St-Henri, The 26th Of August Trailer (2011)

On September 5, 1962, Claude Jutra, Michel Brault, Don Owen and Arthur Lipsett roamed the streets of St-Henri with other emerging National Film Board filmmakers, cinematically capturing a day in the life of a working-class Montreal neighbourhood. Their innovative approach, now known as direct cinema, made their short film synonymous with the form. Nearly 50 years later, a new generation of 12 established and emerging Quebecois filmmakers takes to those same streets with cameras in hand. A colourful collection of characters illuminate the screen, resulting in an inspired and truly stunning portrait of a community that has undergone dramatic change yet retains its roots. With an original score by Polaris Prize-winning musician Patrick Watson, this dawn-‘til-dusk collage provides a rare opportunity to see a community transform in front of one’s eyes.