The Decline of the American Empire
Following the passing of this major producer in Quebec cinema over the past fifty years, we invite you to a screening event highlighting two key moments of his career. The first (The Wing or the Thigh) allowed him to establish his reputation by taking the risk of producing a film with Louis de Funès, when he could no longer be insured due to health reasons. The film was a resounding success. The second (The Decline of the American Empire) is both an unmatched generational achievement in Quebec cinema and a decisive turning point in Denys Arcand's filmography.
Winner of the FIPRESCI Prize, 1986 Cannes Film Festival, and 8 Genie Awards
In the countryside, Rémy, Pierre, Claude and Alain, professors at the Faculty of History, prepare a gourmet meal... and talk about women. In the city, Dominique, Louise, Diane and Danielle, friends or companions of these men, train in "aesthetic" bodybuilding... and talk about men.
Denys Arcand
Denys Arcand, born in 1941 in Deschambault, Quebec, is a Quebecois film director, screenwriter, actor, and producer. He studied history at the Université de Montréal in the 1960s. A filmmaker whose style has evolved significantly over the course of his career, he is best known internationally for his two major successes: The Decline of the American Empire (1986) and its sequel, The Barbarian Invasions (2003), the only Canadian film to win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His work reflects the transformation of Quebec cinema, moving from incisive documentaries to fiction deeply rooted in the socio-cultural realities of the time. He then channelled his disappointment at the result of the 1980 referendum on Quebec sovereignty into themes of personal emancipation. After achieving international acclaim in the early 2000s, he went back to his roots in the mid-2010s, exploring themes he holds dear in films like An Eye for Beauty (2014) and The Fall of the American Empire (2018).
