- The Decline of the American Empire
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The Decline of the American Empire 
French-language film posterDirected by Denys Arcand Written by Denys Arcand Starring Dominique Michel
Dorothée BerrymanRelease date(s) June 19, 1986 (Quebec)
November 14, 1986 (USA)Running time 101 min. Country Canada Language French The Decline of the American Empire (French Le Déclin de l'empire américain) is a 1986 Québécois comedy/drama film directed by Denys Arcand. It was followed by a sequel, The Barbarian Invasions in 2003.
Contents
Synopsis
Eight intellectual friends - four men and four women from the Department of History at the Université de Montréal - prepare to have dinner together. The ensuing conversations range from their professional lives to politics, but primarily concern their sexual exploits. The group has plans to gather at a secluded house for dinner. While the four men prepare the food and reflect on their promiscuity, the four women discuss their own affairs at a nearby gym. At the dinner table, conflicts soon arise when Dominique reveals that she herself has had affairs with two of the men there, one of whom is married to Louise (also present).
Awards
The film won 9 Genie Awards in 1987, including Best Motion Picture, Best Achievement in Direction, Best Original Screenplay, Best Achievement in Film Editing, and the Golden Reel Award. It also received the International Critic's Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.[1]
In 2004, the film was honoured as a MasterWork by the Audio-Visual Preservation Trust of Canada.[2]
The film was nominated for the 1986 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Cast
- Rémy Girard as Rémy
- Dominique Michel as Dominique
- Dorothée Berryman as Louise
- Louise Portal as Diane
- Pierre Curzi as Pierre
- Yves Jacques as Claude
- Geneviève Rioux as Danielle
- Daniel Brière as Alain
- Gabriel Arcand as Mario
References
- ^ "Awards". The Decline of the American Empire. National Film Board of Canada. http://onf-nfb.gc.ca/eng/collection/film/?id=16821. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
- ^ AV Trust
External links
- The Decline of the American Empire at the Internet Movie Database
- AVTrust.ca - The Decline of the American Empire, MasterWorks (2004) (video clip)
Canadian Film Award/Genie Award winners for Best Motion Picture Canadian Film Award À tout prendre (1964) • The Luck of Ginger Coffey (1965) • Le Festin des Morts (1966) • Warrendale (1967) • The Ernie Game (1968) • The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kaladar (1969) • Goin' Down the Road (1970) • Mon oncle Antoine (1971) • Wedding in White (1972) • Slipstream (1973) • The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974) • Les Ordres (1975) • Lies My Father Told Me (1976) • J.A. Martin Photographer (1977) • The Silent Partner (1978)
Genie Award The Changeling (1980) • Les Bons débarras (1981) • Ticket to Heaven (1982) • The Grey Fox (1983) • The Terry Fox Story (1984) • The Bay Boy (1985) • My American Cousin (1986) • Le Déclin de l'empire américain (1987) • Un Zoo la nuit (1988) • Dead Ringers (1989) • Jésus de Montréal (1990) • Black Robe (1991) • Naked Lunch (1992) • Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993) • Exotica (1994) • The Confessional (1995) • Lilies (1996) • The Sweet Hereafter (1997) • The Red Violin (1998) • Sunshine (1999) • Maelström (2000) • Atanarjuat (2001) • Ararat (2002) • Les Invasions barbares (2003) • Les Triplettes de Belleville (2004) • C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005) • Bon Cop, Bad Cop (2006) • Away from Her (2007) • Passchendaele (2008) • Polytechnique (2009) • Incendies (2010)
Categories:- Canadian films
- French-language films
- 1986 films
- Quebec films
- Canadian comedy films
- Canadian drama films
- 1980s comedy-drama films
- National Film Board of Canada films
- Genie Award for Best Picture winners
- Films shot in Montreal
- Films set in Montreal
- Films directed by Denys Arcand
- Comedy-drama film stubs
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