People strolling through parts of Montreal may have seen projections on buildings based the city’s history and heard accompanying descriptions and music. Now, a film has been made that explored this project called Cité Mémoire born in 2016.
The projections present a host of characters who have witnessed the evolution of Montreal. In one scene, a horse pulls a hearse and more than 100 mourners attend the funeral of Joe Beef, the owner of a tavern who fed the poor in the 1800s. Another scene shows an underwater dancer who transforms into the muse of legendary musician Leonard Cohen. The illuminated muse soars 45 meters on a landmark clock tower on the shores of the st. Lawrence River which surrounds Montreal.
In one of the scenes, circus performers balance pianos and mattresses on the set, adding humour to the story of Canadian hockey great Rocket Richard.
The documentary shows how the projections were created. (Les Productions du Rapide-Blanc Inc.)
‘A virtual road trip to a magical place’ promised
The documentary film is said to explore universal stories of race, poverty and history. It uses drone shots that give view of the city and the projections which promoters call “a virtual road trip to a magical place.”
The project is said to be the largest permanent projection installation in the world and may serve as a template for other cities.
The documentary film, called Into the Light has won three awards at Argentina’s Are Non Stop Festival. It will be released on CBC television on November 7, 2020 at 7pm EST and online by Gem, a free streaming service offered by the public broadcaster CBC, November 6 at 9am.
It will appear in French on the Club Illico subscription video service on November 26. A trailer is available for viewing online.
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