Luc Proulx Movies

Canadian filmmaker Pierre Falardeau, an outspoken advocate of independence for Quebec, directed this historical drama based on events stemming from the Rebellion of 1837, an early and ill-fated attempt by French Canadians to win their sovereignty. In 1837, Quebecois rebels, chafing under what they believed was exploitation and abuse at the hands of the British-backed Montreal government, attempted to stage a revolution, but the rebels were met with deadly force by British troops. Marie-Thomas De Lorimier (Luc Picard) and Charles Hindelang (Frederic Gilles), two leaders of the Rebellion of 1837, were captured and sentenced to death, and the bulk of 15 Fevrier 1839 follows the events of their final day on Earth as they await execution in a prison in Montreal. 15 Fevrier 1839 met with a great deal of controversy in Canada; the federally funded production company Telefilm Canada pulled its support from the project on three separate occasions before filming was completed, and the final results earned unfavorable comments from pro-Ottawa politicians, who were especially upset that a film funded by the Canadian government would so strongly support the Québecois separatist movement. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Montreal director Charles Biname (Eldorado) and novelist Monique Proulx used actor improvs as a basis for this screenplay look at life in Montreal. Unhappy Louise (Pascale Montpetit) can't connect with her career-minded sister Paulette (Anne-Marie Cadieux). To make matters worse, her lover Julien (Guy Nadon) is a married father with little time to spend seeing Louise -- so she takes to the streets, informing people at random that her services are available for exactly 60 minutes. Some talk away their hour, while others desire sex. One couple want Louise to play doctor-nurse with them, and a middle-aged woman has her dispose of a dead pet. Quebec celebrities seen in cameos include Montreal Festival of New Cinema director Claude Chamberlan. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

This Canadian French language parody was universally panned by critics. The resulting controversy concerned questions of indiscriminate government funding of such obviously terrible material. Written by Francois Camirand and Pierre Plante, who also made his directorial debut with the film. The story centers on dopey, dull-witted Fredo who has inherited his late uncle's shipping company. Con artist Angelo is his racquetball partner. Angelo has doggedly been trying to convince Fredo that he is a famous film producer so Fredo will invest in his latest film. This sets Fredo to dreaming about films and these daydreams comprise the basis of the parody sketches that attempt to make fun of such genres as martial arts films, gangsters flicks, sexy Italian romances, and one scene where the filmmakers combine The Piano with Crocodile Dundee. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Jean-Claude Lauzon's highly praised film tells the strange story of Léolo, a young boy from Montréal. Told from Léolo's point-of-view, the film depicts his family of lunatics and Léolo's attempts to deal with them. Not one individual in the boy's life is well adjusted. His brother, after being beaten up, spends the film bulking up on growth protein. The grandfather hires half-naked girls to bite off his toenails and, in a brutal rage, almost kills Léolo. As he witnesses his family decay around him, Léolo retreats into himself and the fantasy world he has constructed. In response to the weirdness of his daily life, Léolo creates a little mental mayhem of his own which Lauzon renders in an amazing series of free-form, surreal images. Eventually, this precarious balance of reality and fantasy cracks and Léolo is hospitalized after attempting to murder his grandfather. The score by Tom Waits underscores the narrative arc of Léolo's breakdown. On its release, the film won numerous awards including the International Fantasy Film Award for Best Director (1992) and a Genie Award for Best Original Screenplay (1992). ~ Brian Whitener, Rovi

Le Party of the title is an event held in a men's prison periodically, featuring outside entertainers. Many of the prison staff and their families (and most of the prisoners) attend, and feelings run high. In this film, various female outsiders meet, have encounters with, and occasionally run afoul of the male prisoners. In addition to these main stories, several others include the efforts of a prisoner to escape through dressing up in drag and impersonating the female guest of a prison official, and the suicide plans of a man prevented from attending. This gritty drama is based on the prison recollections of scriptwriting consultant Francis Smiardi). ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Marcel (Gilles Maheu) emerges from prison in hopes of a reconciliation with his dying father Albert (Roger Le Bel) in this thrilling crime drama. Raped in prison, Marcel encounters a homosexual cop involved with drug smuggling who presses him for information and sex. Marcel fights his way out of the cop's lecherous advances and is reunited with his father. The two catch up on old times on a fishing trip, and Albert reveals he has both money and cocaine stashed away for Marcel's return. Marcel and his homosexual cellmate later corner the crooked cops in a sleazy hotel to exact revenge. Julie (Lynne Adams) is Marcel's former girlfriend who works in a sex club peep show. Gay and straight scenes of rough sex permeate this film which marks the directorial debut of Jean-Claude Lauzon. The film took home Genie awards (Canada's answer to the Oscar) for "Best Film," "Best Actor," "Best Supporting Actor," and "Best Director" in 1988. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi