American Movie
After several nuanced portrait films of Quebec cultural figures, Simon Beaulieu, also a screenwriter, follows a trajectory that brings his work closer to the essay film. In addition to screening his films, the carte blanche we offer him showcases the diversity of his influences and the eclecticism of his tastes.
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary, 1999 Sundance
Mark is looking for financing to complete the horror film he started making a few years ago. Through absurd incidents and whimsical encounters, this two-year documentary chronicles Mark's relentless journey and his existential as well as financial crisis, capturing through his quest the most excessive and senseless part of the American dream.
Chris Smith
Chris Smith is an American filmmaker. He completed his first film, American Job (1996), while attending the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee's Graduate Film Program. He was nominated for a "Someone to Watch Award" from the Independent Spirit Awards. Smith met Mark Borchardt, the subject of American Movie, while editing American Job, and began filming a documentary about the making of Borchardt's psychological thriller Coven. Both films played at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, and American Movie was bought by Sony Pictures for $1 million. It was awarded the Grand Jury Prize for a documentary at the festival. Recently, Smith directed Netflix documentaries such as Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (2017), Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (2019), Tiger King (2020) and Sr. (2022), about director Robert Downey Sr.
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