Programme Werner Nold
Werner Nold, who recently passed away, is one of the most important documentary editors in Quebec’s history, and a pioneer of direct cinema. We will pay tribute to his work through a series of screenings, also highlighting his contributions as a filmmaker.
America is a continent of carnivores... For us privileged people, eating is no longer a concern. Some don't even know that ham comes from pork! This documentary by Gilles Carle and Louis Portugais unveils the economic, sociological and cultural aspects of the food supply system in a major metropolis.
This short documentary dedicated "to all victims of intolerance” depicts the dawn of skateboarding in Montreal. A new activity frowned upon by police and adults, skateboarding gave youngsters a thrilling sensation of speed and freedom. This film - the first Canadian documentary ever made about the sport - captures the exuberance of boys and girls having the time of their lives in free-wheeling downhill locomotion.
The major milestones that shaped the beginnings of a small French-Canadian colony in Canada are recounted in this film, thanks to a commentary rich in historical detail and images of exceptional formal beauty.
Werner Nold
Born in 1933 in Switzerland, Werner Nold had a prolific career as an editor, working for more than 35 years at the National Film Board of Canada. Not only did Werner Nold edit various notable works (Pour la suite du monde, La vie heureuse de Léopold Z, Le temps d’une chasse), but he also devoted time to teaching, notably at the École normale d’enseignement technique at the Université du Québec à Montréal, in Chicoutimi, and at Florida State University in the United States. He was Chairman of the Professional Quality Commission at the NFB and director of the Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois. In 1985, Werner Nold was awarded the Order of Canada. According to Michel Coulombe, in Le dictionnaire du cinéma québécois in 1999, Nold chose editing over directing because he said he preferred “to be a great soloist rather than an obscure little conductor.” Few Quebec filmmakers have supported the development and distribution of cinema with such vigor.
Photo: Collections de la Cinémathèque québécoise
