by MARK SLUTSKY

Shortbus isn’t the only film making its way from Toronto and Cannes to our screens at this year’s FNC. While the festival does have its share of premieres, it’s also your first chance to see quite a few films that have already made their name on the festival circuit—hardly a bad thing, mind you, as some will probably never see theatrical (or even DVD) release here. One example is Pedro Costa’s difficult Colossal Youth, which delighted and pissed off critics in equal measures in France and T.O. this year.

Others will almost certainly open in Montreal, especially with the Cinéma du Parc back in the game on October 27.

The FNC’s opening night film is Congorama, by local director Philippe Falardeau (director of La Moitié gauche du frigo and not to be confused with Elvis Gratton helmer, Pierre), and the fest closes with Pedro Almodovar’s justifiably acclaimed Volver, both of which will certainly hit local screens soon enough. But you can get to say you saw them first!

Another big hit from Toronto was Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s dramatic thriller The Lives of Others, about a Stasi agent spying on a playwright in East Germany. Another thriller to get some notice in recent months is Géla Babluani’s French-Georgian (the former Soviet Georgia, not the American) 13

Tzameti, which is already slated for a U.S. remake. Stylish, black and white and violent, this one should be a pretty hot ticket.

Also likely to be popular is the latest from Danish mischief-maker Lars von Trier, The Boss of It All, a comedy which is reputed to be lighter and more comedic than his recent work (and it would kind of have to be).

Legendary Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira, a man who, incredibly, directed his first film in 1931 and is still working today, 75 years later, has taken on an interesting subject for his latest film, Belle toujours, which is a sequel to Luis Buñuel’s 1967 Belle de jour, though interestingly enough Catherine Deneuve doesn’t reprise her role (Bulle Ogier fills the part), while Michel Piccoli does. Definitely a fascinating project no matter what.

Made originally for American TV, Spike Lee’s When the Levees Broke is a four-hour documentary recounting the catastrophic events of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans, as well as the storm’s aftermath, and looks to be well worth seeing. And Ken Loach’s The Wind That Shakes the Barley, while set seven decades ago and ostensibly about the forming of the IRA, is itself just as much about today as Lee’s film.

Closer to home, the fest’s Focus Québec/Canada section showcases 22 Canadian features, including local Karim Hussain’s La Belle bête, Gary Beitel’s Chez Schwartz (about the local smoked-meat purveyor) and Jennifer Baichwal’s acclaimed documentary Manufactured Landscapes.

Also part of that program is Elio Gelmini’s doc Anger Me, about legendary experimental filmmaker, writer and gay icon Kenneth Anger, who will be in town to give a talk to Concordia students (and who will presumably be on hand for the screening as well). Tribute will also be paid to other filmmakers and artists in various forms at the festival. The complete works of NFB animation genius Norman McLaren will be shown at the FNC (to coincide with a DVD release of his collected films), as will the films of Situationist pioneer Guy Debord. Other honourees include the late Swiss-German director Daniel Schmid and Spanish filmmaker Carlo Saura.

And don’t forget the art installations and exhibits, some of which actually sound pretty darn fun: Rejouer à Pong is an exhibit dedicated to, yes, Pong, the first-ever video game, with a bunch of Pong-inspired art. You can even play Rockstar’s Table Tennis video game and there’ll be a virtual ping-pong tournament as well.

The 35th Festival du Nouveau CinÉma runs Oct. 18–28. for more information see www.nouveaucinema.ca

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