The Origins of Canadian Cinema
As early as 1896, the first screenings took place in Saint-Laurent and Montreal. The inventions of Edison and the Lumière brothers were presented on both sides of the language border, and cinema developed rapidly in the country. In 1897, James Freer, a farmer and reporter by training, became the first Canadian filmmaker. His films revolved around his daily life, capturing the plains and open spaces of the country. In 1914, the first Canadian feature film, Evangeline, was released in American and Canadian theaters. Adapted from a poem by American author Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, this production by Edward P. Sullivan and William Cavanaugh was, like James Freer's first films, considered lost. The years that followed saw the development of the Canadian industry, alongside the increasingly imposing one in the United States. By 1926, nearly 95% of the films shown in Canada were American, and Canadian directors were going to work in Hollywood. Jack Warner, one of the four founders of Warner Bros., was born in Ontario and moved to Los Angeles during this period, while Mack Sennett, a native of the Eastern Townships, became one of the great directors of silent Hollywood comedies, before launching careers such as Charlie Chaplin's. To support national film production, the National Film Board was founded in 1939. Originally a tool for wartime propaganda, the Board remained active after the end of the world conflict, and became the main support structure for Canadian cinema. The Canadian seventh art then developed around documentaries, animation and independent fiction. From this period, discover the film Pour la suite du monde, by Pierre Perrault and Michel Brault (1963). A unique documentary, an intimate portrait of the traditions of a world that has now disappeared, and still remains one of the great Canadian films, according to the critics. It is also the first film from Canada to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival. At the same time, Canadian cinema shines internationally through independent animation. Norman McLaren, the main artist of this Canadian movement supported by the NFB, won the Oscar for best short film in 1952 with Voisins, then the Palme d'Or for short films at the 1955 Cannes Festival. At the same time, Evelyn Lambart became the first Canadian director of animated films. She followed in the footsteps of Nell Shipman who, as early as 1920, produced, shot and acted in her own silent fiction films. Don't hesitate to satisfy your curiosity by discovering the films of these three filmmakers, some of which are available free online.
In the 1970s, under the impetus of the NFB and in line with the questions raised by the documentary cinema of the time, production diversified. Claude Jutra, trained in Montreal, won a great critical success with Mon oncle Antoine (1971). A few years later, Don Shebib made Goin' Down the Road (1978), a kind of road movie between documentary and social realism, which was a milestone. Internationally, filmmaker Beverly Shaffer won the Oscar for Best Short Film in 1977 for her film I'll Find a Way. And American filmmakers emigrated to Canada, attracted by the buzz, the most notable example being Bob Clark. Born in New Orleans, he worked in Canada for nearly 15 years, delivering some of the biggest Canadian box-office hits, including the saucy comedy Porky's (1982). A slightly dated film, but one that may appeal to fans of the genre. It was also in this new golden age of Canadian cinema that David Cronenberg made his first feature films, Stereo (1969) and then Crimes of the Future (1970). With The Fly (1986), his fame became international. A unique career, where technology and human beings are constantly intertwined, for a cinema between horror and thriller, depending on the film. Crash (1996), eXistenZ (1999) with Jude Law and Jennifer Jason Leigh, A History of Violence (2005) with Viggo Mortensen, or recently the remake of his own film Crimes of the Future (2021), with Léa Seydoux, are among his most interesting works. More recently, another major figure has emerged, this time in Quebec, in the person of Xavier Dolan. Dolan, who also has a very distinctive style, was revealed at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009. His first feature film, J'ai tué ma mère , was screened at the Directors' Fortnight, after winning awards at nearly a dozen festivals throughout the French-speaking world. In addition to well-known works such as Mommy (2014), which won the Jury Prize at Cannes, and Just the End of the World (2017), which won two César awards, Xavier Dolan also doubles for the Quebec versions of some well-known sagas. Thus, he is the voice of the actor Rupert Grint, Ron Weasley in Harry Potter, as well as that of Taylor Lautner, Jacob Black in Twilight. This is also a way to continue to produce a cinema with a style like no other, in the image of what can be the Canadian cinema of today.
Mythical and anecdotal film locations in Canada
With production centers and studios in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, Canada regularly welcomes film shoots from Hollywood and elsewhere. And this is thanks to the aid offered by the country to boost the industry, which has proved to be more than effective. For example, the film 300, which depicts the struggle of Leonidas, King of Sparta, against the Emperor Xerxes, master of Persia, was mainly filmed at Icestorm Studios in Montreal. The city of Toronto, on the other hand, is very regularly used as a "look-alike" of New York. It is indeed much easier to set up a shoot there than in the American megalopolis. American Psycho (2000), a cynical thriller starring Christian Bale, was shot almost entirely in Toronto. You can recognize the restaurants Le Montana (now Le Ballroom) and Le Senator, as well as the Phoenix Concert Theater, all three still in operation today. Toronto was also the location for the filming of The Incredible Hulk (2010), and is home to the hit series The Scarlet Handmaiden (2017-), or The Boys (2019-). The discerning eye will recognize Vought's headquarters when it comes face to face with Roy Thomson Hall, a magnificent performance venue.
On the other side of the country, Vancouver and the surrounding area are home to both series and film shoots. The first two seasons of Lucifer (2016-2021), starring Tom Ellis, were filmed in the city. You can find the Oceanic Plaza in some episodes, admire the Telus Studio Theatre, or have a coffee at the Waves Coffee House on Main Street, seen in the fifth episode of this crisp series. Arrow, Supernatural, The Flash, X-Files, Supergirl, Legion: it's hard to name them all as there are so many in this "North Hollywood". On the movie side, you can't miss the filming locations of the Twilight saga. At Parthenon Park, you can relive the rescue of Bella by Jacob. Before settling down in the same movie theater as the two souls in pain, at the Paramount Gentleman's Club. Bella and Edward's wedding is held at Stawamus Chief Provincial Park, and David Thompson High School becomes the school in Forks for two films. The press at the time said that students were crowding around the school to try to catch a glimpse of the cast! Finally, don't miss a visit to Hatley Castle, an emblematic monument of the city but also and especially the mythical school of Professor Xavier in X-Men 2, X-Men: The Final Confrontation, and the Deadpool saga. You will also recognize this castle in the series Smallville, and many other movies. Don't hesitate to ask the receptionist about the castle's past as a movie set during your visit.
It's good to be a moviegoer in Canada
In 2015, there were more than 3,000 movie screens in Canada, a higher concentration than in France, despite a population of barely forty million. This is a boon for film lovers, who can also count on major festivals of international renown in the country's major cities. In Toronto, the TIFF has become a must-see event, welcoming more than 280,000 spectators, film buffs and professionals every September. Vancouver also hosts a major festival during this period, in a city that hosts 13 other smaller film festivals.
As for theatres, the oldest one in operation - the Patricia Theatre in Powell River, near Vancouver - will soon celebrate its 110th anniversary. An idyllic setting religiously preserved by the managers, yet equipped with the latest technology. Another unusual place, the Park Theatre in Manitoba, the largest log cinema in North America! And here too, the picturesque aspect will not prevent you from enjoying your session with state-of-the-art equipment. In Toronto, head to TIFF's headquarters, the Bell Lightbox, a cozy cinema with a video library and exhibition rooms. In Montreal, visit the Beaubien, Du Parc or Du Musée cinemas. Three places that offer a nice selection of independent films as well as blockbusters, in their original version. Finally, if you want to enjoy a total movie experience, go to the Landmark Cinema in West Kelowna, for a screening in Dolby 360° sound, or to the Cinesphere in Toronto, the largest IMAX screen in the region. Take advantage of the fact that theatres are a warm haven during the long Canadian winter days.
