The Big Sweep
Built around International Women's Day (March 8), this program invites us to immerse ourself in the creative effervescence of women's and feminist cinema in Quebec during the 1970s. It features a tribute to director and Vidéo Femmes co-founder Hélène Roy, followed by a discussion; two screenings of independent works by pioneering women filmmakers, recently restored by the Cinémathèque québécoise; and a screening of the six films from the NFB series En tant que femmes, presented in dialogue with the launch of Olivier Ducharme’s book, Nous ferons les films que nous voulons.
Directed by two young women involved in the founding of distributor Cinéma Libre, The Big Sweep is an excellent example of a social intervention film designed to provoke debate. Their project consists in observing the impact of social conditioning on sexual stereotypes: how do education and society determine relations between men and women?
Sylvie Groulx
Long embedded in a tradition of socially engaged documentary filmmaking, Sylvie Groulx enjoys debating broad issues that affect society as a whole. From Le grand remue-ménage (1978) to the essential À l’ombre d’Hollywood (2000), via Chronique d’un temps flou (1988), the common thread running through her work is perhaps the loss of reference points—and, consequently, the confusion of values. She has never feared questioning preconceived ideas, but always does so with a gentle and thoughtful touch. Her cinema has a distinct perspective, but it remains that of a free-thinking woman. Sylvie Groulx has the ability to immerse audiences in major issues through insightful and well-researched documentaries, devoid of sensationalism or vengeful militancy. Her rare ability to engage viewers in deep reflection while appealing to their intelligence sets her apart. Her camera is patient, attentive, and perceptive, and her approach does not exclude moments of cinematic brilliance.
Francine Allaire
Francine Allaire is a Quebecois filmmaker born in Montreal. She co-directed Une bien belle ville (1975) and Le grand remue-ménage (1978).
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The restoration of this film is part of the implementation of a measure in Quebec's Digital Cultural Plan.
