
Cinéfranco logo.
There’s no arguing that Toronto is one of the film festival capitals of the world. Currently, we house over 50 different ones including big names like TIFF, Toronto After Dark, and the Hot Docs documentary festival, so it’s safe to say that film junkies are treated to something different when they visit our city. Although each one takes a different spin on the idea of public film appreciation, Cinéfranco, Toronto’s largest francophone film festival, brings something new and refreshing to the table.
Founded in 1997 by Morocco-born Marcelle Lean, Cinéfranco’s passion for exposing independent French films to the public is real and exactly the reason why they have seen such a rise in popularity over the past years. By supporting independent French filmmakers and promoting films that don’t always make it all the way to Ontario, this francophone festival allows a portion of the English-speaking world to immerse themselves in a rich and unique culture, at least for a little bit.
I sat down with Marcelle Lean and asked her a few questions regarding her festival and how she was able to create something which has managed to make such an impact on the city’s cultural landscape.
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Marcelle Lean, Founder of Cinéfranco.
Fresh Print: Bonjour Marcelle, it’s a pleasure to be here with you! First of all, what inspired you to start Cinéfranco?
Marcelle: Many things, actually. I came to Canada around 40 years ago from France but I was born in Casa Blanca, Morocco. I’ve always had a passion for cinema, but when I got here, I noticed that French cinema was hardly distributed—almost not at all. You could find a few challenging, intellectual films, but all of those which are popular in France, the ones that have comedy, that make you feel good—there was none of that.
I read a lot of French magazines that were available here, and it was very frustrating learning about great new films but not being able to see them. I love the TIFF, it’s like ten days of paradise for me, and I was always waiting for the TIFF, but it was not enough at the time. I wanted to create a film club in order to share my passion with other people. I tried to get glances at what happens behind the scenes at the TIFF. I took two or three jobs there, and during one of them in 1989, I went into the press office and experienced what it was to promote French films and meet with filmmakers.
In 1994, I accompanied a very prestigious French filmmaker who said to me, “do something for anglophone Canada and Toronto, allow them to know more about French films.” This inspired me. My husband was also willing to help me with the money because money was always an issue.
I had a lot of people give me good advice and also good tools. For instance, when I approached the Minster of Culture at the time, she gave me an office, a government office that was not used and just sitting there, for free. That was very helpful. I knocked on the door of the French Consulate at the time and they said they would help me if the films were subtitled in English, because they wanted to allow the films to be seen by a large public. That was an excellent piece of advice because we were the first francophone cultural event to be shown with English subtitles. It made us more inclusive.
I also had my passion for film which was nurtured by my past. When I was a little girl in Casa Blanca, my grandfather was a traveling projectionist who worked in little villages. When he was in an established theater as the head projectionist, he would tell us great stories about French films. I was always interested in it.
Fresh Print: What do you think is the most important part about being able to bring the world of francophone films to English-speaking provinces?
Marcelle: There are many layers of advantages. One of them is just the direct connection created between people. When you love something and you go see it with strangers, the social barriers of distance fall. In a festival, you tend to speak to the people who are watching with you, who have loved and have cried with you so easily. It’s a completely different environment than that of a commercial venue. It’s all about the human connection through the love that you share for film.
I also think that it allows us, the francophones, to show anglophones who we are. It’s good for us to be understood and accepted better. Films are tools for better knowledge, and a source of pride for communities who are a linguistic and cultural minority. We have this diverse, interesting culture, and are able to show it through film. It’s part of the Canadian canvas—we are Canadian, but at the same time we have a distinct culture.
Fresh Print: Who are your biggest sponsors? How have they helped you grow?
Marcelle: We have a lot of fantastic sponsors. Some of our biggest ones have been Telefilm Canada, the Trillium Foundation, the OLG, and the Ministry of Francophone Affairs. The minister, Madeline Meilleur, has been so wonderful in supporting us. Heritage Canada has also been a big supporter of what we’re doing. When we first came up with the idea of Cinéfranco, we got sponsored immediately by the Government of Ontario.
Fresh Print: Have you partnered up with any other festivals or organizations for events?
Marcelle: Yes, it has become a motto of ours to partner with festivals! We have all kinds of partners. On the 2nd of April, we are partnering with an online magazine called Reorient which focuses on Middle Eastern art. On March 30th, we are partnering with the Toronto Jewish Film Festival as well as with the Jewish Moroccan Community of Toronto for a film which has a Jewish theme. The Gilded Cage, a film about Portuguese immigrants, is tied with the Portuguese Institute. It works well. We try to find an organization or institute which matches every film.
Fresh Print: How do you decide which films make it into the festival?
Marcelle: When I have the money, I try to make it to a few festivals in Paris. I have a volunteer, Yvette, who’s been with me for 15 years. She travels to Belgium for some others as well. When I go to Paris, I see films with an audience as they come out. I experience the audience’s reaction, and because most of the filmmakers live in Paris, it is easy to contact and meet them. I go to many independent movie theaters which also have their own films that they show, and they organize Q&A sessions with the directors and crew. It’s very useful, and you discover films that never even crossed the ocean. Last year I had 2 or 3 films that had never made it to this part of the world before. Now, I stay in touch with the independent filmmakers. They produce gems, it’s really enriching.
Fresh Print: Are people able to submit to your festival or do you usually find the films yourself?
Marcelle: Until now, we’ve been actively looking for films. As we start to be recognized by Canadian (and other) filmmakers as a window to show their talents, they now come to us. It’s so exciting, it’s the beginning of glory.
In Canada, there are two associations that have membership with Francophone filmmakers—one is called Fric, a federation of independent filmmakers from Canada. There’s another one called Le Labo, and these two organizations are the tank of filmmakers and films that we go to in order to find new pieces.
Fresh Print: What are you doing to incorporate the youth perspective into your festival?
Marcelle: We have a youth program that has been the most successful this year. We counted about 6400 students and 300 teachers and parents that have come for 11 screenings at the Hot Docs Bloor Cinema. We screen films which are made with young people as an audience, and also provide the teachers with educational files to teach students things from how to promote films, how to work with certain aspects of the films, linguistic exercises, historical background, and how to analyze successful movie posters. It’s mostly a bank of ideas.
Apart from these tools we give the teachers, we also offer a contest for the best film review written by a student. We, as a committee, read them. Neat prizes are then given out for the best three, including a certificate of participation for everyone who submitted one. We also give the opportunity to a jury of 5 students to determine which films to screen. We ask our best clients, the schools that come back every year, and the teachers who appreciate us, to pick their best student to be part of the panel of judges.
Fresh Print: What are your biggest aspirations for Cinéfranco?
Marcelle: There are two things I would really love. I want Cinéfranco to survive all the difficulties we have, and then be at its best. We are lacking money, man power. All of these are interconnected. Man power is paid, if you don’t have the money, you cannot have the best films around or more employees or a nice projection room. My wish is that Cinéfranco continues to escalate to the best it can be, and to have the means for that.
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Cinéfranco is getting ready to launch their 17th annual festival which runs from March 28th until April 6th at The Royal Theatre (608 College St, Toronto.) This year, the festival will include both feature length and short films and two free events— a short film screening on Wednesday, March 26th at the Carlton cinema, and a film plus Q&A session with four important francophone directors who will answer questions on everything there is to know about short films and making a career out of it on March 29th.
Buy tickets, download the screening schedule, and get informed on all things Cinéfranco by visiting their website!