Lebanon, Vietnam, Romania, France, and Canada.
Sylvie Boucher, Member of Parliament (Beauport-Limoilou) and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Status of Women, on behalf of the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages, today announced along with His Excellency Daniel Jouanneau, French Ambassador to Canada, the official launch of t he sixth edition of DiverCiné: A World View of La Francophonie. The launch took place at the National Gallery of Canada, in Ottawa. This year, DiverCiné will run from April 4 to 10 at the ByTowne Cinema in Ottawa.
"Cultural diversity i s a valuable asset that must be celebrated and promoted. The Government of Canada has highlighted it internationally by acceding to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions," said Minister Verner. "Div erCiné reflects the diversity that characterizes Canada and the Francophone world."
"DiverCiné is a cultural event that is always eagerly awaited by Francophones and Francophiles in cities across Canada," said Ms. Boucher. "In addition to celebrating the international Francophonie, the festival is a unique opportunity for Canadians to explore the works of Francophone filmmakers from around the world."
"For us, DiverCiné is an expression of the identities, the imaginations and the cultures of the Francophone world in all its diversity," said Daniel Jouanneau, Ambassador of France to Canada. "This opening up of the Francophonie is part of a larger movement to promote and protect the diversity of cultural expressions. From No rth America to Europe, from Africa to the Middle East and even in Southeast Asia, we have imagined, defended and promoted this fair expression of the cultures of the world together. This sixth festival is both the result and the proof of this."
Ever y year, as part of the celebrations marking the International Day of La Francophonie, the DiverCiné Film Festival presents original, high-quality, award-winning productions that were screened at major international festivals but are rarely shown in Canadian cinemas. The films from various French-speaking countries will be shown in the National Capital Region as well as in Moncton, Halifax, Toronto and Vancouver.
For more details about DiverCiné, visit the festival's website at www.divercine.com
Dominic Gosselin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages
819 997-7788
Caroline Jacquemot-Gindre
Aud iovisual Attachée
Embassy of France
613 593-7403
Donald Boulanger
A/Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101
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