Happy 79th Birthday, Denys Arcand! Born today in 1941 as Georges-Henri Denys Arcand, this French-Canadian screenwriter, film producer and film director's features have also been nominated three further times, including two nominations in the same category.
These include the 1986 Canadian sex-comedy drama 'Le Déclin de l'empire Américain' ('The Decline of the American Empire') and the 1989 French Canadian comedy/political drama film 'Jésus de Montréal' ('Jesus of Montreal'). Of these Arcand is best known for writing and directing the former.
When Montreal professor Rémy (Rémy Girard) and his wife Louise (Dorothée Berryman) gather together six of their erudite friends for a holiday in the country, the conversation naturally turns to sex.
The men brag about their promiscuity while their female counterparts dish on their own exploits at a nearby gym.
However, what was a fun and titillating topic devolves into the catalyst of hurt feelings and accusations when an unexpected dinner guest named Mario (Gabriel Arcand) reveals some shocking secrets.
The film was a box office success in Canada and internationally and received good reviews. It won the FIPRESCI Prize at the 39th Cannes Film Festival in May of that year, and nine Genie Awards, including Best Motion Picture, at the 8th Genie Awards in mid-March 1987.
It was also the first Canadian film nominated for the Oscar for Best Language Foreign Film. This occurred at the 59th Academy Awards in late March 1987.
It was followed by two sequels. These included the 2003 Canadian-French sex-comedy drama film 'Les Invasions barbares' ('The Barbarian Invasions') and the 2007 American horror film 'Days of Darkness'.
Of these, Arcand is best known for writing and directing 'The Barbarian Invasions'.
Set seventeen years after the events of the first film, middle-aged, womanizing Montreal-based history professor Rémy (Rémy Girard) discovers that he is terminally ill with cancer.
This revelation leads to his reconnecting with his son, Sébastien (Stéphane Rousseau), a finance expert living in London who has embraced ideals that are at odds with his father's socialist leanings.
As Rémy reconnects with his son, and other relatives and friends, they discuss everything from sex to politics to philosophy.
The sequel was a result of Arcand's longtime desire to make a film about a character close to death, also incorporating a response to the September 11 attacks of 2001.
The film was produced by companies from both Canada and France, and shot mainly in Montreal, also employing a former hospital and property near Lake Memphremagog.
The sequel received a positive response from critics and became one of Arcand's biggest financial successes.
It won six Genie Awards at the 23rd Genie Awards in mid-February, awards at the 56th Cannes Film Festival in May 2003, including Best Motion Picture, and three César Awards, including Best Film, at the 28th César Awards in late February. Arcand has been the only Canadian director to have accomplished this.
It was also the first Canadian film to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film at the 76th Academy Awards in late February 2004.
Also for 'The Barbarian Invasions', Arcand received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, losing to American screenwriter, director, producer, and former actress Sofia Coppola's 2003 American/Japanese romantic comedy/drama film 'Lost in Translation'.
In 2007, The Barbarian Invasions' was followed by the thematically related 'Days of Darkness' and the 2018 Canadian crime comedy/thriller drama film 'La chute de l'empire américain' ('The Fall of the American Empire').
During his four decades career, Arcand became the most globally recognized director from Québec, winning many awards from the Cannes Film Festival. This included the Best Screenplay Award, the Jury Prize, and many other prestigious awards worldwide.
Arcand has directed three Canadian films that have received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Film and three films in the 2004 list of the Top 10 Canadian Films Of All Time at the 29th Toronto International Film Festival in September.
According to his personal life, he is currently married to Canadian film producer, Canadian film producer and co-founder and President of the Canadian film production company Cinémaginaire Daniel Robert. She has produced many of her husband's films.
Arcand is a lapsed Catholic. Married a second time, neither Arcand nor Robert his producer/wife, have had children. He was fifty-five years old when they adopted an orphaned baby girl from China named Mingxia.
Arcand's younger brother is noted Canadian actor Gabriel Arcand. He played Mario in 'The Decline of the American Empire'.
Arcand has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame, and is currently a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.
Arcand has been active from 1962–present.
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