(Montreal) With a new channel, the Gala Québec Cinéma celebrates its 25th anniversary on Sunday evening, while Noovo presents for the first time on its airwaves this major event that, as its name suggests, celebrates the best of Quebec's film industry.
Published at 4:20 p.m.
The films Viking by Stéphane Lafleur and Babysitter by Monia Chokri will be the favorites of this evening, hosted by comedian Jay Du Temple, known to the Noovo audience for his six seasons at the helm of the reality show Occupation Double.
Viking, which topped the nominations with 18 nominations, has already started the harvest as the film won seven Iris Awards during the Artisans Gala held at Studio TD in Montreal on Thursday night. The feature film was particularly honored for the quality of its visual effects and costumes as well as in the cast category.
PHOTO PATRICE LAROCHE, LE SOLEIL ARCHIVE
Actor Steve Laplante and Monia Chokri, director of Babysitter
Babysitter received 14 nominations but came away empty-handed in the eight categories in which the winner was announced during the Artisans Gala.
On Sunday evening the two films will compete again, as Lafleur and Chokri are in the running for Best Film and Best Director, as are Pascal Plante for The Red Rooms and Francis Leclerc for The Diver.
PHOTO ALEXIS AUBIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION ARCHIVE
Stéphane Lafleur, director of Viking
To be eligible for this year's gala, films had to be released in theaters between March 2022 and August 2023.
In the male performance category for a leading role, Guillaume Cyr (Arseneault et fils), Patrick Hivon (Babysitter), Steve Laplante (Viking), Henri Picard (The Diver) and Luc Picard (Confessions) will compete for the title.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
The actors Guillaume Cyr and Léane Labrèche-Dor.
There are five women in the running for the leading actresses: Larissa Corriveau (Vikings), Kelly Depeault (Noémie Says Yes), Hélène Florent (A Respectable Woman), Léane Labrèche-Dor (My Mother's Men) and Sara Montpetit (Falkensee).
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, LA PRESS ARCHIVE
Actress Kelly Dépeault
This year the Iris homage will be awarded to the actor Rémy Girard.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
Rémy Girard receives the Iris Tribute Prize.
For this first edition of Gala Québec Cinéma on air, Noovo promises a “revamped” formula that will oscillate between “sometimes funny, sometimes touching” moments. Generalist network Bell Media has succeeded Radio-Canada, which decided last year to end its agreement with the gala.
Antoine Bertrand, Christine Beaulieu, Chloé Djandji, Patrick Huard, Anik Jean, Kat Levac, Alexis Martin and Pascale Montpetit are among the artists who will attend the awards ceremony, the evening's organizers announced.
The gala, which will be recorded at Studios Grandé in Montreal, begins Sunday evening at 8 p.m. on Noovo.