Réjeanne Padovani is a Canadian drama film from Quebec, written and directed by Denys Arcand and released in 1973."The rise of Denys Arcand". Montreal Gazette, March 21, 1987. It was his second narrative feature film as a director, but the first for which he was also the screenwriter alongside novelist Jacques Benoît (who also wrote his previous solo effort).
An examination of political corruption,"Referendum led Quebec director to film about sex". Ottawa Citizen, February 16, 1987. the film stars Jean Lajeunesse as Vincent Padovani, a construction contractor with mafia ties who has just completed work on a major autoroute project, and is planning a major dinner party to thank the politicians who awarded him the contract. However, as the dinner approaches his plans are disrupted, both professionally by the launch of a public protest by several families whose homes were expropriated for the highway construction and personally by the return of Réjeanne (Luce Guilbeault), his ex-wife who is now married into the family of rival contractor Sam Tannenbaum (Henry Gamer)."Reflecting Quebec events through Padovani". The Globe and Mail, February 2, 1974.
Réjeanne Padovani and Wedding in White were the only two Canadian films screened at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival."Le Monde calls Quebec film finest at Cannes". The Globe and Mail, May 17, 1973. The French newspaper Le Monde called Réjeanne Padovani one of the best films screened at the festival. The film was a Canadian Film Award nominee for Best Feature Film at the 25th Canadian Film Awards in 1973.Betty Lee, "Seagull irritating, Summer Wishes soars, Slipstream not the expected blockbuster". The Globe and Mail, November 10, 1973.
It was later screened at the 1984 Festival of Festivals as part of Front & Centre, a special retrospective program of artistically and culturally significant films from throughout the history of Canadian cinema.Carole Corbeil, "The stars are coming out for Toronto's film festival". The Globe and Mail, September 6, 1984.
During Quebec's Charbonneau Commission inquiry into corruption in the awarding of construction contracts in the early 2010s, the film received renewed attention with some media outlets calling it "prophetic"."Le cas Réjeanne Padovani". Le Devoir, January 19, 2013.
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