Telefilm Canada funds seven French-language lower-budget feature films with a total investment of over $2 million

Starring most notably Karine Vanasse, Stéphane Rousseau, Christian Bégin, Anne-Marie Cadieux, Marc Messier, François Papineau, Roy Dupuis and Anna Mouglalis

MONTREAL, July 8, 2014 /CNW/ - Telefilm Canada announces its support for the production of seven French-language lower-budget (under $2.5 million) feature films through the Canada Feature Film Fund (CFFF), an investment totalling over $2 million. The films chosen for funding are Le bruit des arbres (François Péloquin), Ceci n'est pas un polar (Patrick Gazé), Le Cyclotron (Olivier Asselin), Desperado (Richard Angers), Neuf variations sur le vide (Jean-Philippe Duval, Léa Pool, Érik Canuel, Chloé Robichaud, Stéphane E. Roy, Claude Brie, Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, Ricardo Trogi and Éric Tessier), Le problème d'infiltration (Robert Morin) and Sodom (Charles-Olivier Michaud).

"Funding projects with lower budgets ensures our industry's continued growth by allowing talented filmmakers like Patrick Gazé and François Péloquin to direct a first feature," said Carolle Brabant, Executive Director of Telefilm Canada. "Films that seek to explore different worlds and reach more diverse audiences can be produced as well, like the adaptation of the stage play Neuf variations sur le vide, where nine veteran directors are involved. Telefilm is especially pleased to be taking part in unique projects like these and making their production possible."

Le bruit des arbres
Director: François Péloquin
Writer: Sarah Lévesque
Production: Couzin Films
Distribution: K-Films Amérique
Genre: Drama
Confirmed key cast: Roy Dupuis (Maurice Richard), Antoine L'Écuyer

Release date: Fall 2015

At 16, Mathieu Otis dreams of a better place somewhere far away from the family sawmill and his home, the small town of St-Ulric on the Lower Saint Lawrence. Instead of the lumber industry, Mathieu prefers his car, hip hop music and joyriding with his friends. His father, Régis, is in despair over the situation, and blames a small-time drug dealer for his son's indifference. When Steven, the eldest son, leaves home, life for Régis and Mathieu changes dramatically. Economic pressures on the small family business increase and give way to a profound questioning on both sides. A film in 30 scenes portraying the world of adolescence outside major urban centres… and one teenager's dreams and fears.

Ceci n'est pas un polar
Director: Patrick Gazé
Writer: Patrick Gazé
Production: Productions Mi-Lou
Distribution: K-Films Amérique
Genre: Suspense
Confirmed key cast: Roy Dupuis, Christine Beaulieu (C.A.), Gildor Roy

It's November in Montreal. At 50, taxi driver André Kosinski hasn't got much to look forward to in life. Indifferent to the many faces he sees daily through the mirror of his Chevy Impala, he criss-crosses the city wearily. His solitary routine, however, is disrupted by a passenger called Marianne, a troubled woman with whom he starts an affair but whom he suspects of having been at the centre of a crime. Torn between his desire to know the truth and fear of endangering this budding relationship, Andre discovers a new reason to live.

Le Cyclotron (majority Canadian coproduction with France and Belgium)
Director: Olivier Asselin (Le siège de l'âme)
Writers: Olivier Asselin, Lucille Fluet
Production: Camera Oscura
Distribution: Funfilm Distribution
Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, fable
Confirmed key cast: Lucille Fluet (Un capitalisme sentimental)

Release date: Winter 2016

Simone, a scientist working for the Allies secret service, must find and execute Emil, a Berlin-based physicist who has discovered how to build the atomic bomb. The affair is complicated by love… and quantum mechanics.

Desperado
Director: Richard Angers (La chambre no 13)
Writer: Richard Angers
Production: Productions des Années Lumières
Genre: Drama
Confirmed key cast: Marc Messier (Les Boys)

Release date: 2016

Adrien, a middle-aged loner, finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and gets kidnapped by Cédric and William, a pair of young punks in more trouble than they can handle. A tumultuous journey begins in which each member of this improbable trio will be forced to reveal his true nature. All three of these fragile characters must get past their own prejudices and cooperate to escape the fate that now binds them together.

Neuf variations sur le vide
Directors: Jean-Philippe Duval (Dédé, à travers les brumes), Léa Pool (Emporte-moi), Érik Canuel (Bon Cop, Bad Cop), Chloé Robichaud (Sarah préfère la course), Stéphane E. Roy, Claude Brie, Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette (Inch'Allah), Ricardo Trogi (1987), Éric Tessier (Les Pee-Wee 3D: L'hiver qui a changé ma vie)
Writers: Stéphane E. Roy, Jean-Philippe Duval, Léa Pool, Érik Canuel, Chloé Robichaud, Claude Brie, Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, Ricardo Trogi, Éric Tessier
Production: Echo Media
Distribution: K-Films Amérique
Genre: Comedy
Confirmed key cast: Bénédicte Décary, François Papineau, Karine Vanasse (Polytechnique), Anne-Élisabeth Bossé, Nicolas Canuel, Stéphane Rousseau (Les Invasions barbares), Christian Bégin (Trauma), Anne-Marie Cadieux (Le confessionnal), Sylvain Marcel, Marianne Farley (Uvanga), Stéphane Demers, Diane Lavallée, Émile Proulx-Cloutier, Steve Laplante, Raymond Cloutier (La gang des hors-la-loi), Stéphane E. Roy

Adapted from the stage play of the same name by Stéphane E. Roy, Neuf variations sur le vide offers an original look, tinged with humour, on the incommunicable nature of our modern-day lives.

Le problème d'infiltration
Director: Robert Morin (Les 4 soldats)
Writer: Robert Morin
Production: Coop Vidéo de Montréal
Distribution: K-Films Amérique
Genre: Drama
Confirmed key cast: François Papineau (La météore)

A surgeon dedicated to treating major burn victims, husband to a sensitive and intelligent woman, father to a quiet, obedient child, a clever home handyman, a gifted amateur chef, Louis Robert seems to be living the perfect life… until the fateful day when the cracks begin to appear.

Sodom
Director: Charles-Olivier Michaud (Snow & Ashes)
Writer: Charles-Olivier Michaud
Production: Go Films
Distribution: Équinoxe Films
Genre: Drama
Confirmed key cast: Anna Mouglalis (Romanzo criminale)

Anna, a photojournalist, travels to Bangkok to pursue her investigations for a news story on the traffic in human beings being carried on by the triads. There she herself is kidnapped by Asian gangsters and subjected to the same abuse endured by the women she has interviewed and photographed. At length, in a Montreal hospital, she awakens to these brutal recollections. Scarred for life, obsessed by her desire for revenge, Anna embarks on a dark journey, where violence beckons at every turn… but the impact provoked by her investigations will prove to be more important than the satisfaction of her own quest for vengeance.

About Telefilm Canada
Telefilm is dedicated to the cultural, commercial and industrial success of Canada's audiovisual industry. Through its various funding and promotion programs, Telefilm supports dynamic companies and creative talent here at home and around the world. Telefilm also administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Visit telefilm.ca, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/telefilm_canada or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/telefilmcanada.

SOURCE: Telefilm Canada

Douglas Chow, Manager, External Communications,Telefilm Canada, [phone], extension 2225 or 1-800-567-0890, [e-mail]