War, inflation, the derailed climate: the news has put the optimists to the test again in 2023. Luckily, the artists were there to make us forget for the time of a song, a show, a movie, a show or a reading that our planet is tearing up from. To celebrate another rich year in culture (really rich, right, Taylor Swift?), our arts and entertainment team put together this roundup of 2023 in 12 gifts. Good reading!
Karl Tremblay: a memorable final lap
Photo from the archives of Stevens LeBlanc / Le Journal de Québec
He was doomed, his body held in place by spit, but until the end of his strength he insisted on going on stage.
Unless you've spent the entire year that's coming to a close in a cave with no internet access, you know very well which artist had the biggest impact on Quebec cultural news in 2023.
The extraordinary courage exhibited by Karl Tremblay enabled hundreds of thousands of Cowboys Fringants fans to sing and dance at a handful of concerts last summer, all turning into an immense declaration of love from a people who have spoken for a generation.
By presenting himself, contrary to his own doctor's advice, as sincere as an oak tree and proudly singing alongside his lover Marie-Annick Lépine and his friends Jean-François Pauzé and Jérôme Dupras, Karl Tremblay not only moved the A Quebecers, he also consolidated the cowboys Fringants' place as the most popular/important group in Quebec music history.
Although concerts were canceled due to his chemotherapy treatments, he sang The Shooting Stars at the Saint-Tite Western Festival two months before his death on November 15.
The apotheosis on the plains
This memorable final round culminated on July 17 on the Plains of Abraham at the Quebec Summer Festival in front of 90,000 people.
This concert was canceled four days earlier due to bad weather and was given a second chance when the festival decided, for the first time in its history, to extend the event by one day.
This last communion in this mythical place between the cowboys Fringants, a weakened Karl Tremblay but with the attitude of a warrior, and the public will forever remain enshrined in Quebec's cultural history.
Suddenly, the group's bittersweet lyrics took on a whole new meaning. While Karl Tremblay, choked with emotion, tried to sing Ici-bas twice, no one was fooled. While we didn't want to believe it, we realized with moist eyes that a big guy was preparing us for his exit.
Beautiful
However, he never gave in to fatalism. When he shouted, “Together, we are afraid of nothing,” during the chorus of “On My Shoulder” and sat down on a chair to conserve energy, an entire crowd marveled at his desire to fight, to get the best of the world to make the time he had left.
At this moment, the plains of Abraham were illuminated by tens of thousands of mobile phones, singing with one voice with his Karl.
A great image, a magical moment, an anthological farewell.
– Cédric Bélanger
Hurricane Taylor Swift
Photo archives/AFP
The year 2023 felt like a playground for Taylor Swift, who was just named Time Magazine's Personality of the Year! With the release of two of his newly recorded albums, which he pitched to his former record label – including 1989 (Taylor's Version), which was a phenomenal success – and his tour The Eras Tour, which was also brought to the big screen, The 33rd -year-old superstar seems to turn everything he touches into gold. No wonder she joined the clan of billionaire artists in 2023. To end the year on a high note, Taylor Swift can also boast of being the most listened to artist on Spotify in 2023. This is expected for 2024.
– Melissa Pelletier
Cinema in Quebec is back on the road to success
Photo provided by Immina Films
After a few years of ups and downs due to the impact of the pandemic, Quebec cinema has found its way back to success in 2023. No fewer than six Quebec films have surpassed the million-dollar mark at the box office this year, a first in a long time.
Thanks to a box office total of $2.3 million, Louise Archambault's summer comedy “Le temps d'un été” became the biggest box office success in Quebec since Menteur in 2019. Also the release of “Testament”, the latest film from It's hard to miss Denys Arcand, which wowed critics and drew crowds to theaters this fall (nearly $2 million at the box office). And what about Ru, the film adaptation of Kim Thuy's novel, which is currently enjoying great success in cinemas?
Female directors also stood out in 2023. Like Louise Archambault, Anik Jean managed to reach a large audience with My Mother's Men, her first feature film. After shining on the Croisette last May, Monia Chokri also seduced moviegoers with her romantic comedy “Simple like Sylvain”. Let's hope that Quebec cinema continues this great momentum in 2024.
– Maxim Demers
Metallica and the Foo Fighters rock Montreal
Photo from the archives of Mario Beauregard/Agence QMI
For a few moments, the summer of 2023 in Montreal felt like 2003.
First, in July, the Foo Fighters announced a few days in advance that they would be playing the Verdun Auditorium, the same venue where they had performed 20 years earlier. Unsurprisingly, the 3,763 tickets available sold out in minutes or even seconds. “Legendary, historic, unforgettable, impressive, magical,” we wrote about this show, where the Quebec female trio Les Shirley opened the evening.
The following month, it was Metallica's turn to set fire to the dilapidated Olympic Stadium for two evenings. For James Hetfield's band it was the first return to this haunted enclosure since the famous 1992 riot. This time everything went very well and the sound was still acceptable to the audience.
– Raphaël Gendron-Martin
Ginette Reno on tour (at Jean Coutu!)
Archive photo by Marie-Christine Ouellet
It is well known that you can find anything at Jean Coutu… even Ginette Reno.
The singer toured the stores this year to meet her fans and sign copies of her autobiography “Ginette” and her new album “C'est tout moi”, released exclusively through the pharmacy network.
Although this marketing strategy aroused the ire of booksellers, it did not dampen the enthusiasm of readers; The highly anticipated book reached 50,000 copies sold within just a few weeks.
The diva's album was awarded the Félix as Album of the Year – a great success at the recent ADISQ gala. This proves that even at the age of 77, Ginette Reno will probably not wear out the audience's love so quickly, quite the opposite.
–Bruno Lapointe
Reality TV Get me out of here! fascinates Quebecers
Archive photo provided by Productions Déferlantes
The guest artists of Get Me Out of Here! had no idea what awaited them in the jungles of Costa Rica, and Quebecers had no idea that this adventure reality show would have them so addicted.
The Quebec adaptation of the British show I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! blew up the ratings on Sunday night, and for good reason.
It combines challenges that push participants' physical and psychological limits, open camaraderie and moments of vulnerability. We all fell under the spell of the strong, resilient, motherly and giggly Nathalie Simard. Until the victory of 34-year-old musician Andréanne A. Malette, we shed a little tear at the elimination of each of the ten campers, all of whom were open, funny, lovable and courageous. Hats off to the host team with their delicious dry humor: Jean-Philippe Dion and Alexandre Barrette.
– Sarah-Émilie Nault
The “Barbenheimer” phenomenon.
Photo from the AFP archives
Who could have predicted that the simultaneous release of two films as diametrically opposed as Barbie and Oppenheimer would produce a phenomenon of this magnitude?
After sending social media into a frenzy, the “Barbenheimer” trend took over theaters over the summer, drawing hundreds of thousands of moviegoers to see this unlikely 294-minute double feature. In addition to breaking global box office records, Barbenheimer inspired all sorts of crazy objects and ideas, including a Barbie poster with an atomic bomb in the background, pink sweaters that read “I Survived Barbenheimer,” and even a film project currently underway development.
– Maxim Demers
Surprise: Céline Dion will visit the Canadian (and Katy Perry).
Archive photo from Chantal Machabée's Instagram account
At his first public appearance we expected him to appear on a stage on television. Not in the Canadian locker room.
Holy Celine! The Quebec singer, who has been sheltering at home since revealing she suffers from Stiff Person Syndrome, surprised everyone on October 30 when she appeared in the CH after a game against the Golden Knights in Las Vegas. Changing room appeared.
She shook hands with Martin St-Louis and the players, took a photo with Chantal Machabée that sent the Internet into a frenzy and, above all, sent a reassuring message to her admirers: she's fine under the circumstances.
Celine added even more a few days later by attending a Katy Perry concert.
A return of Céline in one form or another in 2024? All hopes are allowed.
Quebec authors collect literary prizes in Paris
Photo archives/AFP
If we have talked so much about the emancipation of Quebec literature this year, it is thanks above all to two local authors: Éric Chacour and Kevin Lambert.
The first landed in the first selection of the Femina and Renaudot Prizes with his first novel Ce que je sais de toi. The second won the prestigious Médicis Prize in France for his novel “Que notre joie” and made additional headlines by publicly stating that he did not like Prime Minister François Legault highlighting his work on Twitter, particularly in connection with the Real estate crisis. Further proof that our authors and our literature fascinate France: Quebec will be guest of honor at the prestigious Paris Book Festival in April 2024.
– Sarah-Émilie Nault
Louis-José Houde says goodbye to ADISQ
Archive photo of Jean-François Leblanc, provided by ADISQ
When he took over the management of the ADISQ Gala in 2006, comedian Louis-José Houde thought he would do the job between tours, but the pleasure quickly came for this experienced music lover.
Year after year the reviews of his entertainment were laudatory and Louis-José decided to return for the next gala.
This year, to everyone's surprise (and disappointment), Louis-José announced that his 18th hosting of the ADISQ Gala would be his last. The 46-year-old comedian, who recently became a father, wanted to turn things around and move on to other projects.
In his final turn, Louis-José, true to himself, delivered an effective and sophisticated opening monologue. Nevertheless, more sober than usual, the host wanted to give the winners of the evening space.
At the end of the gala, Louis-José said goodbye with very nice words and said that he had agreed to host this gala 18 years ago not out of love for music, but out of love for the French language. . “I think Quebec French is beautiful. I find it rich. I think it’s the most beautiful thing we own.”
– Raphaël Gendron-Martin
Quebecers charm France
Archive photo by Bertrand Exertier
Our Quebec artists did well in France in 2023. If our cousins across the Atlantic continued to applaud David Latulippe, William Cloutier, Manet-Miriam Baghdassarian and Gabrielle Lapointe in the new version of Starmania, they were also discovering new talent.
PETiTOM is currently making a splash in the title role of the show Molière, the City Opera, which ran at the Dôme de Paris until February before touring France, Belgium and Switzerland.
On the small screen, several million people followed the journey of David Corriveau, Geneviève Côté, Marie-Josée Corriveau and Jason Morel, who reached the semi-finals of France Has Incredible Talent thanks to the respective Golden Buzzers of Sugar Sammy, Karine Le Marchand and Éric Antoine .
–Bruno Lapointe
Photo courtesy of Bertrand Exertier 93954_045175
Contemporary Art in the Spotlight: Françoise Sullivan and Jean-Paul Riopelle in the Spotlight
Photo archive Toma Iczkovits/Agence QMI
Françoise Sullivan, an avant-garde creator and pioneer of multidisciplinarity, has intensified the celebrations of her 100th birthday this year.
She presents her latest exhibition “I let the rhythms flow” at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The artist exhibited his pastel works at the Simon Blais Gallery and the UQAM Gallery dedicated a virtual exhibition and the book An Imaginary Line to him.
For Jean Paul Riopelle, born on October 7, 1923, his 100th birthday was also celebrated throughout Quebec and elsewhere in the world. Here in particular with the piece The Riopelle Project by Robert Lepage, the Riopelle exhibition, at the crossroads of time in the Museum of Fine Arts of Canada and the musical work of Serge Fiori and Blair Thomson: Symphonic Riopelle, which combines albums and concerts.
– Sarah-Émilie Nault