One of Québec's most politically aware filmmakers, Denys Arcand studied
history at Université de Montréal, where he co-directed Seul ou avec d'autres (1962) with
Denis Héroux and co-written with Stéphane Venne. He joined the National Film Board
(NFB) in 1963, where his feature-length documentary on the textile
industry, On est au coton (1970), was so controversial it was suppressed for 6 years.
He made another fine documentary, Québec: Duplessis et après... (1972), before leaving the NFB for
the private sector. Dreckiges Geld (1972), Réjeanne Padovani (1973) and Gina (1975) were distinctive views
of Québec society, original and provocative. All 3 used the gangster
film as a source while distorting many of its conventions. He then
moved to TV, scripting the Duplessis (1978) series for Radio-Canada and
directing 3 episodes of Empire, Inc. (1983). He returned to the NFB to make a
documentary on the 1980 referendum, Le confort et l'indifférence (1982), which revealed growing
cynicism about the political process. It won the Québec Critics Prize.
He returned to commercial filmmaking after a hiatus of 10 years with
Le crime d'Ovide Plouffe (1984), before achieving major success with the scathing comedy about
sexual mores, Der Untergang des amerikanischen Imperiums (1986) (The Decline of the American Empire), a film that
won numerous prizes, including the prestigious Critic's Prize at the
Cannes Film Festival. The New York Film Critics voted it Best Foreign
Film in 1986 and it won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original
Screenplay at the 1987 Genies. It was also nominated as Best Foreign
Film by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science. Jesus von Montreal (1989)
confirmed Arcand's international reputation, winning the Jury prize at
the Cannes Film Festival. It won 10 Genies, including Best Picture and
Director, and was nominated in the Best Foreign Film category by the
Academy. Arcand then moved into English-language production in an
attempt to break into a larger international market. Liebe und andere Grausamkeiten (1993), his first
feature in English, was followed by Stardom (2000), a film that looked at the
world of fashion. Neither achieved the subtlety and texture of his
earlier work.
The overwhelming success of Die Invasion der Barbaren (2003), which marked both a return to the
French language and to the characters who had peopled Der Untergang des amerikanischen Imperiums (1986), showed
that Arcand had lost none of his powers of observation. The film won
two awards at the Cannes Film Festival (best screenplay, and best actor
for Marie-Josée Croze), Best Canadian Feature Film at the Toronto International
Film Festival and the prestigious Oscar for Best Foreign Film. In 2005
Arcand was named Companion of the Order of Canada, which recognizes
individuals for exceptional achievements of national or international
significance.
