Inside Montreal, journalist Louis-Philippe Messier travels mainly on the run, his office in his backpack, on the lookout for fascinating subjects and people. He speaks to everyone and is interested in all walks of life in this urban chronicle.
The big traditional cinema complexes are emptier than ever… but small neighborhood cinemas are overflowing.
” Are you crazy ? Don’t talk regarding Modern Cinema in Le Journal! begged me a friend, anxious not to let the relative secret of this 54-seat room on boulevard Saint-Laurent, whose antechamber is a café-bar, betrayed.
To get tickets, watch the calendar and book several days in advance.
Louis-Philippe Messier
The Cinéma Moderne organizes Quiz evenings in its café-bar.
The atmosphere is friendly, the popcorn affordable, and you bring your pint of beer with you into the room.
“Hitchcock said that a film should not last longer than the capacity of the human bladder to retain itself”, philosopher Jarrett Mann, the director of the place.
OSCARS ON THE BIG SCREEN
Since Thursday, Cinéma Moderne has been in catch-up viewing mode for Oscar-nominated films.
Louis-Philippe Messier
Jarrett Mann and Emmie Caron of Modern Cinema
“I’ve selected 13 films for the Oscars to give people a chance to see them on the big screen before the results are announced…and several performances have already sold out or are nearly sold out,” Mann said.
Manager Emmie Caron designed a special Oscars cocktail with vodka, sparkling wine, pear syrup and golden flakes.
During our interview, representatives of the Cannes Film Festival binge-watch Canadian films in the room in order to “pre-select” some of them.
During the day, the room is used by post-production specialists who do colorization there.
“Directors, editors and cinematographers come to work here and present their previous films to our audience in the evening,” explains Alexandre Domingue, the owner of Cinéma Moderne.
LIKE AT HOME
Mr. Domingue founded his cinema four years ago, drawing inspiration from the “magic” of private screenings at a friend’s house in a large loft on rue Sainte-Catherine.
In Montreal’s east end, Station Vu, another small cinema, also has a busy schedule.
Housed in the Casa d’Italia on rue Jean-Talon Est, the Public Cinema fills its room, even if a sacrilegious regulation of the Casa prohibits the consumption of popcorn.
“We are looking for a new address which will also be a place of community life”, says Aude Renaud-Lorrain, the director.
