This year, POP Montreal, an annual smrgasboard of concerts and music-themed films, celebrates its 10th anniversary. While the concert side of the equation is typically stacked (including, but not remotely limited to, a free Arcade Fire concert), the film portion is no slouch either. This year, film topics include legendary folkie Phil Ochs, The Replacements, Alan McGee and Creation Records, Aice Donut, and the Vancouver punk scene, among others. The fest runs from Sept. 21st-25th here in Montreal – the complete lineup and press release are below.
Montreal, August 11th, 2011 – Where music and movies make out in the dark: Film POP returns. From September 21st to the 25th, as the POP Montreal festival turns 10, Film POP will once again resurface an always-pertinent array of underground musical films and captivating documentaries. Throughout the 5 days of the festival, Film POP events will be held in 3 main venues: Blue Sunshine (3660 St-Laurent), the POP Quarters (3450 St-Urbain) and the Cinémathèque Québécoise (335 Maisonneuve East).
From rock excess to elusive success, the artists in this year’s showcase are all defiantly original melody-makers. “We’re really excited about the diversity of our program,” says curator Kier-La Janisse, “We’ve got twice as many events in the film section this year, and while musically it’s all over the map, what connects all the films is that most of the artists depicted really did things their own way, challenging musical or industry traditions. There are many great artists covered, and I’m hoping it’ll be like the cinematic equivalent of finding an obscure record that changes your life.” Life-altering experiences and remarkable personal stories are all over this year’s programming, starting with Phil Ochs: There but for Fortune, depicting the folk singers’ struggles with depression in his desperate search for success. Adding testimonies to the documentary, legendary rock photographer and brother Michael Ochs will be in attendance. Listen to Alan McGee talk about how he started one of the UK’s most important independent labels in Upside Down: The Creation Records Story, while Bloodied but Unbowed will capture the rise and fall of Vancouver’s original punk era with director Susanne Tabata in attendance. Watch 12 beautiful shorts in PJ Harvey: Let England Shake compiled and shot by war photographer Seamus Murphy and experience the mayhem of the Heavy Metal Memories Program in its Canadian premiere, comprised of Dream Deceivers: The Story of James Vance vs. Judas Priest, Heavy Metal Picnic and the 25th anniversary screening of the epic Heavy Metal Parking Lot.
Safe to say, the 2011 edition of Film POP will take you for a trip around the rougher and tougher edges of rock n roll, without forgetting to show its prettier and quieter moments. This year, Film POP will also have a full floor to itself at the POP Quarters, where it will hold several events including daily exhibits and installations. Film Pop was created in 2004 making it the first of POP Montreal’s 5 segments. Its goal is to revitalize the movie-going experience by offering a variety of special events and programming prestigious films in intimate viewing settings.
Film POP complete programming:
Film POP presents:
DAILY EXHIBITS: THE WOMEN OF DR. PHIL (A single-channel video installation by Clint Enns + Les Klassen | Canada 2010)
Daily, from September 21st to the 25th, on the Film POP floor of Registration
POP Quarters, 3450 St-Urbain
FREE!
Film POP presents:
DAILY EXHIBITS: NICK BLINKO: SKELETON SCRATCHES
Daily, from September 21st to the 25th, on Film POP floor of Registration
POP Quarters, 3450 St-Urbain
FREE!
Film POP presents:
THE WOLF KNIFE (Laurel Nakadate | USA 2010 | 100min.| Canadian Premiere)
Wednesday September 21st, 2011
Blue Sunshine, 3660 St-Laurent blvd, 3rd floor
Doors/Time – 7pm
Tickets $8
Note: Curated by Melora Koepke
Film POP presents:
UPSIDE DOWN: THE CREATION RECORDS STORY (Danny O’Connor | UK 2010 | 101min. | Quebec Premiere) w/ I TOUCH A RED BUTTON MAN (David Lynch | USA 2011 | 5min. | Canadian Premiere)
Wednesday September 21st, 2011
POP Quarters, 3450 St-Urbain Doors/Time – 7:30pm
Tickets $8
Film POP presents:
FREAKS IN LOVE: ALICE DONUT (Skizz Cyzyk and David Koslowski | USA 2011 | 90mins | Canadian Premiere)
Thursday, September 22nd, 2011
POP Quarters, 3450 St-Urbain
Doors/Time – 4pm
Tickets: $5
Film POP and Bongo Beat Records present:
BLOODIED BUT UNBOWED (Susanne Tabata | Canada 2010 | 74min | Quebec Premiere)
Thursday, September 22nd, 2011
Blue Sunshine, 3660 St-Laurent blvd, 3rd floor
Doors/Time – 7:30pm
Tickets $8 /
Sunday, September 25th , 2011
POP Quarters, 3450 St-Urbain
Doors/ Time – 1:30pm
Tickets $5
Note: Director Susanne Tabata in person!
Film POP presents:
MAGIC LANTERN REVISITED: Slideshows (Various Artists | 2011 | 60-80min | World Premiere)
Thursday, September 22nd, 2011
POP Quarters, 3450 St-Urbain
Doors/Time – 8:00pm
Tickets $8
Film POP presents:
TEEN ROUTINES: R. STEVIE MOORE (compiled by Kier-La Janisse | Canada 2010 | 55mins. | Regional Premiere) w/ THE BURTON CYCLE: PART I: FAHRENHEIT 7-11 and PART III: NEGATIVIPEG (Matthew Rankin and Walter Forsberg | Canada 2010/2011 | 30min)
Friday, September 23rd, 2011
POP Quarters, 3450 St-Urbain
Doors/Time – 4:30pm
Tickets $5
Film POP and Bongo Beats Record present:
PHIL OCHS: THERE BUT FOR FORTUNE (Kenneth Bowser | USA 2010 | 96min. | Quebec Premiere)
Friday, September 23rd, 2011
Blue Sunshine, 3660 St-Laurent blvd, 3rd floor
Doors/Time – 7pm
Tickets $8
Note: with brother/legendary rock archivist Michael Ochs in person for Q+A!
Film POP presents:
PJ HARVEY: LET ENGLAND SHAKE (Seamus Murphy | UK 2011 | 50 mins.| Video)
Friday, September 23rd, 2011
POP Quarters, 3450 St-Urbain
Doors/Time – 7:30pm
Tickets $8
Film POP presents:
SATURDAY MORNING CARTOON ROCK (Various Artists 1960-1980 | 240min)
Saturday, September 24th, 2011
POP Quarters, 3450 St-Urbain
Doors/Time – 10am
Doors/Time – 1pm
FREE!
Film POP presents:
SURROGATE VALENTINE (Dave Boyle | USA 2011 | 85mins | Canadian Premiere)
Saturday, September 24th, 2011
POP Quarters, 3450 St-Urbain
Doors/Time – 4:30pm
Tickets $5
Note: with star/musician Goh Nakamura in person!
Film POP and Evokative Film present:
OIL CITY CONFIDENTIAL (Julien Temple | UK 2009 |104min | Quebec Premiere) w/ EPISODE 1: ARRIVAL
Saturday, September 24th, 2011
Blue Sunshine, 3660 St-Laurent blvd, 3rd floor
Doors/Time – 7:30pm
Tickets $8
Film POP presents:
LOST MYTHS (live show)
Saturday, September 24th, 2011
POP Quarters, 3450 St-Urbain
Doors/Time – 8pm
Tickets $8
Film POP presents:
CRAZY THUNDER ROAD (Sogo Ishii | Japan 1980 | 95min | 35mm | Japanese w/ English subtitles)
Saturday, September 24th, 2011
Cinémathèque québécoise, 335 De Maisonneuve East
Doors/Time – 8:30pm
Tickets $7 / students & seniors $6
Film POP presents:
PAPER PROMISES (Shane Harvey | Canada 2008/2010 | 82min)
Sunday, September 25th, 2011
POP Quarters, 3450 St-Urbain
Doors/Time – 4pm
Tickets $5
Note: with Larry Harvey in person!
Film POP presents:
REPLACEMENTS: COLOR ME OBSESSED (Gorman Bechard | USA 2011 | 123mins | Quebec Premiere)
Sunday, September 25th, 2011
POP Quarters, 3450 St-Urbain
Doors/Time – 7pm
Tickets $8
Film POP presents:
DREAM DECEIVERS: THE STORY OF JAMES VANCE VS. JUDAS PRIEST (David Van Taylor | USA 1992 | 60min | 16mm film)
Sunday, September 25th, 2011
Blue Sunshine Admission, 3660 St-Laurent blvd, 3rd floor
Doors/Time – 7:30pm
Tickets $8
Film POP presents:
HEAVY METAL PICNIC (Jeff Krulik | USA 2010 | 65min | Canadian Premiere) w/ HEAVY METAL PARKING LOT 25th Anniversary Screening (Jeff Krulik + John Heyn | USA 1986 | 17min)
Sunday, September 25th, 2011
Blue Sunshine, 3660 St-Laurent blvd, 3rd floor
Doors/Time – 9pm Tickets $8
(combo ticket available for Dream Deceivers + Heavy Metal Picnic = $12)
Note: with original cinematographer Rudy Childs in person!