December 2, 2014 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
After winning the hearts of audiences at the Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM), the feature film Where I’m From (D’où je viens) by Claude Demers will open at Cinéma Excentris in Montreal (original French version with English sub-titles) and Cinéma Le Clap in Quebec City (original French version) on December 26. The St. Lawrence River and Montreal’s Verdun borough, with its charismatic and endearing residents, form the backdrop of Demers’ lyrical yet realistic quest to discover his roots. Produced at the NFB by Colette Loumède.
Where I’m From is the third film in a personal trilogy by Claude Demers. It follows the documentaries Barbers (a tribute to his father) and Ladies in Blue (made in honour of his mother). Shot in the neighbourhood where Demers grew up, Where I’m From features strikingly beautiful images, including aerial views of the river and the city. The director, who also narrates the film, takes a sincere and intimate look at some of the individuals who form an integral part of the neighbourhood’s diverse locales. Among them are young Bastien and Cédric (the filmmaker’s alter egos); a preacher; Gaby, a familiar face in the community; and a group of colourful fishermen. Through this mosaic of touching characters, universal themes are addressed: childhood and its heartbreaks, faith, attachment to one’s surroundings, and the struggle to survive and transcend a tough environment. This thought-provoking film speaks to our humanity and makes us want to reconnect with our loved ones, especially as the holiday season approaches.
In addition to being in the RIDM 2014 official selection, the film was shown at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in Toronto, after making its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Quick Facts
• Where I’m From, Claude Demers (78 min)
Produced by Colette Loumède at the NFB
In a quest that is both personal and universal, director Claude Demers revisits the locales of his childhood and asks questions about the mysteries of his origins, marked by a sense of abandonment. The film is an intimate chronicle that unfolds in the working-class neighbourhood of Verdun. It features Bastien and Cédric, two young boys who are discovering the world around them and who serve as the narrator’s alter egos. The city and the magical banks of the St. Lawrence River are the setting for a coming-of-age story that is also a profound inner journey. Blending realism and lyricism, Where I’m From is a free-flowing work, both deeply human and poetic.
• About Claude Demers
Self-taught filmmaker Claude Demers directed several short films (Le bonheur, Le diable est une petite fille, Une nuit avec toi, L’été) before making his first feature drama, The Invention of Love. Released in 2000, the film was in official competition at numerous festivals. Demers turned to documentary filmmaking in 2006 with Barbers, which won the Gémeaux Award for Best Editing: Documentary. The Cinémathèque québécoise devoted a retrospective to his work in 2007. He followed up in 2009 with the documentary Ladies in Blue, which opened the Festival du nouveau cinéma de Montréal and was in official competition at the São Paulo International Film Festival in Brazil. Where I’m From is Demers’ most recent film.
Associated Links
RIDM: www.ridm.qc.ca/en
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival: www.hotdocs.ca
International Film Festival Rotterdam: www.iffr.com/en/
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About the NFB
Beginning May 2, 2014, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) marks 75 years of innovation and leadership in film and interactive media. The NFB is one of the world’s leading digital content hubs, creating groundbreaking interactive documentaries and animation, mobile content, installations and participatory experiences. NFB interactive productions and digital platforms have won 100 awards, including 10 Webbys. To access acclaimed NFB content, visit NFB.ca or download its apps for smartphones, tablets and connected TV.
