Il était une fois dans l’est

Monday, April 9, 2018

Queer Media Database Canada-Québec presents IL ÉTAIT UNE FOIS DANS L’EST

A masterpiece of Quebec and Queer World Cinema, André Brassard’s extraordinary comedic-drama weaves together in Altman-esque fashion a diverse group of characters enmeshed in 1970s Montreal’s queer nightlife, including drag queens, lesbian couples, and more. Based on the plays of Michel Tremblay, Il était… has been compared to The Boys in the Band, La Cage aux Folles, and Outrageous! but with a more gritty, social realist edge. Canadian queer film critic Thomas Waugh also calls the film “a pioneering manifesto of queer desire…as cruel and exhilarating, loud and tender, as when it was released.” Il était… has almost never been screened in New York since it premiered at MoMA in 1975, so we’re especially thrilled to partner with Queer Media Database Canada-Québec to present a brand-new restoration you won’t want to miss.

Screening as part of our ongoing series Queer | Art | Film once a month on Mondays 8:00pm.

• Country Canada
• Language French with English subtitles
• Year 1974
• Running Time 101 minutes
• Director André Brassard
• Writer André Brassard, Michel Tremblay
• Editor André Corriveau
• Cinematographer Paul Van der Linden
• Cast Denise Filiatrault, Michelle Rossignol, Frédérique Collin

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.