The 49th Montreal Festival du nouveau cinéma (FNC) will be an evolving edition this year, both online and in person. The FNC is very pleased to announce that SOUTERRAIN by Sophie Dupuis will kick off this very special edition on Wednesday, October 7, while MY SALINGER YEAR by Philippe Falardeau will close out the festivities on Saturday, October 17.

SOUTERRAIN OPENS THE FESTIVAL WITH TWO EXCEPTIONAL SCREENINGS 

The 49th edition will feature a two-part opening on Wednesday, October 7. As the film’s director, actors and guests gather at the Cinéma Impérial for the world premiere, a simultaneous open-air screening of the film will be presented free of charge at place des Festivals in conjunction with the Quartier des spectacles Partnership.

Maxime, a young man from Val d’Or, works at a gold mine. As he struggles with the problems in his life, he begins questioning his definition of masculinity. Through the close-knit brotherhood of his fellow miners, he finds the support he needs to overcome the lingering guilt that prevents him from being happy. Then one day, an underground explosion shakes the mine. As part of the rescue team, Maxime descends into the depths, fully determined to bring every one of his surviving co-workers back to the surface alive.


After representing Canada at the Oscars for best foreign-language film with CHIEN DE GARDE, her début feature, Sophie Dupuis returns to her native Abitibi for her second outing, SOUTERRAIN. The filmmaker reunites with Théodore Pellerin for her latest work, also starring Joakim Robillard, James Hyndman, Guillaume Cyr, Catherine Trudeau, Bruno Marcil and Jean L’Italien. 

SOUTERRAIN is produced by Bravo Charlie and distributed in Canada by AXIA Films. The film will hit theatres throughout Quebec on October 9. 

MY SALINGER YEAR CLOSES THE FESTIVAL 

FNC regular Philippe Falardeau will close the FNC on October 17 at the Cinéma Impérial with his latest feature MY SALINGER YEAR, which screened in its world premiere in February at the Berlinale, where it opened the festival.

In mid-90s New York, budding writer Joanna is hired at the literary agency that represents J. D. Salinger. When Margaret, her eccentric old-school boss, gives her the job of dealing with the huge bags of Salinger fan mail, Joanne struggles to choose between her dreams and her new career.

Falardeau, who has switched easily between French and English productions since he was nominated for the best foreign-language Oscar with MONSIEUR LAHZAR in 2012, chose to shoot his latest feature in Montreal, standing in for New York. The English-language MY SALINGER YEAR stars Sigourney Weaver, Margaret Qualley, Douglas Booth, Colm Feore and Théodore Pellerin.

MY SALINGER YEAR is produced by micro_scope and Parallel Film Productions and distributed in Quebec by Métropole Films Distribution. The film will be released in Canada in the weeks following the end of the FNC.