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Denys Arcand

Director

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Biography & Filmography

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BIOGRAPHY:

Denys Arcand makes his first English language film with LOVE & HUMAN REMAINS.

Of LOVE & HUMAN REMAINS, Arcand says, "It is the story of relationships in the 90's. It's about people looking for love and family, but not always finding it. In fact, they have enormous problems finding it. It's about confusion, about young people trying to find real jobs, not Mac-jobs. People in their 20's now are basically alone in the world. They have no family structure, no political structure, no parameters in their life. That's why the search for love becomes all encompassing."

Arcand is best known to American audiences for his award-winning films, THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICA EMPIRE (1986) and JESUS OF MONTREAL (1989), which propelled him into the international limelight.

THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE brought together eight intellectuals -- four men and four women -- whose disillusioned conversations often centered on sex. Distinguished by its brilliant dialogue, its daring themes, and its overall introspective quality, the film became a world-wide success unprecedented in the history of the Canadian film industry. It won nine Genies, the International Film Critics Award at the Cannes Film Festival, and an Oscar nomination, as well as the Most Popular Film prize at Toronto's Festival of Festivals, and a Silver Medal at the Chicago Film Festival, among others.

JESUS OF MONTREAL, a contemporary allegory of the passion according to Saint Mark, outdid DECLINE by winning 12 Genie Awards, Jury Awards at the Cannes Film Festival, a Best Foreign Film Academy Award nomination, and Best Film Awards at the Montreal, Atlantic and San Remo Film Festivals. The film also won the Audience Choice at the Chicago International Film Festival and the International Critics Award at Toronto's Festival of Festivals.

In 1983, Arcand directed and co-wrote half of the hugely successful TV series, "Empire Inc." It was broadcast on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's network, and sold to more than 40 countries worldwide. For this project, Arcand also worked in English.

Arcand began making films in 1962. He quickly made a name for himself as a distinguished documentarian. In 1969, Arcand directed ON EST AU COTON, which was banned until 1975 because of its portrayal of the unbearable work environment in Canadian factories. Other documentaries include QUEBEC, DUPLESSIS ET APRES (1970), and LE CONFORT ET L'INDIFFERENCE (1981), which was awarded Best Film of the Year by the Quebec Film Critics Association.

Currently, Arcand is working on a screenplay for Alliance Communications.

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