Jesus of Montreal

Infobox Film
name = Jesus of Montreal


image_size =
caption =
director = Denys Arcand
producer = Monique Létourneau
writer = Denys Arcand
narrator =
starring = Lothaire Bluteau
Catherine Wilkening
Johanne-Marie Tremblay
music = Jean-Marie Benoît
cinematography = Guy Dufaux
editing = Isabelle Dedieu
distributor = Koch-Lorber (Region 1 DVD)
released = 17 May, 1989 (France)
25 May, 1990 (USA)
runtime = 118 min.
country = flagicon|Canada Canada
flagicon|France France
language = French
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0097635

"Jesus of Montreal" (French: "Jésus de Montréal") is a 1989 film by Quebec film director Denys Arcand. It is currently distributed in North America by Koch-Lorber Films

Plot and allegory

The film revolves around a group of actors in Montreal hired to present a passion play, with an actor named Daniel playing the role of Christ. However, their interpretation of the life of Jesus is unconventional, and although the production becomes the toast of the city, the Catholic Church strongly objects to its biblical interpretation and attempts to stop the players.

The film is structured so that Daniel's story parallels that of Christ. In the opening scene, one actor points to Daniel, calling him "a much better actor", which echoes John the Baptist foretelling the arrival of Jesus the messiah. The first actor's head is later used in an advertisement, paralleling John the Baptist's beheading. The actors then gather for the Passion play, some of them leaving safe jobs to do so, recalling Jesus gathering the disciples. Daniel wrecks an advertising casting session, just as Jesus casts the money-lenders out of the Temple. His arrest and court appearance before an indecisive judge parallels Jesus' appearance before Pontius Pilate. The ambitious lawyer, who lays out a grand commercial career for Daniel, looking down from a skyscraper at the city, refers to the temptation of Christ by the devil atop a high pinnacle. Jesus' miracles, as well as his resurrection and ascension to Glory on the Father's right hand, are paralleled by Daniel becoming an organ donor, and the founding of the church becomes the plans for an experimental theatre company.

Awards

"Jesus of Montreal" won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1989 and the Genie Award for Best Canadian Film of 1989. It has twice been placed second on the TIFF List of Canada's Top Ten Films of All Time, and was nominated for the 1989 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Cast

* Lothaire Bluteau (Daniel)
* Catherine Wilkening (Mireille)
* Johanne-Marie Tremblay (Constance)
* Rémy Girard (Martin)
* Robert Lepage (René)
* Gilles Pelletier (Fr. Leclerc)
* Roy Dupuis (Marcel Brochu)

ee also

*Cinema of Quebec
*Culture of Quebec
*Dramatic portrayals of Jesus
*List of Quebec movies
*The Passion

External links

* [http://www.festival-cannes.fr/films/fiche_film.php?langue=6002&id_film=218&edition=1989 Cannes, Prix du Jury 1989]
* [http://www.filmreferencelibrary.ca/index.asp?layid=44&csid1=82&navid=46 Film Reference Library]
*imdb title|id=0097635|title=Jésus de Montréal
*" [http://artsandfaith.com/t100/2005/entry.php?film=39 Jesus of Montreal] " at the [http://artsandfaith.com/top100/ Arts & Faith: Top 100 Spiritually Significant Film list]