The Confessional () is a 1995 mystery-drama film directed by Robert Lepage.Jay Stone, "Lepage's first feature film a feast for the eyes". Ottawa Citizen, December 1, 1995.
The film is set in Quebec City, in two distinct time periods. In the present day, Pierre Lamontagne (Lothaire Bluteau) searches for his estranged brother Marc (Patrick Goyette) to help unravel a family mystery. The mystery itself unfolds in flashbacks set against the backdrop of Alfred Hitchcock's 1952 filming of I Confess in the city.Brian D. Johnson, "Film Review: Le confessional". Maclean's, September 11, 1995.
The cast also includes Ron Burrage as Hitchcock, Kristin Scott Thomas as his assistant, and Jean-Louis Millette as Raymond Massicotte, Marc's lover who also holds the key to unlocking the Lamontagne family's secrets.
Plot The Confessional is set in Quebec City in 1952, during the time Alfred Hitchcock was filming I Confess. The city is transitioning into the modern era due to the advent of television and its initial exposure to Hollywood. A character resembling Hitchcock is depicted during the local premiere of I Confess.
The story shifts between events in the early '50s and 1989. In 1989, Pierre Lamontagne returns to Quebec City from China for his father's funeral. He struggles to find his adopted brother, Marc. They eventually reunite in a gay sauna. The brothers embark on a quest to discover Marc’s biological father, initially believed to be a parish priest. Marc's mother, Rachel, after multiple visits to the confessional, gave birth to Marc and later took her own life.
The film often revisits the making of I Confess, centering on Hitchcock's assistant as she interacts with the local church and organizes auditions for Hitchcock. Various characters, such as a mysterious gentleman, play significant roles in the unfolding narrative.
Cast Lothaire Bluteau as Pierre LaMontagne Patrick Goyette as Marc LaMontagne Jean-Louis Millette as Raymond Massicotte Kristin Scott Thomas as Assistant to Hitchcock Ron Burrage as Alfred Hitchcock Richard Fréchette as André LaMontagne François Papineau as Paul-Émile LaMontagne Marie Gignac as Françoise LaMontagne Normand Daneau as The Young Priest Massicotte Anne-Marie Cadieux as Manon Suzanne Clément as Rachel Lynda Lepage-Beaulieu as Jeanne d'Arc Pascal Rollin as Parish Priest LaLiberte Billy Merasty as "Moose" Paul Hébert as Parish Priest (1989)
Awards and nominations The film was selected as the Canadian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 68th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
In 2001, an industry poll conducted by Playback named it the 13th best Canadian film of the preceding 15 years.Michael Posner, "Egoyan tops film poll". The Globe and Mail, November 25, 2001.
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Genie Awards 1996 Best Picture Denise Robert Maria Topalovich, And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. . Best Director Robert Lepage Best Actor Lothaire Bluteau "Lepage leads Genie nominees". The Globe and Mail, November 8, 1995. Best Supporting Actress Anne-Marie Cadieux Marie Gignac Best Art Direction/Production Design François Laplante Best Cinematography Alain Dostie Best Costume Design Barbara Kidd Best Editing Emmanuelle Castro Best Overall Sound Jean-Claude Laureux, Jo Caron, Hans Peter Strobl Best Sound Editing Nick Berry, Jérôme Décarie, Jacques Plante, Diane Boucher, Antoine Morin Claude Jutra Award Robert Lepage
See also List of films featuring diabetes List of submissions to the 68th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film List of Canadian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
References
External links
Canadian Film Encyclopedia