MONTREAL – Quebec filmmaker Xavier Dolan didn’t just have one of the most critically acclaimed Canadian films of the year — it was also one of the most popular.
Mommy, a story about a single mother raising her troubled son, won a Telefilm Canada prize Wednesday for having the highest domestic sales for a French-language Canadian film in 2014.
The film was written and directed by Dolan and made $3.3 million in domestic sales.
Dolan said its success reflects the diversity of Quebec’s movie’s industry.
He added that while it was important for critics and the international film industry to like his movie, he wanted Mommy to reach a wide audience.
“It’s (very) important that the people take the time to see your film,” he said. “Otherwise you can’t just make movies for mom and dad and a couple of critics. You want people to talk about the film and to bring it home.”
Telefilm Canada’s prize, called the prix Guichet d’or, is the French-language equivalent of the Golden Box Office Award, which is awarded to the highest-grossing English-language Canadian film.
Dolan also received a $40,000 cheque from Telefilm Canada.
He said he was particularly pleased with the award because it confirms an authentic creation can also be a commercial success.
“What this (award) says is that there was a public for Mommy, that people went to see the film and that they liked it — and I couldn’t be happier with that.”
Since its debut last May, Mommy has won numerous awards including the Cesar Award in France for best foreign film as well as the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
It also won a Dorian Award and nine trophies at the Canadian Screen Awards.
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