MONTREAL – Gabrielle, a movie that looks at a young woman’s search for love and independence in the face of a genetic condition, has been selected as Canada’s candidate in the Oscars’ best foreign-language film category.
Telefilm Canada, which chairs the Oscar selection committee, called Louise Archambault’s film a “strong and very competitive” candidate.
Gabrielle has been released in theatres locally this month after a North American debut at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The film traces the burgeoning independence of a young woman with Williams syndrome, a genetic condition marked by developmental delays and strong social personalities.
It chronicles the musically gifted woman’s life and her growing romantic relationship with a boy at a day centre as the choir they both play in prepares for a big concert.
Its star is Gabrielle Marion-Rivard, who has Williams syndrome herself and is making her first screen appearance.
“It’s a film that touches a subject and looks at people that we rarely see on the big screen,” Archambault told a news conference Tuesday.
“It shows that we are all different and, in the end, we are the same, we all want to be loved.”
Gabrielle features a cameo appearance by well-known Quebec singer Robert Charlebois, whose music can also be heard during the film.
One of the producers, Kim McCraw, surprised Marion-Rivard with the news in a phone call on Tuesday and said she screamed for joy. McCraw said to temper that enthusiasm, she cautioned the young actress that Tuesday’s announcement was just a first step.
Archambault says she’ll surely take Marion-Rivard with her to Los Angeles if the film makes it that far.
Finalists will be announced in January, with five shortlisted films to be named by the end of that month.
The 86th Academy Awards will be handed out March 2.
“This announcement makes my heart sing,” said Archambault, adding it is inspired by real people and real organizations she dealt with.
“It’s really a nice recognition to represent Canada with my film and I’d like to share this with everyone who inspired me to make this film.”
Archambault said she’d heard Gabrielle was a possible candidate but that she wasn’t taking anything for granted. When she got the call earlier Tuesday, she called it a “magnificent surprise.” It is the Quebec director’s second feature film.
The Oscars have been kind to Canada, Quebec in particular, as of late.
”Over the last several years, Canada’s film industry has done our country proud, with three nominations for best foreign-language film three years running,” said Carolle Brabant, executive director of Telefilm Canada.
”The selection committee certainly got it right these last three years, and we’re confident that we once again have a strong and very competitive candidate for the upcoming Oscar race. Gabrielle has won over audiences internationally, and there’s no question that the Academy members will succumb to its charms as well.”
This year, Kim Nguyen’s child-soldier drama, Rebelle (War Witch), was in the race for Oscar glory but lost out to Amour.
In 2012, Philippe Falardeau’s tender tale, Monsieur Lazhar, made the final group at the Oscars, while a year earlier Denis Villeneuve’s Incendies also made the list of finalists before losing.
Both of those films were from the Quebec production team of McCraw and Luc Dery, who are also behind Gabrielle.
Dery said the next step is to find a U.S. distributor for the film and a publicist.
“It’s very difficult, there are films submitted by 71 countries (for the Oscars) and they’re all good films,” Dery said in an interview.
“The competition is huge … but we think we have a good film for this process. The film is super charming, it touches people, there’s a real subject matter but it’s far from being a sure bet.”
Canada’s last win in the best foreign-language film category was in 2004 for Denys Arcand’s The Barbarian Invasions.
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